COBRA Health Insurance - When You Lose Your Job Health Insurance

• also from U.S. Department of Labor:
  web page:
  An Employee's Guide to Health Benefits Under COBRA - The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
  languages: English
  from the web page:

  "This booklet explains your rights under COBRA to a temporary extension of employer-provided group health coverage, called COBRA continuation coverage..."

  
  
• web page:
  FAQs About Portability Of Health Coverage And HIPAA
  languages: English
  from the web page:

  "One of the most important protections under HIPAA is that it helps those with preexisting conditions get health coverage. In the past, some employers' group health plans limited, or even denied, coverage if a new employee had such a condition before enrolling in the plan. Under HIPAA, that is not allowed. If the plan generally provides coverage but denies benefits to you because you had a condition before your coverage began, then HIPAA applies..."

  
  

"Did you recently lose a job that provided health insurance? You may have more options than you think (see list below). You may be able to join your spouse’s plan, for example, or you may be able to maintain coverage under federal laws with confusing names like COBRA, HIPAA, and TAARA. Public programs, especially Medicaid and CHIP, may be the answer if your income is low..."

"This is a very general outline of your rights as a worker in Maine. It covers basic questions you might have after losing your job. We also explain how the unemployment benefit system works.

You may be unemployed because you were laid off or fired, or you quit. The facts of your particular situation will affect your rights under the law..."

COBRA is a federal law that was passed by Congress in 1986 to allow you and your dependents to continue group health coverage after your employer insurance ends for any number of reasons. COBRA coverage is temporary and the length of the coverage (18 months or 36 months) depends on the reason why your insurance ended...."