[Rusty0604]

I used to do that too. It is not a state law, it’s covered under Department of Labor.

I used to take care of the insurance too. I was doing it the way your wife does, and found out the hard way that they had 60 days.

So I would send them their notice, informing them that if they chose they would have to pay premium from (date). I kept them on the insurance and if they did not respond in 60 days, I retroactively removed them and they would refund the premium.

Here’s a few more sites:

https://www.mintz.com/insights-center/viewpoints/2226/2019-03-what-employers-need-know-about-cobra-coverage-terminated

This site gives examples of timing, etc.

https://www.zenefits.com/workest/when-does-a-terminated-employee-begin-their-cobra-coverage/

You should show this to your wife so she doesn’t find out the hard way like I did. We had to pay some medical bills.

Plan participants and beneficiaries generally must be sent an election notice not later than 14 days after the plan administrator receives notice that a qualifying event has occurred. The individual then has 60 days to decide whether to elect COBRA continuation coverage. The person has 45 days after electing coverage to pay the initial premium.

Second, the employer of a covered employee must notify the plan administrator within 30 days when a qualifying event occurs.

COBRA events or COBRA Qualify Events include:
an employee’s termination of employment;
reduction of hours in employment;
death;
enrollment in Medicare; or
the employer’s bankruptcy filing

http://www.dpi-cobra.com/cobra-information/rules-and-regulations.asp

Information on DOL site for employees about COBRA and Marketplace

https://www.dol.gov/sites/default/files/ebsa/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/faqs/cobra-continuation-health-coverage-consumer.pdf

[stylin19a]

thanks for that. The 60 grace period is for enrollment into Cobra. Until such enrollment, the coverage has ended at the end of the month.

One of those links says this:

"Say, for example, an employee is terminated on 4/25, the COBRA notice is sent on 4/27, and group insurance cancels 4/30.The Employee has until 6/30 to enroll because that’s 60 days from their termination date, which was the latest of the three.

Continued Coverage
If the employee enrolls during the 60-day period, then there’s no lapse in coverage because COBRA applies retroactively to the date that the employee loses coverage?"

[stylin19a]

I glossed over this

So I would send them their notice, informing them that if they chose they would have to pay premium from (date). I kept them on the insurance and if they did not respond in 60 days, I retroactively removed them and they would refund the premium.

How did this work? Which premium did they refund - their employee part or COBRA? If insurance paid bills during that 60 day period, did you still refund the premium?