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Q: I recently retired and my company informed me that continued coverage to my wife could be had through Cobra. We didn't get any information about this until about a week before I turned 65. This was during the Christmas season. On the first business day of Jan. 1 2008 I called to get continued coverage. It took two weeks for us to just get the application form. We had to cancel at least two doctor appointments because of this. When we did get the form we sent it in with payment and we was informed that the payment was for Jan 1 to Feb 1. Since she (my wife) had to cancel the appointments, I would take that as not having insurance during that period and thus should not have started until payment was accepted. She has been under mental treatment since before the cobra went into effect. We only paid a copay of $20 per visit. Now that she has cobra, they are telling us (my wife and I) that we must pay a $500 dollar deductible before they (the insurance company under cobra) will pay anything. We were of the understanding that we were to get exactly the same coverage as before. Can these insurance companies under COBRA just decide what they will and will not cover and for how much?

A: Under COBRA law your employer or their COBRA plan administrator has up to 45 days to mail you the paperwork from your last day of group benefits.  COBRA is a continuation of your previous employer’s group plan.  Usually, it is the same coverages and benefits you had prior to the qualifying event.  The benefits don’t change unless the employer changes insurance companies or if the plan thehad was renewed on January 1^st, the benefits may have changed.  Your COBRA coverage benefits will be the same benefits as any active employees.  You should contact your previous employer and request a Summary of Plan Descriptions.  This is a written document that details the health insurance coverages and benefits.