The English rock band The Who released one of their greatest hits, “Who Are You,” in 1978. Even though COBRA was enacted several years later, the song is relevant to someone’s status regarding continuation coverage.
Why should anyone care if an individual is a qualified beneficiary? Because COBRA makes it clear that the rights of a qualified beneficiary are the same as a similarly situated active employee.
COBRA provides that a qualified beneficiary who should be offered COBRA is any individual who, on the day before a qualifying event, is covered under a group health plan by virtue of being, on that day:
• A covered employee
• A spouse of a covered employee
• A dependent child of the covered
employee
• Any child who is born to or placed for adoption with a covered employee during a period of COBRA coverage
The following provisions apply to a qualified beneficiary: (1) independent election rights; (2) open enrollment; (3) special enrollment; (4) adding a plan; (5) change in insurer(s); (6) secondary event extension; (7) cost of COBRA coverage; and (8) cost of COBRA premiums.
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