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 because you are still employed, after the Medicare initial enrollment period, you have 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. If you don’t enroll in Medicare and elect COBRA continuation coverage instead, you may have to pay a Part B late enrollment penalty and you may have a gap 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 continuation coverage ends, the Plan may terminate your continuation coverage. However, if Medicare Part A or B is effective on or before the date of the COBRA election, COBRA coverage may not be discontinued on account of Medicare entitlement, even if you enroll in the other part of Medicare after the date of the election of COBRA coverage. If you are enrolled in both COBRA continuation coverage and Medicare, Medicare will generally pay first (primary payer) and COBRA continuation coverage will pay second. Certain plans may pay as if secondary to Medicare, even if you are not enrolled in Medicare. For more information visit https://www.medicare.gov/medicare-and-you . If You Have Questions Questions concerning your Plan, or your COBRA continuation coverage rights should be addressed to the contact information at the end of these notices. For more information about your rights under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), including COBRA, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and other laws affecting group health plans, contact the nearest Regional or District Office of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) in your area or visit www.dol.gov/ebsa . (Addresses and phone numbers of Regional and District EBSA Offices are available through EBSA’s website.) For more information about the Marketplace, visit www.healthcare.gov . Keep Your Plan Informed of Address Changes To protect your family’s rights, let the Plan Administrator know about any changes in the addresses of family members. You should also keep a copy, for your records, of any notices you send to the Plan Administrator.
CHANGES TO THE TERMS OF THIS NOTICE
We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request and posted electronically.
For more information, contact:
NAME:
Jefferson Center For Mental Health
TITLE:
Human Resources | Colorado
PHONE NUMBER:
303-432-5040
EMAIL ADDRESS:
humanresources@jcmh.org
Effective Date of this Notice:
January 1, 2025
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