Federal COBRA applies to companies with 20 or more workers. The Maine insurance code has a limited continuation coverage requirement for workers who work for a company with fewer than 20 employees. This requirement is sometimes referred to as mini-COBRA. It provides one year of continuation coverage to qualified employees. So if your employer offered Health insurance coverage through a fully insured policy and you were laid off, you may qualify.
Important To Know About Maine’s Mini-COBRA Law
If the federal COBRA law doesn’t apply to the employee, the State’s Mini-COBRA law kicks in.
Eligibility applies for those who:
- The employee must have had worked for 6 months
- The employee was laid off permanently or temporary
Differently Than Federal COBRA
Unlike federal COBRA that allows continuation insurance to last for a period of 18 months, the Maine Mini-COBRA allows workers up to 36 months to remain on the employer-sponsored insurance.
source: http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_125th/billpdfs/HP005301.pdf
