How long does COBRA coverage last?

• For termination of employment or reduction in hours 18 months for the employee and any covered dependents • For an individual previously entitled to 18 months of coverage who is determined to be disabled 29 months of coverage • For an individual previously entitled to 18 months of coverage who experiences a second qualifying event 36 months of coverage • For qualifying events for reasons other than termination of employment or reduction in hours 36 months of coverage  more

COBRA establishes required periods of coverage for continuation health benefits. A plan, however, may provide longer periods of coverage beyond those required by COBRA. COBRA beneficiaries generally are eligible for group coverage during a maximum of 18 months for qualifying events due to employment termination or reduction of hours of work. Certain qualifying events, or a second qualifying event during the initial period of coverage, may permit a beneficiary to receive a maximum of 36 months of coverage.Coverage begins on the date that coverage would otherwise have been lost by reason of a qualifying event and will end at the end of the maximum period.  more

COBRA establishes required periods of coverage for continuation health benefits. A plan, however, may provide longer periods of coverage beyond those required by COBRA. COBRA beneficiaries generally are eligible for group coverage during a maximum of 18 months for qualifying events due to employment termination or reduction of hours of work. Certain qualifying events, or a second qualifying event during the initial period of coverage, may permit a beneficiary to receive a maximum of 36 months of coverage. Coverage begins on the date that coverage would otherwise have been lost by reason of a qualifying event and will end at the end of the maximum period. It may end earlier if: Premiums are not paid on a timely basis The employer ceases to maintain any group health plan After the COBRA election, coverage is obtained with another employer group health plan that does not contain any exclusion or limitation with respect to any pre-existing condition of such beneficiary. However, if other ...  more

COBRA establishes required periods of coverage for continuation health benefits. A plan, however, may provide longer periods of coverage beyond those required by COBRA. COBRA beneficiaries generally are eligible for group coverage during a maximum of 18 months for qualifying events due to employment termination or reduction of hours of work. Certain qualifying events, or a second qualifying event during the initial period of coverage, may permit a beneficiary to receive a maximum of 36 months of coverage.  more

COBRA establishes required periods of coverage for continuation health benefits. A plan, however, may provide longer periods of coverage beyond those required by COBRA. COBRA beneficiaries generally are eligible for group coverage during a maximum of 18 months for qualifying events due to employment termination or reduction of hours of work. Certain qualifying events, or a second qualifying event during the initial period of coverage, may permit a beneficiary to receive a maximum of 36 months of coverage. Coverage begins on the date that coverage would otherwise have been lost by reason of a qualifying event and will end at the end of the maximum period.  more

COBRA benefits generally last for a maximum of 18 months for employment termination or reduction of hours of work. Certain qualifying events may permit a beneficiary to receive a maximum of 36 months of coverage. COBRA coverage ends earlier if: • Premiums are not paid on a timely basis • The employer ceases to maintain any group health plan • a beneficiary becomes entitled to Medicare benefits. COBRA alternatives vary in maximum duration. Maximum coverage lengths under popular COBRA coverage lengths are: • 6 months • 12 months • 36 months • renewable (indefinite) The average duration of all individual health insurance policies in the U.S.- including COBRA and all non-COBRA policies - is about 11 months according to the data compiled by health insurance companies. This likely reflects the time a person is typically "between jobs" and without insurance coverage as well as the amount of time it takes an insurance buyer finds a better deal in the market (frequently at the time of premium ...  more

Generally, individuals who qualify initially are covered for a maximum of 18 months, but coverage may end earlier under certain circumstances. Those circumstances include: • Premiums are not paid on time; • Your former employer decides to discontinue a health plan altogether; • You obtain coverage with another employers group health plan; (There may be some exception if your new employers health plan excludes or limits benefits for a preexisting condition basically a medical condition present before you enrolled in the plan. Please see the discussion of HIPAA above.) • You become entitled to Medicare benefits. Employers may offer longer periods of COBRA coverage but are only required to do so under special circumstances, such as disability (yours or a family members), your death or divorce, or when your child ceases to meet the definition of a dependent child under the health plan.  more

Generally, individuals who qualify initially are covered for a maximum of 18 months, but coverage may end earlier under certain circumstances. Those circumstances include: • Premiums are not paid on time • Your former employer decides to discontinue a health plan altogether • You obtain coverage with another employer's group health plan (There may be some exception if your new employer's health plan excludes or limits benefits for a preexisting condition—basically a medical condition present before you enrolled in the plan. Please see the discussion on HIPAA that follows.) • You become entitled to Medicare benefits Employers may offer longer periods of COBRA coverage but are only required to do so under special circumstances, such as disability (yours or a family member's), your death or divorce, or when your child ceases to meet the definition of a dependent child under the health plan.  more

COBRA establishes required periods of coverage for continuation health benefits. A plan, however, may provide longer periods of coverage beyond those required by COBRA. COBRA beneficiaries generally are eligible for group coverage during a maximum of 18 months for qualifying events due to employment termination or reduction of hours of work. Certain qualifying events, or a second qualifying event during the initial period of coverage, may permit a beneficiary to receive a maximum of 36 months of coverage. Your COBRA coverage begins on the date that coverage would otherwise have been lost by reason of a qualifying event and will end at the end of the maximum period. It may end earlier if you don't pay your premiums on a timely bases or if your former employer ceases to maintain any group health plan.  more