COBRA

Employees and their families will have the opportunity for a temporary extension of health insurance coverage in certain circumstances where coverage under the University’s health plan would otherwise end. Only those employees, spouses of employees and their dependents who were covered under the University’s plan on the day before the event which triggered termination of coverage are eligible to elect continuation of coverage.
Events which may trigger the option to continue coverage are as follows:

1. Termination of the covered employee’s employment (except in instances of gross misconduct);
2. Death of a covered employee;
3. Divorce or legal separation of a covered employee from his or her spouse;
4. A covered employee becoming entitled to receive Medicare benefits; or
5. A dependent child of a covered employee ceasing to be a dependent.

Employees are responsible for notifying the Office of Human Resources (the Plan Administrator) of the occurrence of a qualifying event that is either a dependent child’s ceasing to be a dependent child or the divorce or legal separation of a covered employee. When a qualifying event occurs, the Plan Administrator will provide the employee and/or qualified beneficiary with the appropriate notice regarding his/her rights under COBRA. For further information on the continuation of coverage, see a representative of the Office of Human Resources.