What is required to sign up for health insurance under COBRA?

Fortunately, not much.

As long as your employer had a group health plan for 20 or more employees, you can sign up for COBRA.  COBRA is also available if you are a member of an employee organization (e.g. a union), or if you work for the government.

It does not matter if you quit or were laid off, or whether you were working part-time or full-time.  Timing is important, however.  To enroll in COBRA, you must elect coverage within 60 days of your departure from your former employer.

How do I enroll?

Enrollment is a matter of filling out an application form that should be provided by your former employer when you leave.  If you were previously covered under your employer’s health plan and have not received information about COBRA, contact your human resources or benefits manager immediately.

The 60 day window

One other helpful feature about COBRA is that the coverage is retroactive.  In other words, if you haven’t yet signed up for COBRA, you can still be covered by your old insurance plan by electing to sign up for COBRA within the 60 day window.

As an example, let’s say you leave your current employer and find another job that will offer you health coverage, but the new job doesn’t start for 45 days.  Then, two weeks after you leave your previous job, you require hospitalization.   You can still be covered by your health insurance plan, as long as you are within the 60 day window.  (Note:  You will also generally be covered under your employer’s plan through the end of the month during which your employment ends.)

The 60 day window for COBRA works to your benefit.  It enables you to search for alternative health coverage during that time period, without the risk of going without health insurance.  If you don’t find a better alternative, you can always sign up for COBRA.