ELECTING COBRA AND CONTINUING YOUR MEDICAL, DENTAL AND/OR VISION COVERAGE
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA), offers continued coverage when you, your spouse or domestic partner, or your dependents lose group medical, dental, vision, or Health FSA coverage because you experience a qualifying event, such as termination of employment (other than gross misconduct), reduction in work hours (below eligible benefit status), death, divorce/legal separation, or when a child ceases to be an eligible dependent.
Please keep in mind that even if your appointment were to terminate at any time during the month, your PSBP coverage continues until the end of the month and your COBRA elected coverage would begin on the first of the month following your termination.
COBRA continuation coverage is identical to the UC-sponsored coverage you and/or your dependents had immediately prior to qualifying for COBRA coverage.
You may continue coverage under COBRA for up to 18 months if you terminate employment or experience a reduction in hours that affects your benefits eligibility.
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), your dependent generally may continue coverage for up to 36 months.
It is important for you to notify UCPath in the event of:
- Divorce/legal separation/annulment
- Termination of domestic partnership
- Loss of dependent status (e.g., child turns age 26)
To be eligible for COBRA continuation coverage, you must provide notice within 60 days of the event, either by completing the Notice to UC of a Qualifying EventPDF form (UBEN 109) or by providing written notice.
As of July 1, 2023, WEX Health is UC’s COBRA administrator. If you lose coverage because of a qualifying event, WEX Health will send you a COBRA election packet. You must send enrollment forms and premiums directly to WEX Health and WEX Health will then report eligibility and premiums to the individual health plans. To learn how much you will pay per month for any coverage you elect through COBRA, please click below:
If you have any questions about your COBRA election or status, please contact WEX by phone, online chat, or email.
WEX COBRA Participant Services
Phone: 844-561-1338
Online Chat: www.wexinc.com
Email: cobraadmin@wexhealth.com
Web: https://cobra.discoverybenefits.com
Monday-Friday | 6:00am-9:00pm CST