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Q:  I was with company A until August 30th, started in company B on September 4. I have to have a surgical procedure in November with a Dr X in New York who belongs to the insurance of the company A, but not to the insurance of my new company B which is in Miami, where I live now. This is what I want to do: keep my Company A insurance through COBRA so I can get the procedure with Dr x in New York through Company's A insurance, and reject Company's B insurance coverage until December 31st. From January 1st I would sign up with Company's B insurance and decline COBRA benefits. Is that possible to do?

A:   You will be able to stay with your previous employer’s group health insurance as long as they have more than 20 employees and you submit the election form before your election period for COBRA has not expired.  If your new employer’s insurance provides coverage for this surgical procedure you can not be on COBRA and be enrolled on the new employer’s plan at the same time.  So, to continue your previous employer’s insurance, you must elect COBRA and not sign up for your new employer’s plan.   You can continue the COBRA coverage for up to 18 months.  Keep in mind that when you become eligible for your new employer’s plan and you decline it to keep the COBRA coverage, you will have to wait until open enrollment to be added to the new employer’s plan.