A. GENERAL RULES OF COVERAGE
Pursuant to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (a federal law known as “COBRA”), you have the right to purchase coverage under this Plan for a temporary period as described below. Your COBRA rights begin on the date of a “Qualifying Event”, as set forth in the chart below.
COBRA requires that coverage under this Plan be offered to members or their Dependents as set forth in the box below. Timely payments must be made to the Plan Office of an amount determined by the Board of Trustees, but not to exceed the applicable premium and administrative charges, plus 2% (plus 50% for each month COBRA coverage is extended beyond the 18 months due to total disability). This Plan will treat Domestic Partners as defined in II.C.1.(b), above, as spouses for all COBRA purposes under the Plan.
| Qualifying Event |
Qualifying Beneficiary |
Maximum Extension Period |
| Termination of Member’s Covered Employment (for any reason other than gross misconduct) or reduction in hours of employment resulting in a loss of eligibility. |
Member, Spouse and/or Dependent child(ren) |
18 months after date of qualifying event |
| Death of Member |
Spouse and/or Dependent child(ren) |
36 months after date of qualifying event |
| Divorce of Member |
Divorced spouse |
36 months after date of qualifying event |
| Dependent ceases to be eligible under terms of the Plan |
Affected Dependent |
36 months after date of qualifying event |
| Disability determination under Title II of Social Security Act |
Member, Spouse and/or Dependent child(ren) |
29 months after date of qualifying event |
The maximum COBRA extension period will be offset by any period of coverage under any of the continuation of coverage alternatives set forth in II.D, above, including any period of coverage provided as a result of any hour bank reserves. For example, if after having lost coverage due to termination of Covered Employment (a qualifying event), you elect to continue coverage under the Plan by making direct self-payments for 6 months. If you are not disabled, you will be eligible for only an additional 12 months of COBRA continuation coverage rather than 18 additional months because the 6 months for which you have made direct self-payments will be included in the standard 18-month maximum COBRA period.
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