Qualifying for COBRA Health Benefits

COBRA was originally passed by Congress in 1985.  It mandated insurance companies to continue health insurance policies for individuals after they leave their job.  If you are curious about the history of COBRA or just want to learn more about the bill, please take a look at the following resources. They offer some of the best information the Internet has to offer about COBRA.

Creation of COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act)

  • LoC: The Library of Congress allows us read the actual bill that was passed back in 1985.  Read COBRA in its entirety, and see how extensive this bill was and is.
  • Understand COBRA: Understand COBRA is a site solely dedicated to this one issue.  Here you can read about any updates or changes to the bill by utilizing the easy navigation on the right side of the page.
  • Thompson: Thompson gives a great background on COBRA as it was originally passed in 1985.  If you want an honest summary of the bill without reading it, then click here.
  • SSA: Social Security Online allows us to read COBRA and even more bills passed around the same time.  If you want to see why and how COBRA was formed, you must first read the bill Congress passed.
  • Medical Health Insurance: Medical Health Insurance is a very informative site that breaks down COBRA.  Here you can read about exactly what COBRA is and scroll down or click on links to more specific questions you may have.

How COBRA Works

  • CMS: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services provide an overview of how this omnibus bill works.  At the bottom of the page are multiple PDF links that lead you to more information about COBRA.
  • DOL: The U.S. Department of Labor details the specifics regarding COBRA.  The right side of the page and at the bottom are more links that lead you to more on COBRA.
  • MSU: Michigan State University has created a comprehensive site detailing every aspect of COBRA.  Not only will you find out how it works, but you will also learn who is qualified for this coverage.
  • UI: The University of Illinois has some great information about how COBRA works, including what benefits can be expected.  Learn about eligibility and others important aspects of COBRA here.
  • CLAIM: If you want to learn how to make a COBRA claim, then click here.  CLAIM offers insight and external links to help users know what to expect.

Who Qualifies for COBRA

  • WICI: WhatisCOBRAinsurance is an informative site that answers the question it poses as its name.  Here you can learn what COBRA insurance is, costs and you can even get a quote.
  • COBRA Insurance: COBRA Insurance Benefits has information about how different COBRA is between states.  Learn about alternatives and read FAQs to become more informed.
  • NYC: This is more than just a fact sheet produced by New York State's official site.  A table of contents allows users to jump right to the section they want to learn more about, and at the end is a table of FAQs and answers.
  • ADA: The American Diabetes Association discusses certain eligibilities for COBRA.  Their site explains how COBRA works and how you can go about making sure you're covered.
  • HR Consortium: Human Resources Consortium, Inc., provides a very detailed outline of what COBRA is and who qualifies for it.  It is broken up into separate sections, which makes reading easy, and it also offers a great FAQ link.

    More Information

    • Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin offers an extensive amount of information on everything COBRA.  Their site is broken up into specific links to enable easy searching.
    • NMSS: The National MS Society offers a great, easy-to-understand review of what COBRA is and how it works.  After its short summary are questions that you can click on for direct answers.
    • inc.: inc. has a very good article written about COBRA, its specifics, and the changes made to it.  It provides a good read that is easy to understand.
    • HealthCare: The U.S. government's personal health care site is a great way to learn about what COBRA offers.  This page discusses various different insurance options and goes into detail about COBRA.
    • HE Council: The Hawaii Employee Council has compiled a very extensive list of articles and documents regarding COBRA.  Scroll through their list, and peruse their wide array of articles.

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