What is COBRA?

According the United States Department of Labor, COBRA (The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to choose to continue group helath benefits provided by their group helath plan for a limited period of time.

Local 145 offers COBRA benefits to all of its plan members should they need it. In some situations coverage ends because of a life event known as a "qualifying event." After a qualifying event, COBRA continuation coverage must be offered to each person who is a "qualified beneficiary." Under the Plan, qualified beneficiaries who elect COBRA continuation coverage must pay for the coverage in order for it to continue.

Qualifying Events:

• Your hours of employment are reduced
• Your employment ends for any reason other than your gross misconduct.

If you are the spouse of an employee, you will become a qualified beneficiary if you lose your coverage under the Plan because any of the following qualifying events happens:

• Your spouse dies
• Your spouse’s hours of employment are reduced
• Your spouse’s employment ends for any reason other than his or her gross misconduct
• Your spouse becomes entitled to Medicare benefits (under Part A, Part B, or both)
• You become divorced or legally separated from your spouse.

Your dependent children will become qualified beneficiaries if they lose coverage under the Plan because any of the following qualifying events happens:

• The parent-employee dies
• The parent-employee’s hours of employment are reduced
• The parent-employee’s employment ends for any reason other than his or her gross misconduct
• The parent-employee becomes entitled to Medicare benefits (Part A, Part B, or both)
• The parents become divorced or legally separated
• The child stops being eligible for coverage under the plan as a “dependent child.”

Read the full COBRA Intial Notice document, "Contiuation Coverage Rights Under Cobra"

COBRA Rates - Per Month

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