Comments on: Fight a-brewing over COBRA http://funny-about-money.com/2009/06/01/fight-a-brewing-over-cobra-2/ Simple Living = Frugality = Peace of Mind: Personal Finance and Stress Control Wed, 23 May 2012 21:15:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Brenda http://funny-about-money.com/2009/06/01/fight-a-brewing-over-cobra-2/comment-page-1/#comment-7794 Brenda Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:13:04 +0000 http://funny-about-money.com/?p=5998#comment-7794 This does have a California twist, but just in case there is info unknown to you... This story is taken from Sacbee / Living Here Second Opinion: Act quickly to secure COBRA benefits Published Sunday, Jun. 14, 2009 If you have questions about the practices of your managed-care coverage, ask the experts at the state Department of Managed Health Care. I work for a small employer and I know that there are plans to lay off five of us. It looks like I will have to enroll in COBRA. What I don't know is whether COBRA includes dental and vision benefits. – Greg Hood, Sacramento The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, called COBRA, provides all of the benefits that were part of your former group coverage, including dental and vision benefits. However, if you have not secured alternate coverage by the time your COBRA coverage expires (generally 18 months), and you need to go onto Cal-COBRA, these specialized plans may not be included. Not everyone qualifies for COBRA, which is a federal law that applies only to employees of a firm with 20 or more employees who were members of an employer-sponsored health plan. The law allows those employees to retain their group health insurance if their job ends or their hours are reduced, but requires the employee to pay the entire premium, including the portion formerly paid by the employer. This can be very expensive. However, the recent stimulus bill changed that requirement for employees who lost their jobs involuntarily between Sept. 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2009. Those consumers are eligible for a subsidy of up to 65 percent for up to nine months. Those who make more than $125,000 as an individual or $250,000 as a couple may have to repay all or a portion of this subsidy. Those who don't qualify for COBRA may qualify for California's program, Cal- COBRA, which was designed for those who worked for employers of 2-19 people and were members of its managed health care plan, or for those who have already exhausted their federal COBRA benefits. No matter which option applies to your situation, it is important to act quickly. Failure to apply within 60 days of having been notified of your COBRA rights could lead to coverage denial. For more information on what COBRA can and cannot do for you, call the DMHC's Help Center at (888) 466-2219 or go to www.healthhelp.ca.gov. ShareThis [close] This does have a California twist, but just in case there is info unknown to you…

This story is taken from Sacbee / Living Here

Second Opinion: Act quickly to secure COBRA benefits
Published Sunday, Jun. 14, 2009

If you have questions about the practices of your managed-care coverage, ask the experts at the state Department of Managed Health Care.

I work for a small employer and I know that there are plans to lay off five of us. It looks like I will have to enroll in COBRA. What I don’t know is whether COBRA includes dental and vision benefits.

– Greg Hood, Sacramento

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, called COBRA, provides all of the benefits that were part of your former group coverage, including dental and vision benefits. However, if you have not secured alternate coverage by the time your COBRA coverage expires (generally 18 months), and you need to go onto Cal-COBRA, these specialized plans may not be included.

Not everyone qualifies for COBRA, which is a federal law that applies only to employees of a firm with 20 or more employees who were members of an employer-sponsored health plan. The law allows those employees to retain their group health insurance if their job ends or their hours are reduced, but requires the employee to pay the entire premium, including the portion formerly paid by the employer. This can be very expensive. However, the recent stimulus bill changed that requirement for employees who lost their jobs involuntarily between Sept. 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2009. Those consumers are eligible for a subsidy of up to 65 percent for up to nine months. Those who make more than $125,000 as an individual or $250,000 as a couple may have to repay all or a portion of this subsidy.

Those who don’t qualify for COBRA may qualify for California’s program, Cal- COBRA, which was designed for those who worked for employers of 2-19 people and were members of its managed health care plan, or for those who have already exhausted their federal COBRA benefits.

No matter which option applies to your situation, it is important to act quickly. Failure to apply within 60 days of having been notified of your COBRA rights could lead to coverage denial.

For more information on what COBRA can and cannot do for you, call the DMHC’s Help Center at (888) 466-2219 or go to http://www.healthhelp.ca.gov.
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