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Can I Keep COBRA When My New Employer Offers Health Insurance?

I resigned from my job. I now have a temporary per diem position. This company does offer health insurance if I want it. Am I still eligible for COBRA?

You may not have COBRA continuation and another insurance at the same time

If your previous employer has more than 20 employees and you were on their group health policy, you would be eligible to keep your work insurance for 18 months after you stopped working there.  You may stay on COBRA as long as you do not obtain a secondary insurance plan or become covered under your new employer’s health insurance.

The federal government’s COBRA law allows workers to continue on the same plan they had when they working. It is meant to bridge the gap, with the same health benefits, until the next comprehensive, major medical health plan is available.

 

Don’t Miss Your Open Enrollment Period

Your new employer may not have an open enrollment period before your COBRA expires. If that’s the case,  your COBRA ending will be a special enrollment period for you to find new ACA marketplace medical insurance.

Can I Use COBRA From An Older Employer?

If a person has used 6 months of COBRA insurance after losing a previous job and gets a new job with insurance and leaves after 4 months for a better job with no insurance is he/she eligible for 12 months or 18 months of COBRA coverage from the most recent employer? Job loss is not due to any type of misconduct.

After your first COBRA continuation, it sounds like you got insurance through a new employer’s group health plan, then left after 4 months. If this is the case, and you were on the new employer’s group health plan, you are eligible for COBRA coverage for another 18 months, because it is a different employer with a new qualifying event and different group health plan.

You would not be able to use COBRA again from a previous employer.

The COBRA Act requires that you are on a qualified employer health plan on your last day of work.

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In Good Health? The Short-Term Option

Short-term health insurance may be used as an alternative to COBRA. The plan premiums are affordable and the co-pays are predictable as coverage is limited to new illnesses and injuries.

These plans renew every month and you may cancel at any time.

Find out if you qualify for Short Term health insurance by registering to quote in the marketplace.

How To Obtain New Health Insurance

  • Enroll in an employer-sponsored health plan through a full-time job.
  • Purchase a qualified health plan via the health insurance marketplace.

Open Enrollment Periods

You may only start a new traditional health insurance plan during an open enrollment period. The federal open enrollment periods begins in November. Employers will have special open enrollment periods for new employees and an annual open enrollment for all workers.

Under the Affordable Care Act, businesses that employ 50 or more full-time workers must provide health insurance to 95% of their employees. with 50 or more full-time employees (or the equivalent in part-time employees) must provide health insurance to 95% of their full-time employees. Those that do not comply with the law face may face penalties from the IRS.

Health insurance marketplaces, both federal and private, have major medical plans available. These plans provide comprehensive coverage for surgical procedures and pre-existing conditions. Many provide a prescription medication benefit.

Are You Eligible For COBRA?

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