On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in divorce on Monday, August 19, 2019.
As you look forward to project what your life will be like once your divorce in Wichita becomes finalized, you may begin to see that a number of things become uncertain. This is especially true if your soon-to-be ex-spouse was the primary income earner in your home. If you have not already, you may soon realize that they provided much more than financial support. The benefits that you enjoyed through their employment are also something that you will need to plan to be without. Health insurance is typically the foremost benefit that many enjoy through their association with a spouse’s employer. The question then becomes whether your coverage automatically ends upon your divorce.
Fortunately for you, the answer to that question is no. Thanks to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, you can continue to remain covered under your ex-spouse’s group health plan after your divorce. That is because divorce (under COBRA’s guidelines) is considered to be a significant life event. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, you can remain covered following such an event provided you are a qualified beneficiary (which you are as long as you were eligible for coverage the day before your significant life event occurred), and if your ex-spouse’s group health plan is eligible for COBRA benefits (which it is if it is sponsored by either a state or municipal agency or a private company that employs more than 20 people).
Just how long can you stay on COBRA coverage? You are entitled to coverage for up to 36 months following your divorce. Of course, your eligibility ends if you remarry and can be covered under your new spouse’s insurance, or you are able to find a job that offers a group health plan.
