Medicare and COBRA

[SLuskin]

We have a guy who enrolled in only Part A of Medicare in February 2008. He is going to retire 1/1/09. His wife will lose coverage when he retires. Is she entitled to 18 months, 36 months, or the 36 months minus the number of months he was Medicare eligible prior to retirement?

Thank you.

[JanetM]

Not a COBRA expert - but here's my take. Since the spouse's coverage ends at retirement (assuming it was not lost at earlier medicare eligibile date) that is the qualifing event for 18 months of cobra. From your post it sounds like both their ER coverage continued after Feb 2008. Medicare eligibility doesn't create qualifying event for covered beneficiary. Quick search points to rev ruling 2004-22.

[Guest LMPett]

We have a guy who enrolled in only Part A of Medicare in February 2008. He is going to retire 1/1/09. His wife will lose coverage when he retires. Is she entitled to 18 months, 36 months, or the 36 months minus the number of months he was Medicare eligible prior to retirement?

Thank you.

Since he was entitled to Medicare (even with just Part A) prior to his qualifying event, he is offered COBRA when he retires and gets up to 18 months. His wife gets the longer of 18 months from his retirement (loss of coverage) date or 36 months from his Medicare entitlement date.

[Guest holliday42]

We have a guy who enrolled in only Part A of Medicare in February 2008. He is going to retire 1/1/09. His wife will lose coverage when he retires. Is she entitled to 18 months, 36 months, or the 36 months minus the number of months he was Medicare eligible prior to retirement?

Thank you.

Since he was entitled to Medicare (even with just Part A) prior to his qualifying event, he is offered COBRA when he retires and gets up to 18 months. His wife gets the longer of 18 months from his retirement (loss of coverage) date or 36 months from his Medicare entitlement date.

It was my understanding that if you were entitled to Medicare you could not enroll in COBRA? Has this changed? I haven't kept up with COBRA because we turned our administration over to an outside source and they handled everything. I am asking because I have been laid off and may want to enroll in COBRA instead of medicare if I can. Thanks.