There are also ways in which this 18-month period of COBRA continuation coverage can be extended:
Disability extension of 18-month period of COBRA continuation coverage If you or anyone in your family covered under the Plan is determined by Social Security to be disabled and you notify the Plan Administrator in atimely fashion, you and your entire family may be entitled to get up to an additional 11 months of COBRA continuation coverage, for a maximum of 29 months. The disability would have to have started at some time before the 60th day of COBRA continuation coverage and must last at least until the end of the 18-month period of COBRA continuation coverage. Youmust provide this notice to:
Carla Giambona Director of HR cgiambona@spearcenter.com
Second qualifying event extension of 18-month period of continuation coverage
If your family experiences another qualifying event during the 18 months of COBRA continuation coverage, the spouse and dependent children in your family can get up to 18 additional months of COBRA continuation coverage, for a maximum of 36 months, if the Plan is properly notified about the second qualifying event. This extension may be available to the spouse and any dependent children getting COBRA continuation coverage if the employee or former employee dies; becomes entitled to Medicare benefits (under Part A, Part B, or both); gets divorced or legally separated; or if the dependent child stops being eligible under the Plan as a dependent child. This extension is only available if the second qualifying event would have caused the spouse or dependent child to lose coverage under the Plan had the first qualifying eventnotoccurred. Are there other coverage options besides COBRA Continuation Coverage? Yes.Instead of enrolling in COBRA continuation coverage, there may be other coverage options for you andyour family throughtheHealth InsuranceMarketplace,Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or other group health plan coverage options (such as aspouse’s plan) through what is called a “special enrollment period.” Some of these options may cost less than COBRA continuation coverage. Youcan learn more about many of these options at www.healthcare.gov. Can I enroll in Medicare instead of COBRA continuation coverage after my group health plan coverage ends? In general, if you don’t enroll in Medicare Part A or B when you are first eligible becauseyou are still employed, after the Medicare initial enrollment period, you have an 8-month special enrollment period* to sign up for Medicare Part A or B, beginning on the earlier of
• The month after your employment ends; or
• The month after group health plan coverage based on current employment ends.
*For more information on the 8-month special enrollment period visit: www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/sign-up/when-does-medicare-coverage-start
If you don’t enroll in Medicare and elect COBRA continuation coverage instead, you may have to pay a Part B late enrollment penalty andyou mayhave agap in coverage if you decide you want Part B later. If you elect COBRA continuation coverage and later enroll in Medicare Part A or B before the COBRA
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