5 IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF HOLISTIC HEALTH
If an employee has his or her health insurance benefits terminated either due to a loss of employment or a reduction in hours,
they still have an option for continuing that coverage through their group plan for a set period of time.
Based on COBRA, the Consolidated buy Cantharellus Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1986, Congress mandated that those who will lose their employer sponsored health insurance coverage should be given the right to continue their benefits – at least up to a certain amount of months – in order to avoid possible hardship prior to qualifying for new coverage.
It is important to understand, however, that not all employees qualify for COBRA, nor do all employers have to offer it. Therefore, prior to moving forward with a change in employment status, a good knowledge of the rights that are afforded is essential.
It is also necessary to note that there are alternatives to COBRA coverage. In many cases, the coverage that is provided by COBRA may be more costly than a comparable stand-alone health insurance policy. Therefore, by taking the time to truly understand what benefits are offered – as well as for how long – individuals can get a better idea of which option will work out the best for their specific situation.
In order to qualify for COBRA, an employee must be considered a full-time worker as stated in their current health benefits plan. In addition, the individual must actually be enrolled in that plan.
On top of covered employees, the dependents of that individual may also qualify for COBRA coverage it they, too, were enrolled in the employee benefits plan. These “qualifying beneficiaries” may include the employee’s spouse as well as dependent children of the employee.
Not all employers are required to offer COBRA. Therefore, even if an employee and / or their qualified beneficiaries are enrolled in the group health insurance plan, they may not be covered by COBRA if the employer does not offer it.
Those employers that are in the private sector, as well as state and local government employers must offer COBRA to their employees if they have had at least 20 full-time workers for at least 50 percent of the time in the previous year.
There are also certain types of employers that are exempt from offering COBRA, even if they meet the number of employees rule. These include the federal government, as well as churches and other specific church related employers.