make your first payment. Your COBRA coverage is then retroactive to the date that you
otherwise would have lost coverage. These deadlines are extended during the COVID-19
outbreak, as explained in Q4, below. See Joint Notice at
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/05/04/2020-09399/extension-of-cer
tain-
timeframes-for-employee-benefit-plans-participants-and-beneficiaries-affected. However,
you can elect COBRA before you receive the election notice. (Note – If your special
enrollment period after losing group health plan coverage has passed and you have elected
COBRA, you won't be eligible for special enrollment in another group health plan, such as a
spouse's plan, until you have a new special enrollment event, such as marriage, birth of a
child, or if you exhaust all COBRA coverage available to you.) COBRA coverage typically lasts
18 months, but may last longer in certain circumstances. For more information on COBRA,
you can review “An Employee’s Guide to Health Benefits under COBRA,” available at
https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/legacy-file
s/ebsa/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-
center/publications/an-employees-guide-to-health-benefits-under-cobra.pdf.
•
Special Enrollment in Individual Market Insurance Coverage - The Health Insurance
Marketplace offers information and enrollment assistance for comprehensive individual
health insurance coverage. Individuals may be eligible for a premium tax credit, which will
lower monthly premiums, and cost-sharing reductions, which will lower out-of-pocket costs
for deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. Individuals who lose job-based health
coverage qualify for a special enrollment period to enroll in a Marketplace plan outside of the
annual open enrollment period and may select a plan within 60 days of losing job-based
coverage (either 60 days before or 60 days after). The date coverage starts depends on when
you lose coverage and the date a plan is selected. When applying, you may be asked to
provide proof of your recent or upcoming loss of coverage. Information on Marketplace
coverage is available at HealthCare.gov or by calling 1-80
0-318-2596 (TTY 1-855-889- 4325).
Individuals who do not reside in a state that uses the HealthCare.gov platform can learn more
about their state’s Marketplace here: https://www.healthcare.gov/marketplace-in-your-state/.
•
Health Coverage through a Government Program - At HealthCare.gov, individuals also
can find out if they qualify for free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s
Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Medicaid is a federal/state health program administered
by the state for low income families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, people with
disabilities, and in some states, other childless adults. CHIP is a federal/state partnership that
provides children in families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid with health
coverage. In some states, CHIP also covers pregnant women. You can get information on
Medicaid through your state Medicaid office or by visiting https://www.medicaid.gov/. To
learn more about the CHIP program in your state, visit insurekidsnow.gov.
Note: When considering your health coverage options, you should examine the scope of the
coverage (including benefit coverage and limitations), premiums, cost-sharing (including co-
payments and deductibles), and any applicable waiting periods for coverage. You may also want
to contact your current health care providers and the health plan(s) you’re interested in to make
sure that your providers are included in your new plan’s network. For information on the
coverage through a particular group health plan, you should review the plan's Summary Plan
Description (SPD). Contact the plan administrator and request a copy if you don't have one. For
more information on obtaining other health coverage, you can review “Retirement and Health
Care Coverage...Questions and Answers for Dislocated Workers,” available at