October 4, 2011


Our guest asks:

Our COBRA coverage ends soon. Can COBRA be extended behond 18 months? If not, what other options are available?

OnlineAdviser responds:

This is surprisingly one of the most frequent questions we receive at OnlineAdviser. It is surprising because only a relative few people use COBRA coverage and, on average, individuals who purchase their own health insurance change policies about every 11 months. A need for coverage beyond 18 months would presumably be rare. Yet apparently for those who do need COBRA coverage and can afford to pay for it, the need sometimes extends for longer periods of time.

The direct answer is that there are specific (but rare) circumstances that allow COBRA to be extended beyond 18 months. Rather than repeat these details here, see more information on this topic at COBRAplan.com.

Since these circumstances are so rare and COBRA normally expires at the end of the 18 month period, it may be useful to review the options available. These vary based on state law and specific circumstances but OnlineAdviser is available to review these options on an individual basis.

 

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