Separation of medical and dental benefits with regard to COBRA..... pl

[Guest Sepia]

Under California law, since when has it been permissible to separate "core benefits" such as medical benefits from dental benefits and allow the applicant to elect only dental coverage without electing medical coverage as well on COBRA? Is the rule set with regard to consistancy on how the package is offered upon eligibility? For example, if we allow employees to elect only dental or only medical upon eligibilty, then they will also have the option to separate out these options on COBRA as well? Obviously they have to be a participant in that plan to begin with.

Thanks!

[KIP KRAUS]

I don’t know what they do in California, but it doesn’t make sense to me that Cal. Law would care about an employer offering Med. & Dent. As separate coverages or making them mandatory as combined coverages.

I may be wrong, but it has always been my understanding that if an employer offers Med. & Dent. as separate coverages then both coverages, or either coverage can be purchased under COBRA. We do it as separate coverages.

[Guest Sepia]

Thanks! Have a great day!

[Guest lmrice]

Sepia, I am in CA and we offer the same benefits to COBRA participants as regular employees. Therefore, if you have a banded benefit (i.e. medical/dental = 1 benefit election), then the COBRA participant would need to elect medical/dental. If regular employees have the option of electing medical AND/OR dental, then COBRA participants would have the same option.

Does that answer your question?

[Guest Sepia]

Imrice,

Yes, it does. Thank you!

[Larry M]

Since July 6, 1998, the right to continue coverage following a qualifying event also applies to group policies and contracts providing only noncore benefits, such as dental benefits or vision care benefits, issued to employers (with as few as 2 employees) covered by Cal-COBRA.

[Guest Sepia]

Thanks Larry, that's interesting.