COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act)

Overview

COBRA provides for continued coverage for a certain period of time at applicable monthly rates should you, your spouse or domestic partner, or your dependents lose group medical, dental, vision, or health FSA coverage.

About COBRA

In most cases, COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) provides you an opportunity to continue coverage identical to the UC-sponsored coverage you and/or your dependents had immediately prior to your qualifying COBRA event because you:

  • Terminate employment (for reasons other than gross misconduct);
  • Your work hours are reduced below the eligible status for these benefits;
  • A child ceases to be an eligible dependent;
  • You divorce, are legally separated or die

Note:  The continuation period is calculated from the earliest of these qualifying events.

UC COBRA via Wex Health

WEX Health is UC's COBRA administrator. 

  • Should you lose coverage because of a qualifying COBRA event, WEX Health will send you a COBRA election packet  
  • You will work with WEX directly regarding submitting and sending your COBRA enrollment forms and making your premiums payments
  • WEX will report eligibility and premiums to the individual health plans

Continuation coverage under COBRA

If you terminate employment or your hours of employment are reduced to less than 43.75 percent time (17.5 hours per week).

If your dependent(s) lose coverage because you divorce, legally separate, get an annulment, end a domestic partnership or die, or because the dependent loses eligibility (for example, turns age 26).

What actions do I need to take?

It is up to you to notify UCPath in the event of:

  • Divorce/legal separation/annulment
  • Termination of domestic partnership
  • Loss of dependent status (e.g. child turns 26)
  •  

To be eligible for COBRA continuation coverage, you must provide:

  1. Written notice within 60 days of the event; 
  2. Complete the Notice To UC of a COBRA Qualifying Event (UBEN 109) form; and
  3. Submit a UCPath case inquiry along with attaching your completed form for processing 

Note: If these steps are not taken within the 60-day time limit will result in COBRA continuation coverage being forfeited.