COBRA--Keeping Your Insurance After Your Job Ends

Yes. A COBRA beneficiary’s coverage may end before the end of the maximum continuation period if any of the following occur:

• the beneficiary fails to timely pay a required premium;
• the employer no longer provides a covered group health plan to any of their employees;
• the beneficiary becomes covered under another group health plan that does not exclude a preexisting condition of the beneficiary;
• the beneficiary becomes covered by Medicare;
• the beneficiary whose disability caused a continuation period to be extended beyond 18 months ceases to be disabled;
• if a beneficiary is covered by an HMO and moves outside of the HMO approved service area.

Example: Donald can’t keep up the costs of his COBRA premiums and does not make the required payments as prescribed. Donald's coverage can be terminated. There are ways to help pay for premiums before things come to this. See our section on Financial Assistance for ideas and links to local, state and nationwide organizations and non-profits that may be able to help with the regular costs of living as well as COBRA and co-pay assistance.