Your options will depend on your health status at the time of losing your COBRA benefits. Under current COBRA laws, you can remain on COBRA until you are Medicare eligible, but only if you are totally disabled. The House Ways and Means Committee, in January of this year, passed a COBRA expansion bill that would allow any person that had worked for their employer for more than 10 years to be able to remain on COBRA until they become eligible for Medicare. This provision was tucked into the 2009 Stimulus Package, but it was unfortunately struck as a provision shortly before becoming law.

If you are in good health, you can apply for an individual health insurance policy to cover you for this 7 month gap period. If you are not qualified for individual health insurance due to health reasons, you can secure coverage under a guaranteed issue HIPAA plan. All health insurance carriers that offer individual health insurance in California are required to offer their two most popular plans to any person that is coming off COBRA. The premiums are double what they might be for standard issue coverage, but it will guarantee you coverage until you turn 65.

Answer by moderator — June 22, 2009 @ 10:57 am

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