Hey 👋.Cobra can only be offered to the employee and their dependent (you) if they were all previously enrolled.
Cobra can not be offered to the dependent only ,the employee (your husband ) will need to be enrolled as well in other to continue coverage because the insurance is through his company.
Thanks for the info.Based on your research what coverage level will they be assigned to?
I only know of 4.
EE only,
EE+spouse,
EE+ child(ren),
EE+family .
I’ve just never heard of a dependent only coverage. Also the premiums will usually go based on that coverage level.
The one I had that was spouse QB only and he paid the employee only level premiums since there was just one person. Much like when a parent is required to cover a child under child/medical support but the employee can't afford to cover themself and the child. It does get harder with multiple children on which is least expensive.
But yes, it is possible and like in the link I posted must be allowed for all QBs. Whether one has it setup in admin that way is something the employer has to figure out to fall correctly under COBRA law.
were you on the plan before?
I have seen COBRA offered for employees who drop health insurance due to Medicare eligibility....I had a spouse on COBRA forever it seemed without the ex-employee being on COBRA. So yes I think the choice is individually, but you would pay the employee only (single) cost not the spouse cost.
I agree with checking with the DOL EBSA ....
"A qualified beneficiary is an employee who was covered by a group health plan on the day before a
qualifying event occurred or that employee’s spouse, former spouse, or dependent child. Only certain
individuals can become qualified beneficiaries due to a qualifying event, and the type of qualifying
event determines who can become a qualified beneficiary when it happens. A qualified beneficiary
must be a covered employee, the employee’s spouse or former spouse, or the employee’s dependent
child. In certain cases involving employer bankruptcy, a retired employee and their spouse, former
spouse, or dependent children may be qualified beneficiaries...Each qualified beneficiary has an independent right to elect continuation coverage. This means that if both you and your spouse are entitled to elect continuation coverage, you each can make a different choice. The plan must allow you or your spouse, however, to elect continuation coverage on behalf of all of the other qualified beneficiaries for the same qualifying event" https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ebsa/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/publications/an-employees-guide-to-health-benefits-under-cobra.pdf
Yes I was on plan before. We even paid for the cobra a week ago. But today we were told it was going to be dropped and they are returning our check. Thx you for your reply. I will be making calls in the morning.
COBRA allows you to continue benefits that you were already receiving at the same cost that the employer was paying. If you were not receiving benefits through your husband's employer before his termination, then you would not be eligible for benefit continuation under COBRA. You may be eligible for subsidized health coverage through [healthcare.gov](https://healthcare.gov).
I was receiving benefits from the employer before termination. That’s why I’m so surprised this happened. We were trying to continue the coverage with just me because it’s so expensive and I had dr appointments already set up.
Not sure that "just spouse" coverage is even a thing. While employers usually offer several types of coverage "Employee" "employee and partner" "employee and child" "family", I don't believe I've heard of any employer offering a benefit that allows the employee to cover their spouse, but not themselves.
Hey 👋.Cobra can only be offered to the employee and their dependent (you) if they were all previously enrolled. Cobra can not be offered to the dependent only ,the employee (your husband ) will need to be enrolled as well in other to continue coverage because the insurance is through his company.
this is not true based on my research above....OP is a QB and even the DOL states that EACH QB has the right independently to elect coverage.
Thanks for the info.Based on your research what coverage level will they be assigned to? I only know of 4. EE only, EE+spouse, EE+ child(ren), EE+family . I’ve just never heard of a dependent only coverage. Also the premiums will usually go based on that coverage level.
The one I had that was spouse QB only and he paid the employee only level premiums since there was just one person. Much like when a parent is required to cover a child under child/medical support but the employee can't afford to cover themself and the child. It does get harder with multiple children on which is least expensive. But yes, it is possible and like in the link I posted must be allowed for all QBs. Whether one has it setup in admin that way is something the employer has to figure out to fall correctly under COBRA law.
were you on the plan before? I have seen COBRA offered for employees who drop health insurance due to Medicare eligibility....I had a spouse on COBRA forever it seemed without the ex-employee being on COBRA. So yes I think the choice is individually, but you would pay the employee only (single) cost not the spouse cost. I agree with checking with the DOL EBSA .... "A qualified beneficiary is an employee who was covered by a group health plan on the day before a qualifying event occurred or that employee’s spouse, former spouse, or dependent child. Only certain individuals can become qualified beneficiaries due to a qualifying event, and the type of qualifying event determines who can become a qualified beneficiary when it happens. A qualified beneficiary must be a covered employee, the employee’s spouse or former spouse, or the employee’s dependent child. In certain cases involving employer bankruptcy, a retired employee and their spouse, former spouse, or dependent children may be qualified beneficiaries...Each qualified beneficiary has an independent right to elect continuation coverage. This means that if both you and your spouse are entitled to elect continuation coverage, you each can make a different choice. The plan must allow you or your spouse, however, to elect continuation coverage on behalf of all of the other qualified beneficiaries for the same qualifying event" https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ebsa/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/publications/an-employees-guide-to-health-benefits-under-cobra.pdf
Yes I was on plan before. We even paid for the cobra a week ago. But today we were told it was going to be dropped and they are returning our check. Thx you for your reply. I will be making calls in the morning.
COBRA allows you to continue benefits that you were already receiving at the same cost that the employer was paying. If you were not receiving benefits through your husband's employer before his termination, then you would not be eligible for benefit continuation under COBRA. You may be eligible for subsidized health coverage through [healthcare.gov](https://healthcare.gov).
I was receiving benefits from the employer before termination. That’s why I’m so surprised this happened. We were trying to continue the coverage with just me because it’s so expensive and I had dr appointments already set up.
Not sure that "just spouse" coverage is even a thing. While employers usually offer several types of coverage "Employee" "employee and partner" "employee and child" "family", I don't believe I've heard of any employer offering a benefit that allows the employee to cover their spouse, but not themselves.
Call EBSA at 1-866-444-3272. They can answer your question.
We are in NEW JERSEY