COBRA Secondary Event?

[Guest motor]

Hello,

Would the follow situation be considered a second qualifying event? If you agree that it would for how long?

An employee and family are on COBRA, the QB finds another job out of state and moves. This in turn causes the Dependents to lose coverage through COBRA and since the QB's new job is out of state, no insurance is being offered to the dependents.

I feel that this would be acceptable as a 2nd event, but not sure if this should be 18 or 36 months.

Thanks your opinions are appreciated.

[Guest Benefit Specialist]

The only 36 month events are a dependent losing dependent status, divorce or death. I don't think there would be an extension to 36 months but the rest of the family except the old employee who got new coverage should still be on COBRA continuing the old continuation period.

[oriecat]

Why would the dependents lose cobra coverage due to the "QB" moving out of state? If the dependents were covered on the plan prior to it being COBRA, they are all QB's and all have independent cobra rights. Their coverage shouldn't be cancelled due to the original QB moving.

[Guest benefitstudent]

Nothing has happened, as a matter of law, to affect the spouse and dependents' COBRA rights and continued participation in the former employer's group plan.

If the family moved with the former employee, as a practical matter, none of them may be close enough to a network to make use of the plan. Each current COBRA QB continues to have COBRA rights to continue in the former employer's plan, and, if the family is still in the network area. each can use the plan until the end of the COBRA term.

Hello,

Would the follow situation be considered a second qualifying event? If you agree that it would for how long?

An employee and family are on COBRA, the QB finds another job out of state and moves. This in turn causes the Dependents to lose coverage through COBRA and since the QB's new job is out of state, no insurance is being offered to the dependents.

I feel that this would be acceptable as a 2nd event, but not sure if this should be 18 or 36 months.

Thanks your opinions are appreciated.