COBRA INSURANCE IN STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

[Guest CHERYL]

MY FORMER EMPLOYER TOLD ME HE WAS DROPPING THE GROUP PLAN HE HAD AND THAT I COULD NOT GET COVERAGE UNDER COBRA. DO YOU KNOW HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH SOMEONE IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA ABOUT THIS?

[Mary C]

Cheryl

COBRA is mandated by the Federal government and the Department of Labor enforces its compliance, not a state agency. The regulations do not require any COBRA coverage be offered if the employer drops ALL group health care coverage. That is, he doesn't offer health care coverage to any active employee any more. As a general rule of thumb, a COBRA participant needs only be treated as any similarly situated active employee. So if the employees aren't offered health care coverage, neither are the COBRA participants.