Continuation
of benefits
for non-active employees
COBRA
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) gives workers
and their families who lose their health benefits the right to choose to
continue group health benefits provided by their group health plan for limited
periods of time under certain circumstances such as voluntary or involuntary
job loss, reduction in the hours worked, transition between jobs, death,
divorce, and other life events.
As required by COBRA, the University of Georgia offers a continuation of health and dental insurance coverage to covered employees and their eligible dependents under qualifying events. Application for COBRA must be submitted to the Employee Benefits Department within the 60-day application period. Dependents are eligible for COBRA coverage only if they were covered on the plan the day before the event occurred. Coverage must be continuous, so premiums will be assessed for the 60-day application period. The COBRA premium is 100% of both the employee and employer monthly contribution, plus a 2% administrative fee as provided by law. Coverage is identical to the health coverage carried by active employees.
For more information on COBRA provisions, visit: http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/cobra.htm.
Continuation of group insurance coverage upon
retirement
A University System of Georgia employee who meets the criteria
for retirement or for a career employee shall remain eligible to continue
as a member of the health, dental, and basic life insurance plans. The
employee is also eligible to continue dependent and optional life insurance
at a reduced amount. The University System shall continue to pay the
employer’s portion of the cost for basic life insurance and health
insurance. Please contact Employee Benefits for further information.
Go to the UGA Administrative Policies & Procedures Manual to view the policies defining the eligibility criteria for retirement and the eligibility criteria for a career employee. (Scroll down to see all related text.)
Continuation of group insurance coverage upon
disability retirement
A University System of Georgia employee who becomes permanently
and totally disabled under the criteria established by the Teachers
Retirement System of Georgia and also has at least ten years of service
with the University System, even though s/he may not be a member of
the Teachers Retirement System, shall remain eligible for health, dental,
and basic life insurance. The employee may also continue optional and
dependent life insurance at a reduced amount. The University System
shall continue to pay its portion of the cost of group insurance for
health and basic life insurance.
Other employees who are disabled based on the same criteria may remain in the group health and life insurance program for a period of 29 months with full University System participation in the cost. The inclusion in the group may continue after the 29-month period, but University System participation in the cost shall cease. Please contact Employee Benefits for more information.
View
information regarding disabled
employees' insurance (scroll down to see all related text) in the
UGA Administrative Policies & Procedures Manual.
Continuation
of group insurance coverage for dependents of deceased employees, retirees,
or disabled employees
The
dependents of an employee who dies while in active service or the dependents
of a retired employee (either of whom was eligible for retirement under
the criteria established by the Teachers Retirement System and who has
at least ten years of service with the University System, even though
he or she may not be a member of the Teachers Retirement System) shall
remain eligible for group health and dental insurance. The University
continues to pay its portion of the cost of group health insurance.
Dependent children are eligible for insurance coverage up to age 19
or to age 26 if verification of full-time student status at an accredited
school is provided.
The dependents of employees with less than 10 years of service who are in the group health and dental insurance plans, may remain in the group plans for a period of no more than twenty-four (24) consecutive months after the death of the employee. The University continues to pay its portion of the cost of the group health insurance. Inclusion in the group health and dental insurance plan may continue after the twenty-four month period, but the University participation in the cost for health insurance will cease. A surviving spouse of the deceased cannot continue in the group insurance plans after he or she remarries. Dependent children of the deceased may remain in the group plans until they become eligible for other group benefits or until age 19 or up to age 26 if verification of full-time student status at an accredited school is provided.
Revised July 26, 2004
