The University complies with the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) to provide the option to continue health coverage in certain situations when employees and/or their enrolled family members would otherwise lose health care coverage.
- COBRA provides the right to continue health coverage for 18 or 36 months, depending on the type of qualifying event.
- COBRA participants pay 102% of the total cost of coverage.
- The employee, spouse, domestic partner, or child must notify University Human Resource Management in the event of a divorce or legal separation, or a child losing dependent status within 60 days of the event.
- Premiums must be paid on or before the due date or the end of any applicable grace period. If premiums are not paid timely, coverage will be canceled and all rights to continue coverage will be lost.
- See the Notice of Continuation of Coverage Rights (COBRA) for additional information.
“Qualifying Events” are certain events that cause an individual to lose health care coverage. Qualifying Events that trigger your right to COBRA coverage are:
- Voluntary or involuntary termination of the covered employee’s employment for reasons other than “gross misconduct”;
- Reduced hours of work for the covered employee, resulting in ineligibility for health coverage;
- Divorce or legal separation of the covered employee;
- Death of the covered employee;
- Loss of status as an “eligible dependent child” under plan rules;
- The covered employee becomes entitled to Medicare, resulting in ineligibility for coverage; or
- The employer files a Chapter 11 bankruptcy (only applicable to retired employees and their dependents covered under a retiree medical program).
The Qualifying Event you experience determines your notice requirements and the amount of time you may retain COBRA coverage.
The length of COBRA coverage offered depends on your Qualifying Event.
- If the Qualifying Event is termination of employment or a reduction of hours, Qualified Beneficiaries are given the opportunity to continue COBRA coverage for 18 months.
- If the Qualifying Event is death of the covered employee, divorce or legal separation, or loss of dependent status, COBRA coverage is available for 36 months.
- If a Qualified Beneficiary is determined to have been disabled on the date of the Qualifying Event or during the first 60 days of COBRA coverage, additional coverage may be available; however COBRA coverage will never be extended beyond 36 months of the date of the original Qualifying Event.
7/1/2024 - 6/30/2025
| Medical Only | Medical and Dental | |||||
| Single | Two Party | Family | Single | Two Party | Family | |
| Preferred ValueCare - Advantage | $934.54 | $1,635.22 | $2,466.75 | $966.10 | $1,707.65 | $2,581.01 |
| ValueCare CDHP |
$860.84 | $1,507.07 | $2,273.97 | $892.39 | $1,579.49 | $2,388.23 |
| BCBS Participating (PAR) | $1,028.00 | $1,798.75 | $2,713.42 | $1,059.55 | $1,871.17 | $2,827.68 |
Your COBRA coverage under the Plan will end for you and/or your enrolled dependents if any of the following occurs:
- The required premium payments are not paid within the timeframe allowed;
- You notify the COBRA administrator that you wish to cancel your coverage;
- The applicable period of COBRA coverage ends;
- You become entitled to Medicare benefits;
- The University terminates its group health plan(s);
- You have extended COBRA coverage due to Social Security disability and a final determination is made that you are no longer disabled, coverage for all who had qualified for the disability extension will end as of the later of:
- the last day of 18 months of continuation coverage, or
- the first day of the month that is more than 30 days following the date of the final determination of the nondisability;
- After the date of your COBRA election, you become covered under another group health plan; or
- An event occurs that permits termination of coverage under the University Health Care Plan for an individual covered other than pursuant to COBRA (e.g., submitting fraudulent claims).
The University’s COBRA Administrator is Dawn Young, 250 East 200 South, Suite 125, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, telephone (801) 581-7447 (the contact person may change from time to time).
This web page does not fully describe COBRA coverage. For additional information about your rights and obligations under the Plan you should review the Summary Plan Description.
If you divorce or legally separate or lose eligibility as a dependent child under the University Health Care Plan, you must provide the required written notice to the Benefits Department within 60 days.
In order to protect your Family’s rights, you should keep the University Human Resource Management informed of any change in address for you, your spouse, or enrolled dependent children
If you are a TAA-eligible individual and do not elect continuation coverage during the 60-day COBRA election period that was a direct consequence of the TAA-related loss of coverage, you may elect continuation coverage during a second 60-day election period that begins on the first day of the month in which you are determined to be eligible.
Health & Wellness Quick Links
- Health & Wellness
- Annual Open Enrollment
- Benefits Advisory Committee
- COBRA
- Employee Assistance Program and Mental Health
- Employee Health Plan Coverage For Fertility Treatments
- Flexible Spending Account Plans
- Flexible Spending Account vs. Health Savings Account
- Health Care & Dental Plans
- Health Savings Account
- RedMed Employee Health Clinic
- Life Change Events
- Well-Being Resources
- WellU Wellness Program
COBRA FAQs:
Since the employer is the plan administrator and issues COBRA notices directly, the employer has 44 days from the date we are notified to issue a COBRA election notice. Contact your department or check the Campus Information System at https://gate.acs.utah.edu to verify that the University has your current home address. After your last day of work, contact University Human Resource Management at (801) 581-7447 or email benefits@utah.edu to update your address.
The University will send a personalized COBRA packet to you when we are notified of your qualifying event. However, if you need to have your coverage in place before you receive the COBRA packet, you may view the COBRA packet below and complete the COBRA election form and submit it to UHRM with your premium payment not more than two weeks prior to your COBRA-qualifying event date.
No, coverage will continue retroactive with no break in coverage.
You will need to complete and submit the COBRA Continuation Coverage Election Form and remit payment to bring your account current before your coverage will be reinstated.
You will receive COBRA reminder slip(s) in the mail through the end of the plan year on June 30th. A check must be made payable to the University of Utah. In the memo section of the check, please write your name and indicate COBRA. Remit payment to:
University of Utah
Attn: COBRA
250 East 200 South, Suite 125
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
We are not able to accept payment with a debit or credit card at this time. You may set up bill pay through the banking institution of your choice to automatically pay your COBRA premiums. Bill pay is directing your bank to send a physical check on a specific day of the month for a specific amount that you determine. Bill pay is not a wire transfer, you do not need a routing number.
- Payment must be received within 45 days of the date you elected COBRA coverage. Your first premium payment will include premiums due retroactive to your loss of coverage as a result of your Qualifying Event. If your first payment is not received timely, COBRA coverage will not be effective and you will lose all rights to COBRA coverage.
- Payment for each subsequent period is due on the first day of each month. You will have a 30-day grace period from the premium due date to make subsequent payments. If the COBRA premiums are not paid within the grace period, your COBRA coverage will terminate as of the end of the last period for which payment was received and you will lose all further rights to continue COBRA coverage.
Your coverage will be reinstated within two business days of receipt of your completed COBRA Continuation Coverage Election Form and premium payment(s). An email will be sent notifying you that coverage has been reinstated.
Yes. You may continue to use your same I.D. card.
You may complete and return the COBRA Continuation Coverage Waiver Form included in your COBRA packet.
If you have a short waiting period before you obtain health coverage with your new employer and do not have any services incurred during the first 60-day election period, you would not need to enroll in COBRA. You will not be penalized for a lapse in health coverage.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency prior to your health coverage being reinstated, please seek medical attention. You may have to pay out-of-pocket for the service; however, once your coverage is reinstated your claim will be processed.
If you have a provider visit(s) scheduled prior to your health coverage being reinstated, you have two choices:
- You may reschedule the provider visit(s) for after you have confirmation that your health coverage has been reinstated
- You can go to your scheduled provider visit(s). You may have to pay out-of-pocket for the service; however, once reinstated your claim will be reprocessed
- If you need to refill a prescription(s) prior to your health coverage being reinstated, you will have to pay out-of-pocket for the prescription(s).
- If your health coverage is reinstated within a few days of your prescription being filled, you can go back to the pharmacy to have your prescription sent through for processing and a refund will be issued back to you. If it has been more than a few days, you will need to fill out a reimbursement form.
- As the employee you will be required to report a divorce or dissolution of domestic partnership within 60 days of the event. Go to the Health & Wellness website and click on UBenefits.
- If you are the ex-spouse or ex-domestic partner, please send an email to COBRA@utah.edu within 60 days of the event.
No. You will be assigned a new I.D.# and an I.D. card will be mailed to your home address within 7-10 business days after health coverage reinstatement.
You have the option to look at the marketplace, which is located at www.healthcare.gov.
For individuals that reside in Utah, you may speak with one of the following Insurance Brokers:
- Jason Neal at Neal Benefits at (801) 265-1783 or jason@nealbenefits.com. He can assist with Medicare, individual plans and retirees.
- Tina Perini at Retiree Health Solutions at (385) 489-1313 or tina@retireehealthsolutions.org. She can assist with Medicare, individual plans and retirees.
- Steve Bithell at University of Utah Health Plans at (801) 792-3268 or steve.bithell@utah.edu. He can assist with Medicare, individual plans and retirees.
Yes. Open Enrollment is the opportunity to cancel enrollment or make changes to your coverage in the health care plan. If you do not wish to make changes, you do not need to do anything. A packet will be mailed to your home address in June. If you elect to make changes it will be effective July 1st. You will receive COBRA reminder slips in mid-June.
You may choose to terminate your COBRA coverage at any time by sending an email to COBRA@utah.edu. Please indicate the date you would like to terminate COBRA coverage or the effective date your new coverage begins.
You may choose to terminate your COBRA coverage at any time. However, if you terminate your COBRA coverage before you exhaust coverage, you will not qualify for a special enrollment period through the marketplace. Open enrollment in the Marketplace takes place (usually November 1st through December 15th of each year).
No. We comply with Federal guidelines which does not allow COBRA extensions.
Yes. To add a newborn to your COBRA coverage, please email COBRA@utah.edu within 60 days of the birth with the following information: Date of Birth, Full Name, Gender, and Social Security Number.
- Individual plans are available at healthcare.gov. You can enroll in an individual marketplace plan when your COBRA coverage is exhausted or during the marketplace open enrollment period (usually November 1st through December 15th each year).
For individuals that live in Utah, you may speak with one of the following Independent Brokers:
- Jason Neal at Neal Benefits at (801) 265-1783 or jason@nealbenefits.com. Assists with Medicare plans, Marketplace plans and individual plans
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- Tina Perini at Retiree Health Solutions at (385) 489-1313 or tina@retireehealthsolutions.org. Assists with Medicare plans, Marketplace plans and individual plans
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- Steve Bithell at University of Utah Health Plans at (801) 792-3268 or steve.bithell@utah.edu. Assists with Medicare plans, Marketplace plans and individual plans
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You can also work with any other individual agent or company.
Send an email to COBRA@utah.edu with your new address.
You may submit eligible FSA expenses incurred prior to your date of termination on or before September 15. Any amounts not eligible for reimbursement will be forfeited.
If you wish to continue FSA, please send an email to COBRA@utah.edu to see if you’re eligible to continue FSA through the end of the plan year.