Michigan COBRA Continuation Coverage
COBRA continuation coverage gives employees in Michigan who retire or lose their group health plan due to certain qualifying events, such as job loss or reduced work hours, the right to extend their benefits for a limited period of time at group rates. If you lost your health benefits, and you believe you may qualify for a temporary extension of healthcare coverage under federal COBRA laws, consult an experienced Michigan COBRA coverage attorney today for legal help. Health insurance is expensive, and you may not be able to find affordable coverage right away on your own. Fortunately, if you qualify for group health coverage under COBRA, your benefits will likely be less expensive than an individual health insurance plan.
What is COBRA?
COBRA is an acronym for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, which provides a temporary continuation of employer-sponsored healthcare coverage that might otherwise end due to a qualifying event, such as job loss or a reduction in work hours. Even spouses, former spouses and dependents may be entitled to a temporary continuation of health benefits under COBRA, in the event of the death of the covered employee, divorce or legal separation from the covered employee, the employee qualifying for Medicare, or a loss of “dependent” status under the group health plan’s provisions. Federal COBRA only applies to companies with 20 or more full-time employees, and allows employees to extend their group health coverage for between 18 and 36 months.
State Continuation Coverage in Michigan
Although some states have “mini-COBRA” laws, or state continuation plans, that provide a similar continuation of healthcare coverage for employee who work for companies that have less than 20 full-time employees, Michigan does not. If you live in Michigan and you lose your group health plan due to a qualifying event, your continuation rights are covered solely by federal law. The state of Michigan does, however, require that employees who lose their group health plan be offered the option of converting to an individual health insurance policy when their group coverage ends under certain circumstances.
Contact a Michigan COBRA Insurance Attorney Today
Losing your healthcare coverage can be devastating, especially if you are in between jobs and unable to pay for an individual health plan for yourself and your family. Fortunately, there are federal laws in place that protect the rights of employees who lose their health insurance due to certain qualifying events. If you live in Michigan, and you lost your group healthcare coverage due to voluntary or involuntary job loss, reduced work hours, or death of the employee under whom you qualified for health benefits, you may be entitled to a temporary continuation of your health insurance policy under federal COBRA laws. Contact a knowledgeable Michigan COBRA insurance lawyer today to discuss your rights.
