COBRA Information and Resources

If you're interested in learning more about COBRA Continuation Health Coverage or VIPER® affordable COBRA alternatives, you've come to the right place. VIPER® Health Insurance is the industry standard alternative to COBRA, and the industry leading information site on COBRA Continuation Health Coverage. This website is jam-packed with useful information, FAQs, articles, resources, and services geared to help employees better understand their rights and the laws pertaining to COBRA Continuation Health Coverage.

Benefits Under COBRA Continuation Coverage

Who is entitled to benefits under COBRA health insurance continuation coverage?
There are three elements to qualifying for COBRA health insurance coverage. COBRA establishes specific criteria for plans, qualified beneficiaries, and qualifying events:

Plan Coverage - Group health plans for employers with 20 or more employees on more than 50 percent of its typical business days in the previous calendar year are subject to COBRA. Both full and part-time employees are counted to determine whether a plan is subject to COBRA. Each part-time employee counts as a fraction of an employee, with the fraction equal to the number of hours that the part-time employee worked divided by the hours an employee must work to be considered full time.

Qualified Beneficiaries - A qualified beneficiary generally is an individual covered by a group health plan on the day before a qualifying event who is an employee, the employee's spouse, or an employee's dependent child. In certain cases, a retired employee, the retired employee's spouse, and the retired employee's dependent children may be qualified beneficiaries. In addition, any child born to or placed for adoption with a covered employee during the period of COBRA coverage for health insurance is considered a qualified beneficiary. Agents, independent contractors, and directors who participate in the group health plan may also be qualified beneficiaries.

Qualifying Events - Qualifying events are certain events that would cause an individual to lose health coverage. The type of qualifying event will determine who the qualified beneficiaries are and the amount of time that a plan must offer the health coverage to them under COBRA. A plan, at its discretion, may provide longer periods of continuation coverage.

COBRA information and Frequently Asked Questions FAQs

Learn more about COBRA continuation of health insurance by selecting a link below.

• What does COBRA Continuation Health Coverage do?
• Who is entitled to benefits under COBRA?
• Plan Coverage
• Qualified Beneficiaries
• Qualifying Events
• Qualifying Events for Employees
• Qualifying Events for Spouses
• Qualifying Events for Dependent Children
• What group health plans are subject to COBRA?
• What process must individuals follow to elect COBRA continuation coverage?
• How long after a qualifying event do I have to elect COBRA coverage?
• How do I file a COBRA claim for benefits?
• Can individuals qualify for longer periods of COBRA continuation coverage?
• Is a divorced spouse entitled to COBRA coverage from their former spouses’ group health plan?
• If I waive COBRA coverage during the election period, can I still get coverage at a later date?
• Under COBRA, what benefits must be covered?
• When does COBRA coverage begin?
• How long does COBRA coverage last?
• Who pays for COBRA coverage?
• If I elect COBRA, how much do I pay?
• Can I receive COBRA benefits while on FMLA leave?
• What is the Federal Government's role in COBRA?
• I am a federal employee. Can I receive benefits under COBRA?
• Am I eligible for COBRA if my company closed or went bankrupt and there is no health plan?
• How do I find out about COBRA coverage and how do I elect to take it?
• Frequently asked COBRA health insurance questions