If you either exhaust your COBRA benefits (18 months) or you choose not to take COBRA during the time period allotted (which you would have to look up - it may be only 30 days, not 60), those are considered qualifying events, at least my HR has told me so.
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Prior to ACA you could not be uninsured for more than 63 days. If you went to day 64+ then any pre-existing condition could be considered by the insurance companies. Thus making many uninsurable or insurable at exorbitant rates. ACA prohibits pre-existing conditions from being considered so this is no longer an issue.
Exchange and most employers will not allow HI sign ups outside of usu OE periods. If switching from COBRA to Exchange or other HI outside of OE period, is it customary for original employer (via their HR or COBRA office) to send some 'proof of loss of HI' to document this "Qualifying Event"?
The question is not disqualification due to pre-existing conditions, it is documenting loss of insurance to allow enrollment in HI outside of normal OE period (either Exchange or other private/employer HI). For example, enrolling in Exchange in June would NOT be allowed unless you had a "qualifying event".....like exhausting COBRA. Or one takes a new j#b but uses their COBRA (ending outside OE period) because the old employer's HI was better than new employer's. Anyone know what form (or other documentation) is typically needed to prove this "qualifying event" that you had HI and are losing it outside OE period?
In talking to the ACA folks... exhausting COBRA is not a qualifying event.
That is incorrect. See the FAQ on the exchange site
https://www.healthcare.gov/unemployed/cobra-coverage/
If your COBRA coverage is ending outside Open Enrollment, you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. This means you can enroll in a private health plan through the Marketplace outside Open Enrollment.
You can't just drop COBRA until the next open enrollment.
This would mean I was given the wrong information from the ACA help line
This would mean I was given the wrong information from the ACA help line
I'm not sure I know what paid COBRA is.
I...
COBRA lasts for 18 months, regardless of who pays for it.
Once you accept it you are on it. Your COBRA would be exhausted 18 months from when it started, not when they stopped paying for it.
I thought a person has to elect COBRA coverage. I would double check to make sure the coverage is in place and not take the companies word for it.