How to Keep Your Health Insurance Coverage

One big factor today if considering a change in employment is health insurance coverage. Many employers are being forced to reduce health coverage and increase employee contributions to the health insurance, it's entirely possible that a job change will reduce if not eliminate your health insurance coverage. Other circumstances may also result in change in employment status. Many are being "downsized" and laid off without prior notice, and are unemployed for a period of time. How can one maintain essential medical insurance coverage in these situations? What happens if one is covered by a spouse or parent and is no longer eligilble, either by death of the insured, divorce, or a child graduating from school. How can one maintain health insurance that is so important?

In 1986, Congress passed the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). COBRA allows people with employer-sponsored health insurance (from an employer with more than 20 employees) the right to continue coverage for 18-36 months if they would otherwise lose coverage due to circumstances beyond their control. These circumstances include: (1) job loss; (2) hours are decreased; (3) their spouse who carried the coverage dies or divorces them; or (4) a student who graduates from school and is no longer eligible for coverage under their parents policy. Under COBRA, the employee, or individual who wants to continue the health insurance coverage, pays the full premium, including that portion previously paid by the employer. This amount is still likely to less than the individual would pay for a private policy without COBRA. To continue coverage under COBRA, the employer who carries the policy must be notified within 60 days of the change in circumstance (death, employment termination, graduation, etc.).

Before losing health coverage, contact the employer that carried the policy and inquire about COBRA health benefits. If denied continuation of benefits and you feel that you are entitled to COBRA coverage, contact the insurance company. If contacting the health insurance company doesn't resolve the issue, contact the agency that regulates the insurance industry in your state.

One big factor today if considering a change in employment is health insurance coverage. Many employers are being forced to reduce health coverage and increase employee contributions to the health insurance, it's entirely possible that a job change will reduce if not eliminate your health insurance coverage. Other circumstances may also result in change in employment status. Many are being "downsized" and laid off without prior notice, and are unemployed for a period of time. How can one maintain essential medical insurance coverage in these situations? What happens if one is covered by a spouse or parent and is no longer eligilble, either by death of the insured, divorce, or a child graduating from school. How can one maintain health insurance that is so important?

In 1986, Congress passed the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). COBRA allows people with employer-sponsored health insurance (from an employer with more than 20 employees) the right to continue coverage for 18-36 months if they would otherwise lose coverage due to circumstances beyond their control. These circumstances include: (1) job loss; (2) hours are decreased; (3) their spouse who carried the coverage dies or divorces them; or (4) a student who graduates from school and is no longer eligible for coverage under their parents policy. Under COBRA, the employee, or individual who wants to continue the health insurance coverage, pays the full premium, including that portion previously paid by the employer. This amount is still likely to less than the individual would pay for a private policy without COBRA. To continue coverage under COBRA, the employer who carries the policy must be notified within 60 days of the change in circumstance (death, employment termination, graduation, etc.).

Before losing health coverage, contact the employer that carried the policy and inquire about COBRA health benefits. If denied continuation of benefits and you feel that you are entitled to COBRA coverage, contact the insurance company. If contacting the health insurance company doesn't resolve the issue, contact the agency that regulates the insurance industry in your state.

Ms. Lowe holds a Master's degree in health care and has 30+ years in the health care field. She is also webmaster for Health-Infosource.com, a website dedicated to disseminating health information.

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