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I just got enrolled in my husband's employer group plan because my employment is gonna terminate soon. Now I consider also enrolling in my current employer's COBRA plan. Is that ok to have this kind of dual insurance?
I mean, is dual coverage legal when COBRA plan is involved?
I'm thinking of having both because I'm doing a tooth implant and either plan may just cover part of the cost.
No. If you have qualified coverage from another source, COBRA elected coverage can cease on the day that insurance becomes active. Any overlap coverage for the plan under COBRA would have the right to refuse coverage and payments. Often, if another qualified plan is elected which starts mid monthly cycle, the old health plan under COBRA may extend coverage up to the end of the current monthly cycle that you have already paid the premium.
Very little is covered w/dental insurance - COBRA as far as I know covers MEDICAL.
If her old employer's insurance covered dental, then that coverage would continue under COBRA.
See page 8 of https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/fil...nder-cobra.pdf
where it says:
"If you elect continuation coverage, the coverage you are given must be identical to the coverage that is currently available under the plan to similarly situated active employees and their families (generally, this is the same coverage that you had immediately before the qualifying event)."
If the husband's plan will be medical only (no dental) and you currently have a separate dental plan, you could continue the dental-only COBRA plan without the overlap in coverage identified by Rabrrita in post #3.
Quote:
Must I enroll in all of the COBRA medical, dental and vision plans under which I was covered as an active employee?
No. You may choose to retain coverage under some, all, or none of the plans in which you were enrolled. For example, if you have a medical plan and a separate dental plan, you may choose to continue the dental plan and discontinue the medical plan.
If, on the day before a COBRA-qualifying event (for example, termination of employment), a beneficiary is covered under the employer's separate health, dental, and vision plans, then the beneficiary must be given the opportunity to continue coverage under all three plans. Thus, if active employees may elect coverage under these plans separately, then the COBRA beneficiary also may elect COBRA continuation separately for each of these options.
However, if employees only can take these “plans” as a single package, then the COBRA beneficiary can continue only the entire package. And, at open enrollment, the COBRA beneficiary may change coverage elections just as active employees may do.
I''m just wondering how a dual coverage situation can be identified by the insurers?
One day I called a dental office and they immediately found out what my plan is after asking for my SSN#.
Is it how the COBRA plan insurer gonna find out and deny payment? I mean, do they run a check to confirm no overlap before they pay?
They know. But even if the insurance company doesn't use MIB, the provider will be billing one as primary and the other as secondary. That alone will tip off the secondary. The danger is when they both deny primary coverage which will happen when COBRA coverage is involved. The spouse carrier will claim the COBRA coverage plan is primary as it's your direct personal health insurance. The COBRA coverage carrier will claim the spouse carrier is primary as COBRA is not really direct but a holdover entitlement. Int he meantime, the provide is coming after you for their money.
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