Many people wonder how they can go about getting COBRA insurance and surprisingly the process to get COBRA insurance is actually quite simple.

1.  Ask your employer for the COBRA insurance election form:  Although your employer is mandated by law to provide you with the COBRA insurance election form, it is always beneficial just to ask for it.  This will ensure you will get it as soon as possible.  This form will contain information about the monthly cost as well.

2.  Review the form and determine if COBRA insurance is the best option:  When you receive the form review it carefully to make sure you understand who is eligible, the cost, and the date by which you must enroll.  Then explore alternatives to make sure COBRA is right for you.

3.  Determine which family members will enroll in COBRA insurance:  You do not have to enroll every family member in COBRA to get COBRA insurance.  Make careful decisions about who to enroll and consider if anyone has alternative options for health insurance.

4.  Mail in the election form within 60 days:  You have 60 days to mail in the election form.  Make sure to mail it in on time and you will also need to send in the premium.

5.  Pay your COBRA premiums on time:  COBRA insurance can be cancelled any time the premiums are not paid on time.  Make sure that you always pay the insurance premium on time and reach out to your health insurance provider if you do not think you will be able to.

It’s that simple to get COBRA insurance.

This is a question that frequently surfaces anytime someone is considering leaving a job or gets laid off from their job.  COBRA insurance coverage in very basic language, is the ability to keep your current health insurance.  Under the law, COBRA insurance coverage, means that you can choose to maintain your current health insurance plan (the exact same plan) at full cost to you for up to 18 months in most cases.  So with COBRA insurance coverage, you keep the exact same doctor, medications, etc since you are just paying the full cost of the plan you had with your employer.

However, in order to get COBRA insurance coverage you also must meet the federal requirements for COBRA.  There are three requirements and most people and families find that they are eligible an can keep their health insurance.

There are three main requirements under the federal law to qualify for and enroll in COBRA insurance.  The COBRA insurance requirements are:

1.  Qualifying Event:  This refers to how you lost your employment and health insurance coverage.  Under the federal COBRA insurance requirements, you will meet the qualifying event criteria if you were laid off, quit, or lost your job and there was no presence of gross misconduct.  You can also qualify if your hours were reduced and you are no longer qualified for health insurance.

2: Qualifying Plan:  The qualifying plan COBRA insurance requirements refers to the type of health insurance plan that your employer had.  In most cases if your employer’s plan covered 20 employees, or their part time equivalents,  you will be eligible for COBRA health insurance.

3:  Qualifying Beneficiaries:  The last COBRA insurance requirement refers to who is eligible for COBRA insurance.  In most cases any spouse and dependents will be covered.  This usually means that anyone that was covered can remain covered.