We are not COBRA. For specific contract details about your current company policy, contact your health plan administrator.
Situation: Large employer's HMO plan administrator is telling employee they do not allow a child only to elect Cobra under their plan structure. Not clear if they are really saying the employee would have to pay the premium rates for the employee AND her child, as the law is clear that the dependenat child can stay on Cobra. The resulting premium including the mother is unaffordable to the mother. The child is otherwise uninsurable due to a spinal problem, so individual coverage is not possible. The Risk Pool is not an option since technically Cobra benefits are avaiable.
Question: Can an insurance company legally restrict the premiums options it offers to include the employee with child and effectively make it unaffordable in this manner?