COBRA Insurance Benefits - Blog - Learn about COBRA

How Many Days Do I Have to Work to Qualify for COBRA insurance?

Posted on: April 30th, 2012 by Cobra Insurance Guide

Dear COBRA Insurance Benefits,

I recently got a new job, but found out that I am going to have to leave the job due to family issues. However, I really need the health insurance from the new job and will need to continue it on COBRA since my husband has a pretty serious health condition. I have only worked there for 30 days and am curious about how long I need to work at my company to qualify for COBRA insurance? Is there a minimum amount of time? Could I get COBRA insurance already? Thanks.

In Need of COBRA Insurance

This is a great question and actually one that many people have recently emailed us about. The answer is actually surprisingly simple. If you are currently getting health insurance from your company and meet the COBRA insurance requirements, then you qualify for COBRA insurance. That applies to both your coverage and your family’s COBRA coverage assuming you meet the requirements.

So what if you don’t currently get health insurance from your company? Then you are not going to be able to get COBRA insurance yet. Many companies have between a 30-90 day window before health insurance starts for a new employee. If you are still in that window then either you have to wait until your health insurance starts or will not qualify for COBRA.

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The High Price of COBRA Insurance and Preexisting Conditions

Posted on: April 26th, 2012 by Cobra Insurance Guide

No family ever predicts that a serious medical condition will hit their family, but sometimes it happens. Families suddenly find themselves facing decisions they never expected and many times facing health insurance bills they can’t fathom. Making this situation all the more complicated is that many times in the face of serious illness, people are forced to quit their job to care for their loved ones, and that’s when COBRA insurance comes into play. For some people COBRA insurance can be an incredible option in this situation, but for others, it can quickly become more expensive than they could ever imagine. To help understand this better, let’s look at two different families in similar situations, but apt to make very different decisions.

Our first family recently found out their son had cancer and will need almost around the clock care during his treatment. His mother is happy to provide that and preparing to quit her job in order to take care of her son. Her husband is self employed and does not have health insurance. Previously the entire family used her health insurance. Unfortunately, her company recently needed to cut costs and drastically changed their health insurance plan. The HMO has a deductible of $30,000 per family per year and the premiums have skyrocketed. While she was employed, her employer continued to cover 80% of the cost. After quitting her job and looking at her COBRA election form, she learns that health insurance for her family will cost over $7500 monthly due to the lackluster health insurance plan and her son’s condition. That is over $90,000 annually plus the $30,000 deductible which they will definitely use given her son’s condition. In all, her family will spend $120,000 this year on health insurance, a number they can’t afford.

Our second family also recently found out that their oldest daughter has a serious stomach condition and will need weekly medical care. She also will need constant care at home for at least the first 6 months. Facing the same decision, the family decides that they will stay at home to care for their daughter and use COBRA insurance coverage for the 18 months. Luckily for this family, the health insurance plan they are using is very good. Even with COBRA insurance they will spend $1500 monthly for their health insurance with no deductibles and minimum co-pays. Given their child’s preexisting condition, they know this is the best rate they can get.

So what can the first family do? It wasn’t there choice for the insurance plan to change and there is no way to afford $120,000 in medical care. Right now, they have a few options to cut their costs. First, they can consider only ensuring their son with COBRA and moving the rest of the family to an individual plan. This will cut some of the costs, but probably not drastically enough. Secondly, they can look to put their son on a pre-existing condition plan, or PCIP, and look for the lowest rates available. They will not be cheap but they will likely be less than COBRA insurance. Finally, they can explore government and state insurance plans and see what their options are. Depending on the state there may be options that can help cover the costs. Another option, finding part time work with health insurance. Starbucks for example offers health insurance to it’s part time employees.

Posted in COBRA and Preexisting Conditions, COBRA Insurance, Health Insurance | Comments Off

Is COBRA Insurance Right For Me?

Posted on: April 25th, 2012 by Cobra Insurance Guide

COBRA insurance is a great health insurance option for people who are absolutely sure they will soon have health insurance again, have preexisting medical conditions that make it difficult to qualify for other health insurance plans, or can financially afford to keep their current plan and benefits. However, for most of us, COBRA insurance many not be the best option and there may be alternatives that can provide us with similar coverage for much less money.

To better understand is COBRA health insurance is right for you, let’s first take a look at who is eligible for COBRA insurance.

Qualified Employee	Beneficiary	Qualifying Event	Cost	Term
Previous employer had at least 20 employees Previous employer had a health insurance plan Previous employer was not the federal government	Employee, spouse, and/or dependents	Voluntary (quitting, retiring) or involuntary termination of employment OR reduction in work hours	102% of the entire health insurance premium	18 months
	Employee, spouse, and/or dependents	Termination OR reduction of work hours along with a disability certified by the Social Security Administration	102% of the entire health insurance premium for first 18 months, 150% for next 11 months	29 months
	Spouse or dependent children	Death of employee, Divorce or legal separation, Loss of “Dependent Child” status, OR Employee enrollment in Medicare	102% of the entire health insurance premium	36 months

Once you know if you are even eligible for COBRA, the next decision is whether or not COBRA insurance is right for you. Generally you should consider COBRA health insurance if you are:

Have a preexisting condition
Have been declined from health insurance plans in the past
Are pregnant or plant to become pregnant in the near future
Take expensive prescription medications
Will be undergoing a medical procedure in the near future
Normally need lots of medical care

On the other hand, there are many instances when COBRA insurance may not be right for you. Those include:

Families and individuals in good health
People who will need insurance longer than the term given with COBRA
People who can’t afford COBRA or want a cheaper option
People who know they will soon be employed and want a cheap, short term option

Additionally it is always important to remember that you can make individual decisions for different family members depending on your needs and budget. If only one family member has a preexisting health condition, you may sign them up for COBRA insurance and then sign the rest of your family up for a more affordable individual health insurance plan. COBRA insurance can be used for the entire family or just particular members. It can also be dropped at any time.

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How to File a COBRA Insurance Claim

Posted on: April 23rd, 2012 by Cobra Insurance Guide

Since COBRA insurance is a continuation of the health insurance plan you had while you were working, the rules to follow a claim are going to be the same as they were when you were employed. Normally this includes a written document that must be submitted to the insurance company along with receipts for the medical expense. Generally insurance plans include this information in the Summary Plan Description.

Under most health insurance plans, whether they are a continuation with COBRA insurance or not, you will have a certain about of time to submit your claim and dispute your claim if needed. Most plans give you 90 days to submit your claim and in turn will let you know the status of your claim within 90 days. If it is accepted, you can expect to receive reimbursement, if it is denied, you can dispute it. For most plans you have 60 days to dispute the claim.

If you are using COBRA insurance and unsure about how to file a claim, you should contact your health insurance company for more information. They can provide the most accurate information on how your specific COBRA insurance plan works.

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COBRA Dental Insurance

Posted on: April 4th, 2012 by Cobra Insurance Guide

COBRA Dental Insurance is an option many people wonder about when they lose, quit, or retire from their job and are considering COBRA insurance. In many cases people who had dental insurance coverage as a part of their health insurance plan, can continue their dental insurance with COBRA if they qualify under the federal requirements. However in some cases if the dental plan was an additional or optional add-on, or completely separate plan it will not be covered under the federal COBRA insurance laws. Even if you are covered under COBRA dental insurance, you still may want to consider outside dental coverage which can be significantly cheaper than COBRA dental insurance.

If you are considering COBRA Dental Insurance, you should also get a quote for private dental insurance. If you do not have serious dental conditions, it is likely you can get a much cheaper rate than with COBRA insurance. COBRA insurance is expensive since you must pay the entire premium yourself, without employer support, and a 2% administration fee. This normally doubles or even triples the amount you are used to paying. With a private dental plan most people find they can find a plan for 65% less than their COBRA Dental Insurance plan. You can get a free dental insurance quote here to find out what type of dental insurance you may be able to buy. Compare that cost to the cost of COBRA Dental and determine which is the best option for you and your family.

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California COBRA Insurance – Cal COBRA Insurance

Posted on: April 2nd, 2012 by Cobra Insurance Guide

Knowing the difficulty of job loss and health insurance, following the federal government’s lead, California created it’s own mini COBRA insurance plan known as California COBRA insurance, or Cal-COBRA insurance. This plan, much like federal COBRA insurance, was set up to make sure people didn’t suddenly go without health insurance after they quit, lost, or retired from their job. In addition the law protected people losing health insurance from divorce or from losing dependent status as well. Under both the federal and Cal COBRA insurance laws, people have the option to continue to use their employer sponsored health plan for up to 18 months in most cases if they meet the requirements in the law. That means that they could keep the exact same doctors, prescription plans, co-pays, and deductibles. The catch? Under COBRA and Cal-COBRA, the individual or family who signs up for COBRA is responsible for paying the entire premium without any subsidy from the employer. In addition, they also must pay a 2% administration fee.

Understanding Federal COBRA Insurance

Under the federal COBRA insurance bill, in order to qualify for COBRA insurance you must meet three requirements known as qualifying plan, qualifying event, and qualifying beneficiaries. The qualifying plan refers to the type of health insurance plan that you had while you were employed. For federal COBRA insurance, this plan must have covered at least 20 employees to be eligible. The second requirement, known as qualifying event, refers to the way that you lost health insurance coverage. In most cases if you lost, quit, or retired from your job and there was not gross misconduct you will qualify. This also includes spouses who are losing coverage due to divorce and children who are losing health insurance due to losing dependent status. The final criteria, qualifying beneficiaries, refers to who is able to elect COBRA insurance. In most instances anyone who was on the health insurance plan will be able to be on COBRA insurance.

Understanding Cal COBRA Insurance

Cal COBRA was created to make sure that more people in the state of California could qualify for COBRA insurance if they wanted it. Essentially what the Cal COBRA law does is extend the benefits to people working at companies with between 2-19 employees. It also at times extends beyond typical COBRA insurance coverage and may last up to 36 months. Like federal COBRA insurance, an individual or family must pay the entire cost of the health insurance plan plus a 2% administration fee to keep coverage.

Cheaper Options to COBRA Insurance and Cal-COBRA

Since COBRA insurance can be so expensive, usually around $1000 for a family of four, it is important to consider other health insurance plans that may be more affordable. This is especially true if you and your family are relatively healthy. Many people find by looking at private health insurance cost they can save up to $600 a month on their health insurance costs. The easiest way to find out what you might qualify for – get a free health insurance quote online and explore your options. It will show you what plans you are eligible for and their costs.

Posted in COBRA Insurance, COBRA Insurance Costs, COBRA Insurance Eligibility, COBRA Insurance Guides | Comments Off

Arkansas COBRA Insurance

Posted on: March 31st, 2012 by Cobra Insurance Guide

For anyone who recently lost, quit, or even retired from their job figuring out what to do next for health insurance can be a tricky decision. Moreover, COBRA insurance legislation is confusing and many times it is hard to understand what options are out there. Understanding federal COBRA insurance, Arkansas COBRA insurance, and private health insurance plans is important so that you can make a decision for your family’s health insurance and budget.

Option 1: Federal COBRA Insurance, Cost for a Family: $1000+

The first option for individuals or families looking for health insurance coverage after job loss or retirement is COBRA insurance if they meet the federal requirements. Under the federal requirements most people who worked at a company with at least 20 employees on their health insurance plan will be eligible as long as they didn’t lose their job due to gross misconduct. Under the federal COBRA insurance plan you can keep the exact same health insurance plan that you had with your employer but you must pay the full cost for it. The full cost is what you normally contributed to your health insurance plan plus anything your employer paid. For most people this is between 60-90% of the health insurance cost. On top of paying the entire premium, you also must pay a 2% administration fee. For most families this ends up being $1000 or more monthly.

Under COBRA insurance you keep the exact same health insurance plan you had when you were employed for up to 18 months in most cases. It is meant to help you in the interim and make sure you do not go without health insurance. The coverage extends to your family and other dependents who were on your health insurance plan. Furthermore it can also extend to people losing insurance due to divorce or adult children losing coverage due to age.

Option 2: Arkansas COBRA Insurance, Cost for a Family: $1000+

The second option for someone in need of health insurance after job loss is Arkansas COBRA insurance. The state of Arkansas created its own COBRA insurance program for people who don’t qualify for the federal plan. The cost of Arkansas COBRA insurance is just about the same as federal COBRA because you will be responsible for the entire premium on your own. In addition there is a 2% administration fee. Arkansas COBRA insurance normally allows you to keep your employer sponsored health insurance plan for up to 18 months.

Option 3: Private Family Insurance Plan, Cost for a Family: $400+

The last and most affordable option in most cases is choosing a private individual or family health insurance plans. These plans are offered by private companies and normally are much less expensive than COBRA for similar coverage. The reason these plans can be so much cheaper is because they are only covering your family, not everyone you work with. If you are healthy that means a lower risk for the insurance company and therefore a lower rate. Most people find they can save over $600 a month by choosing a private health insurance plan. To find out what your options might be, you can get a free health insurance quote.

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Arizona COBRA Insurance

Posted on: March 26th, 2012 by Cobra Insurance Guide

For anyone living in Arizona who recently quit, lost, or even retired from their job; likely you are thinking about COBRA insurance and what role it could potentially play in your health care future. At the same time, it is likely that you are also trying to understand all your options and find the best one for you and your family. Arizona COBRA insurance may be the best option for that, but there may be other options as well that can provide similar insurance at a much lower cost.

Option 1: Federal COBRA Insurance or Arizona COBRA Insurance

Most people begin their health insurance search by considering COBRA insurance. This makes sense because it is the easiest health insurance option for most people if they qualify. Under COBRA insurance most people who work at companies with 20 or more employees, and who weren’t fired for gross misconduct, will qualify for COBRA health insurance coverage. With COBRA, the employee and their family members are able to keep the exact same health plan for a time normally up to 18 months. The major drawback to COBRA coverage is that the employee must pay for the full cost of health insurance. In most cases this is over $1000 monthly for a family of four. The cost of COBRA is that high because the employer no longer contributes and pays for some of the cost of health insurance.

In some states there are also state sponsored COBRA insurance programs for people who work at smaller companies and want COBRA. Unfortunately the state of Arizona currently does not offer an Arizona COBRA insurance plan. That means if you don’t qualify under the federal plan for COBRA, you will need to seek out alternative insurance.

Option 2: Private Health Insurance

The second option that you should consider when thinking about health insurance is private health insurance. Many people shy away from private health insurance and just sign up for COBRA because they think the price will be too high. However for healthy individuals and families, private health insurance can be much less expensive than COBRA. In fact, a healthy family of four on average saves over $600 monthly by using a private health insurance plan. To learn more about private health insurance, get a free quote and explore the available plans in your area.

The most comprehensive health insurance plans offered by companies will be individual and family plans. In addition there are also very affordable plans for people who only want to be covered for emergencies. These plans are normally known as catastrophic health insurance or high deductible health insurance. They can start as long as about $50 monthly but only cover emergencies.

Option 3: State Sponsored Health Insurance

The last place to look for health insurance after job loss is to explore government sponsored health insurance in Arizona or offered through the federal government. Many times children will qualify for these plan as well seniors. Depending on your income there may be a program available that will offer free or reduced health insurance to you and your family.

Posted in COBRA Insurance, COBRA Insurance and Quitting Your Job, COBRA Insurance Costs, COBRA Insurance Eligibility | Comments Off

COBRA Health Insurance

Posted on: March 21st, 2012 by Cobra Insurance Guide

COBRA health insurance is a term that is often heard in workplace conversations, on the television, and in unemployment circles but few people can actually tell you what COBRA health insurance really is. In fact many Human Resources workers who deal with workplace health insurance daily, struggled to say much more about COBRA health insurance than it is something people can use after losing their job. COBRA health insurance actually involves a lot more than that and it is extremely important for anyone who recently lost, quit, or retired from their job to fully understand it. It can also benefit anyone going through a divorce or who will soon lose their dependent child status.

What is COBRA Health Insurance?

COBRA health insurance is a law, not an insurance plan, that was passed by the United States government in 1986 to prevent people from suddenly losing their health insurance. The law states that if they choose to employees and their families can continue to use their prior employer’s group health insurance plan for up to 18 months in most cases. The health insurance plan under COBRA health insurance will stay exactly the same but the major difference will be that the employee must pay the full cost. Normally this is at least double what the employee paid while employed since most companies subsidize health insurance costs.

Who Can Use COBRA Health Insurance?

Under the COBRA health insurance there are three conditions that must be met in order for an employee and/or their family members to qualify for COBRA – qualifying plan, qualifying event, and qualifying beneficiaries. The first condition known as qualifying plan refers to the type of group health insurance plan that the employee had while employed. In most cases the person will qualify for COBRA health if the plan covered at least 20 full time employees or their part time equivalents. The second condition, known as qualifying event, refers to why health insurance is being lost. Most people qualify for COBRA health insurance under this condition if they quit, retired from, or lost their job without serious misconduct. Spouses can also qualify if they are losing their health insurance due to death of the covered employee or divorce from the covered employee. Adult children who are losing their dependent status, normally at 26, can also qualify. The final condition, qualifying beneficiaries, refers to who is eligible to get COBRA health insurance. In most cases anyone who was covered on the plan before can be covered with COBRA.

Are There Less Expensive Alternatives to COBRA Health Insurance?

There very well be more affordable alternatives to COBRA health insurance depending on your health insurance needs. For people who are relatively healthy, private insurance plans are usually much more affordable than COBRA. In fact on average people save about 65%, or over $600 monthly, by choosing a private individual or family plan. The best way to learn about private health insurance options is to get a free quote and explore. It takes about 1 minute to get a quote and start learning what is out there.

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Finding Health Insurance On Your Own

Posted on: March 19th, 2012 by Cobra Insurance Guide

For anyone who is out of work, self employed, employed without health insurance, or in need of health insurance for any other reason, there are ways to find affordable health insurance that will provide you with the coverage you need as well as the piece of mind you want. Find health insurance on your own is a very important step to take because none of us can predict when a medical emergency may strike so we always want to be prepared. If you need to find health insurance on your own, here are some options to consider.

1. COBRA Insurance: COBRA insurance is a solid option for anyone who previously had health insurance with their job and meets the COBRA insurance requirements. Most people do find that they are eligible for COBRA insurance which lets you continue your previous health insurance from your employer. What many people don’t realize is that COBRA insurance can also be used by spouses going through a divorce who were covered under their spouse’s plan, children who no longer qualify as dependents, and even retirees. COBRA insurance usually lasts for 18 months but in some cases can be extended for 36 months.

2. United States Uninsured Help Line: In the United States, the nonprofit group Foundation for Health Coverage Education is dedicated to helping people find health insurance options and understand what is available to them. Based on your age, gender, household income, and health needs they will help you understand what plans you should consider as well as if you are eligible for state health insurance plans. You can call them at (800) 234-1317.

3. Independent Agents: Athough many people are nervous and intimidated to call a private agent, mostly because we are worried we can’t trust them, sometimes they are the best place to turn. Although they usually make a commission when they sell you insurance, they are very knowledgeable about what is available, what you will qualify for, and what options you should consider. Also remember that just because you meet with an insurance agent does not mean you have to sign up for health insurance with them. We always recommend getting a free health insurance quote on your own first so you know what to ask and what to look for.

4. Preexisting Condition Plans: In 2010 healthcare reform legislation was passed that created preexisting condition plans for people with preexisting conditions. In the past most people found that if they has a serious condition they had no health insurance options but this is no longer the case. You must have been without health insurance for at least 6 months to qualify for this type of plan.

5. Healthcare.gov: Many people like to use government websites to start their health insurance search because they believe the information is accurate and unbiased, which it is mostly. One such site for health insurance options is Healthcare.gov which will ask you to answer a series of questions and then provide you with health insurance options from private companies. You can also do this through EHealthInsurance and start getting health insurance quotes now.

Posted in COBRA and Preexisting Conditions, COBRA Insurance, COBRA Insurance Costs, Health Insurance | Comments Off

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