Glossary: COBRA

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A trained expert who can help you understand and apply for benefit programs. Their goal is to help you develop a plan for your future and organize your financial life to run as smoothly as possible.

  • For questions about work and your Social Security benefits, use Social Security's "Find Help" tool to locate a WIPA project near you. You can also call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 / 1-866-833-2967 (TTY/TDD). The Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) also has Work Incentives Planners (WIPs).
  • If you need assistance with your Medicare, the Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program can help. HICAP provides free information and counseling to people with Medicare. You can call HICAP at 1-800-434-0222 or visit the HICAP website.
  • If you need assistance with Medi-Cal and have a disability, you can contact Disability Rights California at 1-800-776-5746 or visit their website. You may also be able to get help with Medi-Cal from a local legal aid organization. The Health Consumer Alliance website has a lot of useful information about Medi-Cal, including a web page that can direct you to a local legal organization for assistance.
  • If you have questions or need assistance with a program or benefit not listed here, contact an Independent Living Center. Independent Living Centers provide peer support and information on a wide range of topics for people with disabilities.
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A program that pays for private health insurance premiums for individuals who are disabled due to HIV or AIDS and who do not qualify for Medi-Cal/HIPP. Enrollment is administered through AIDS organizations authorized by CARE/HIPP.

If you lose your employer-sponsored health coverage, COBRA laws allow you to continue that coverage for up to 18 months in most situations.

If you lose access to group health insurance that you got through your employer for certain reasons, including a job change, divorce, or job loss, there are laws that allow you to continue your group coverage temporarily. This is known as continuation coverage. You will usually have to pay the full costs of your continuation coverage, including any portion of the premium your employer may have paid for in the past. The federal continuation coverage law is called COBRA. Many states also have their own continuation coverage laws.

A conversion insurance policy is something you can buy when your employer-sponsored group health insurance policy ends. It lets you keep buying insurance through the same insurance company. You may have to use up all your COBRA coverage first, before you can get a conversion policy, depending on the regulations in your state.

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A person, usually a child, who is economically dependent on another person. Different programs have different definitions of when someone is a dependent.

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Salaries, wages, tips, professional fees, and other amounts you receive as pay for physical or mental work you perform. This can include things you get in exchange for work instead of wages, such as food, shelter, or other items. Funds received from any other source are not included. (Contrast: unearned income.)

Health coverage offered through an employer as a benefit for employees and their families. Employers usually pay a portion of the monthly premium and the employee pays the rest.

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A serious violation of company policy or the commission of a crime affecting the workplace that may result in the loss of COBRA benefits. Although "gross misconduct" is not defined in COBRA legislation, past examples include embezzlement, misrepresentation, theft, and non-work related violence.

Coverage offered to an individual through a group, such as employer-sponsored, association-affiliated or professional group coverage.

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Wage-replacement coverage you buy directly from an insurance company, usually through an agent, that provides benefits if you become disabled. You are responsible for paying for the entire premium, and most individual policies require medical underwriting.

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A state program that pays for private health insurance premiums.

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If you are on COBRA for 18 months, you may be able to extend your health care coverage for an additional 11 months via OBRA protections. Important: You must apply for OBRA within 30 to 60 days of the date that you're approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

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A regularly scheduled payment to an insurer or health care plan.

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Events that may end individuals' employer-sponsored group health coverage but qualify them for COBRA or other continuation coverage.

For employees, qualifying events can include:

  • Quitting
  • Being fired for a reason besides gross misconduct
  • Being laid off
  • Having your work hours reduced

If you are covered under your spouse’s employer-sponsored health coverage, you can get continuation coverage if your spouse loses coverage for any of the above reasons or because:

  • The employee dies
  • There’s a divorce or legal separation
  • The employee becomes eligible for Medicare
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A plan that covers an individual’s medical expenses with company funds set aside to pay health claims. In general, self-insured plans are subject to federal, but not state, health coverage laws. Ask your employer or plan to find out if you are in a self-insured plan.