Electing COBRA Continuation Coverage

• Under the law, you or your family member have at least 60 DAYS from the date the coverage provided under the Plan would end because of one of the qualifying events TO ELECT COBRA Continuation Coverage.
• If you elect COBRA Continuation Coverage, the coverage provided would be identical to that provided under the Plan to similarly situated employees or family members. This means that if coverage for similarly situated employees or family members is modified, your coverage will be modified.
• If you do not elect COBRA Continuation Coverage on a timely basis, your group health coverage will end.

How long COBRA continuation lasts

The maximum required period for COBRA Continuation Coverage begins on the date of the qualifying event and ends on the last day of the period determined under the following table:

Note

• The 18-month or 29-month maximum coverage period will be expanded to 36 months if a second qualifying event caused by the employee's death, divorce or legal separation, Medicare entitlement, or by a child's loss of dependent status occurs during the original 18 or 29 months maximum coverage period. The second qualifying event cannot give rise to a maximum coverage that ends more than 36 months after the date of the first qualifying event.
• If while covered under COBRA, a qualified beneficiary gives birth to or adopts a child, that child may be enrolled for COBRA Continuation Coverage in the same manner that a newly acquired dependent may be enrolled in the Plan by an active employee. Once enrolled, the child will be covered as a qualified beneficiary; the child's COBRA coverage rights will be independent from the COBRA coverage rights of his/her parents.

Did you know?

SCC awarded 1,377 A.A. and A.S. degrees in 2005-06 - an all-time high!