I recently did a webinar to help clear up some of the confusion about the coordination of COBRA and Medicare. It really comes down to the timing of when an individual becomes entitled to Medicare – before becoming eligible for COBRA or after electing COBRA. Some key takeaways:
Enrollment in one may cause loss of rights to the other.
Complicated and great potential for costly mistakes.
COBRA enrollees aged 63 1/2 and older should familiarize themselves with the rules and options regarding COBRA and Medicare.
There are several competing rules and laws that must be considered: Medicare Second Payer, Special Enrollment Period, Initial Enrollment Period, Qualifying Events and Maximum Periods for Continuation of Coverage.
On May 1, 2020 the Dept. of Labor released updated COBRA Model Notices that included clarifications regarding Medicare