# Would COBRA apply here? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 15, 2003, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-cobra-apply-here/195325 "2003-08-15T04:31:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrianS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@BrianS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianS)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-cobra-apply-here/195325/1 "2003-08-15T04:31:05Z")
Ok, I’m thinking about taking a new job. If I voluntarily leave my current employer, would COBRA gaurentee the continuation of my benefits through the new employer’s 90 evaluation period? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-cobra-apply-here/195325/2 "2003-08-15T04:56:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Under COBRA, if you voluntarily resign from a job or are terminated for any reason other than “gross misconduct,” you are guaranteed the right to continue your former employer’s group plan for individual or family health insurance for up to 18 months at your own expense. > > … > > Keep in mind, too, that you must actually be covered under an employer health plan to be eligible for COBRA. If your employer has more than 20 workers but doesn’t offer health coverage, or offers coverage only to certain groups of employees and you’re not one of them, you won’t be eligible for COBRA even if one of the qualifying events occurs — nor will your spouse or children be eligible. > > Your COBRA coverage ends when: > > - You reach the last day of maximum coverage. > - Premiums are not paid on a timely basis. > - The employer ceases to maintain any group health plan. > - The employer goes out of business. > - You obtain coverage through another employer group health plan that does not contain any exclusion or limitation with respect to pre-existing conditions of a beneficiary. (Eligibility under a spouse’s group health plan does not count.) > - A beneficiary is entitled to Medicare benefits. Source: [http://info.insure.com/health/cobra.html](http://info.insure.com/health/cobra.html) In short, COBRA coverage may vary according to many factors: the state where you live, your current employer’s health plan, your current employer’s employee count, etc. You should speak ith someone who knows your _specific circumstances_. \ FWIW, COBRA insurance is not cheap! IMHO, you stand a better chance securing less expensive personal health insurance in the interim. YMMV. \ ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-cobra-apply-here/195325/3 "2003-08-15T13:01:35Z")
COBRA is federal and should not vary from state to state. The advantage to COBRA over buying an individual policy is for the most part in the area of pre-existing conditions. Pre-ex are covered under COBRA and COBRA coverage counts toward any waiting periods which may be imposed under a new plan. Individual policies usually don’t, and also exlude pre-existing conditions. Depending on your specific health situation, COBRA for three months may be the best solution. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-cobra-apply-here/195325/4 "2003-08-15T14:40:23Z")
Note however that COBRA can be expensive. Although the price of COBRA coverage is limited to 102% of the price of your original insurance, in many companies which offer group health insurance the employer pays some or all of the cost of the premiums. If you go on COBRA, you will end up paying not only your regular monthly contribution but also what had been your employer’s contribution (plus the extra 2% in administrative costs). If your employer provides an excellent health plan you may be responsible for a considerable sum. –Cliffy P.S. BTW, for further research, COBRA stands for The Consilidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of (IIRC) 1986. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-cobra-apply-here/195325/5 "2003-08-15T15:25:29Z")
COBRA ended up costing me nearly $500/month. They don’t tell you the cost until you sign up either. Not to mention they completely f’d up all my coverage and it took me a good 3 months to get it straight. I recently switched to a single-person plan from Med. Mutual of Ohio (not available in Kansas ☹ ) It’s a dramatic decrease in price. Talk to the HR or benefits person at your old job and see how much you might be paying for COBRA. If it’s as much as I had to pay, I would recommend looking into temporary insurance from the company you get life, home or car insurance from. I know State Farm offers temporary insurance. I agree with Otto, tho. If it’s too much of a hassle to get new insurance and you have pre-existing conditions, COBRA is good. I thought that would be the case for me but the cost severely outweighed my pre-existing condition-ness and I regret having spent nearly $4000 for 9 months of health care. ---
**Author:** ![db4530](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@db4530](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/db4530)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-cobra-apply-here/195325/6 "2003-08-15T15:45:44Z")
Temporary individual insurance may not protect against losing coverage with the new employer pre-existing conditions. If pre-ex is a concern, COBRA may be your only option. ---
**Author:** ![BrianS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@BrianS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianS)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-cobra-apply-here/195325/7 "2003-08-15T21:51:37Z")
I thought HIPPA protected against the loss of coverage due to pre-exsisting condtions? Well, COBRA is part of HIPPA, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-cobra-apply-here/195325/8 "2003-08-15T22:03:18Z")
… and here I thought COBRA was just a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world … ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-cobra-apply-here/195325/9 "2003-08-15T22:17:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bearflag70 \* > \*\*… and here I thought COBRA was just a ruthless terrorist > organization determined to rule the world … \*\* And I thought it was a misspelling of CORBA. ---
**Author:** ![hybrid\_dogfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@hybrid\_dogfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hybrid_dogfish)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-cobra-apply-here/195325/10 "2003-08-15T23:50:55Z")
I thought it was Cabinet Office Briefing Room A.