Dropping COBRA due to attainment of other healthcare coverage

[Guest Bernie Swanson]

COBRA regs say that COBRA ends if, after the election period you become covered under another healthcare plan. We seperate out our medical from our dental. That means you can elect COBRA for medical only, dental only or a combination of both. If you elect dental only, or medical and dental and subsequently become covered under an employer sponsored medical plan but have no dental coverage there... must you terminate the dental portion also? If you elect dental only and the administrator finds out you have become covered under a medical plan, do you see a requirement to terminate the dental COBRA? Have others incurred this type of event. I am curious as to how other employers handle this.

[KIP KRAUS]

In my opinion, and the way we administer COBRA, if an employee choses only to take dental COBRA, the subsequent attainment of medical (with no dental coverage) does not force a termination of COBRA dental.

At the same time, because medical and dental are separate COBRA events with our plans if a COBRA participant picks up medical and no dental, we do not force termination of COBRA dental.