Leave + COBRA

Insurance While on Leave

The State allows employees to take paid and unpaid leaves of absence for a variety of reasons. For more about when and under what circumstances a leave may be approved, contact your agency’s human resources office.

You may be able to continue your group insurance coverages for a period of time while you are on an approved leave. Please consult your human resource office for details about:

COBRA Qualifying Event

After your eligibility for group insurance coverage ends, you may be able to purchase continued medical and dental, on an individual basis, for a period of time under a federal law known as the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA).

Employees and/or dependents may be able to elect a COBRA continuation of medical and dental coverages. You may elect COBRA dental coverage independent of COBRA medical coverage.

If another qualifying event takes place during the eighteen (18) month continuation period that would entitle a dependent to a longer period of continued coverage, the COBRA period may be extended. At the most, however, coverage cannot be extended past thirty-six (36) months from the date active plan coverage terminated.

Termination of COBRA

Coverage will end on the earliest of the following dates:

• At the end of the applicable coverage continuation period;
• The date the required contributions are no longer made;
• The date the COBRA participant becomes entitled to Medicare;
• The date the COBRA participant becomes covered by any other group health plan; or
• The date the State terminates health care coverage for all employees.

Refer to the medical and dental plan contracts for more details about COBRA’s:

• qualifying events
• extensions
• election
• termination
• conversion privileges