On April 7, 1986, a federal law was enacted entitled the "Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)" (Public Law 99-272, Title X) requiring that most employers sponsoring a group health/dental plan offer employees and their families the opportunity for a temporary extension of coverage (called "continuation coverage") at group rates in certain instances where coverage under a plan would otherwise end. This notice is intended to inform you, in a summary fashion, of your rights and obligations under the continuation coverage provision of the law. It is suggested that you and your covered dependents take the time to read this notice carefully.
If you are an employee of Loudoun County Public Schools covered by the Loudoun County Public Schools Group Health Insurance Plans, you have a right to choose this continuation coverage if you lose your group health coverage because of reduction in your hours of employment or the termination of your employment (for reasons other than gross misconduct on your part).
If you are the spouse of an employee covered by one of the Plans, you have the right to choose continuation for yourself if you lose group health coverage for any of the following four reasons:
1. death of your spouse;
2. termination of your spouse's employment (for reasons other than gross misconduct) or reduction in your spouse's hours of employment;
3. divorce or legal separation from your spouse; or
4. your spouse becomes eligible for Medicare.
In the case of a dependent child of an employee covered by one of these Plans, he or she has the right to continuation coverage if group health coverage under the Plan is lost for any of the following five reasons:
1. death of a parent;
2. termination of a parent's employment (for reasons other than gross misconduct) or a reduction in a parent's hours of employment;
3. parent's divorce or legal separation;
4. a parent becomes eligible for Medicare; or
5. dependent child ceases to be a "dependent child".
When the Employee health, Wellness and Benefits Division is notified that one of these events has happened, you will be informed in writing of your option to elect continuation coverage. Under the law, you have at least 60 days from the date your coverage ends, because of one of the "qualifying events" described above, to inform TASC (Loudoun County Public Schools COBRA Administrator) that you want to elect continuation coverage. The first insurance premium payment is due no later than 45 days after you elect continuation coverage. If you do not choose continuation coverage, your group health insurance coverage will end. If TASC does not receive the COBRA Election Notice from you within the 60-day period stated above, you will automatically waive your rights under COBR