Re: Re: Senior Cobra

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Senior Cobra

Comments:
: Matthew: : Thank you for your expertise, feel free to post your links and contact info (with replies) at will! : <img border="0" src="http://www.cobrahealth.com/casey.jpg" width="116" height="155"> : <a href="mailto:craig@cobrahealth.com"><b>Craig</a></b> : : Don: : : I am replying to your e-mail regarding COBRA coverage. Until I get more specific information on your situation, I should like to make a few assumptions and then offer my thoughts. First, I'm assuming that you were laid off along with a significant number of your former colleagues. Second, even though the company is laying off employees, they still maintain a health insurance plan for employees who remain. Finally, I'm assuming that no one in your household has received a Social Security disability determination. : : Having said that, a lay off from employment, without anything more, will yield a maximum of 18 months of COBRA coverage. This creates a problem in your situation because there will be a coverage gap between the time COBRA ends and your Medicare coverage kicks in. I've been presented with this question more times than I can remember and I have the following suggestions: : : * see if your policy has a conversion option. If it does, you may be able to get health insurance during the coverage gap; : : * does your jurisdiction have a state law that provides a program of coverage to people in your situation? : : * once COBRA runs out, you may want to consider purchasing an individual policy. My experience is that these policies are much more expensive than COBRA coverage (which is capped at 102 percent of the employer's cost). If it is imperitive that you have some form of coverage, even if it's only temporary, see if you can get a loan from your pension plan to cover the cost. : : * ask if your former employer maintains a retiree health plan. If so, this is hands-down the very best option for most people. : : Don, keep in mind that you only get 36 months of COBRA coverage with the following events: : : - employee Medicare enrollment (spouse gets the 36 months); : : - divorce; : : - death of covered employee; and : : - loss of dependent status. : : In addition, 29 months of COBRA coverage is available where a covered family member has received a Social Security Disability determination. : : If you want more information, you're more than welcome to e-mail me directly or telephone my office. I maintain two offices -- one in South Orange, New Jersey and another in Nutley, New Jersey. : : Sincerely, : : Matthew Vance : : Matthew Justin Vance, Esq. : : 14 South Orange Avenue : : South Orange, NJ 07079 : : (973) 313-0900 : : fax: (973) 313-0999 : : mvance@ErisaAdvisoryOpinions.com : : : : : Craig: Thank you for acknowledging my e-mail. This was my earlier question for which I had not received a reply: I was laid off at the age of 62, and advised by my employer that I would receive 18 months of COBRA coverage before it automatically ended. : : : I was recently told that I should qualify for continuation COBRA coverage until age 65. That would be a total of 30 months in my case. : : : Is there any provision in the law or other information available that I can provide to my former employer to authenticate that claim? : : : Need to know soon. Thank you! : : : Also, I wrote to the recommended government contact (Billy Beaver) for my region (Southern California) on this question and have received no acknowledgement or reply. Thanks again.

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