COBRA State Laws

State COBRA Laws - the law about extending health insurance coverage in your state DONE

State COBRA Laws


Most states have their own COBRA laws that allow people to extend their coverage if the employer has less than 20 employees. A brief summary of each state's law is below.

If you learn details about the law in your state we have not included, or practical tips, please share the information. Please include the source of your information so we can verify it. We work to keep this information to date. However, if the laws have changed, please also let us know that as well. Please e-mail us at: info@SurvivorshipAtoZ.org.


Alabama

No COBRA law

Alaska


For information about Alaska COBRA,click here.

Arizona



No COBRA law

Arkansas



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 4 months
Additional time if disabled: None

Controlling law: HIPPA Act 997 of 1997

For additional information, see: Arkansas Department of Insurance

California



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 36 months
Additional information:

  • Employers are permitted to collect from employees additional 10% rather than the federal level of 2%.
  • The law does not apply to self-insured plans.
  • The law includes vision and dental care plans

Controlling law:Cal-COBRA (Senate Bill 719)

For more information contact: The Department's Consumer Services Bureau at 800.927.4951 or 213.897.8921

Colorado



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 18 months
Additional time if disabled:
Controlling law: Senate Bill 86-51
Additional information: Must have health insurance for 6 months

For more information contact: Colorado Department of Insurance tel.: 303.894.7455


Connecticut


Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 18 months
Additional time if disabled: 11 months (total 29 months)
Controlling law: Public Act 97-268
Additional information:

For more information contact: Connecticut Department Of Insurance

Delaware



Delaware has a mini-COBRA law. For information, contact the Delaware Department of Insurance.

District of Columbia



Length of time for COBRA continuation: 3 months
For additional information, contact the D.C. Department of Insurance

Florida



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 18 months
Additional time if disabled:
Controlling law: Florida Health Insurance Coverage Continuation Act
Additional information: Employee must notify insurance company within 30 days of losing coverage

Georgia



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 3 months
Additional time if disabled: None
Controlling law:
Additional information: To qualify, you must have had coverage under the plan for at least 6 months

For more information contact: Georgia State Insurance Department, tel: 404.656.2298 (800.656.2298

Hawaii



No COBRA law

Idaho



No COBRA law

Illinois



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 9 months
Additional time if disabled:
Controlling law: Illinois Health Insurance Continuation Rights Law
Additional information: Dependents can qualify for 2 years
For more information contact: Illinois Department of Insurance

Indiana



Indiana does not have a COBRA law

Iowa



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 9 months
Additional time if disabled:
Controlling law: Iowa Code Chapter 509B and Regulation 29
For more information contact: Iowa Insurance Department

Kansas



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: up to 6 months
Additional time if disabled:
Controlling law: Kansas continuation Law
Additional information:

  • You must have had 3 months of continuous coverage under your group health plan to be eligible
  • You must apply within 31 days of losing your old coverage


For more information contact: Kansas Dept. of Insurance

Kentucky


Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 18 months
Additional time if disabled:
Controlling law: Chapter 304 of the Kentucky Insurance Code
Additional information: Only covers if employee has been insured under the group plan for at least 3 months

For more information contact: Kentucky Insurance Department

Louisiana



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 12 months

Controlling law: State Regulation 68

For more information contact: Louisiana Department Of Insurance

Maine



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 12 months
Additional time if disabled:
Controlling law:
Additional information: Frequently Asked Questions
For more information contact: Maine Department of Insurance

Maryland



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 18 months
Additional time if disabled:
Controlling law: Maryland Continuation Law
Additional information:

  • Employees terminated for cause are only entitled to receive 6 months of continuation coverage.
  • Employees must have been employed for 3 months.
  • Employers must offer conversion coverage to their employees without providing evidence of insurability.

For more information contact: Maryland Department of Insurance

Massachusetts



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 18 months
Additional time if disabled: Yes
Controlling law:
Additional information:
For more information contact: 617.521.7777

Michigan



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 12 months
For more information contact: (517) 373-0220

Minnesota



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 18 months
For more information contact: Minnesota Department Of Insurance

Mississippi



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 12 months
For more information contact: Mississippi Department of Insurance

Missouri



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 9 months
Controlling law: Revised Statute Chapter 376 Section 376.428
For more information contact: Missouri Department of Insurance

Montana



No COBRA law

Nebraska



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 6 months
Additional time if disabled: 6 months

For more information click here
Nevada



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 18 months
Additional time if disabled: 18 months (total 18)
Controlling law: Chapter 689B
For more information contact Nevada Department of Insurance

New Hampshire



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 12 months
Additional time if disabled:
Controlling law: State Bulletin 711 re Chapter 29 laws of 1994
Additional information:


For more information contact: NH Dept of Labor

New Jersey


Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 18 months
Additional time if disabled: 18 months (total 36)
Controlling law:
Additional information: Employer can charge up to 150% of premium for months 19 through 29 if employee is disabled as defined by Social Security Act.

For more information contact: New Jersey Department of Insurance

New Mexico



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 6 months
Controlling law: Title 13, Chapter 10, Part 11.31

For more information contact: New Mexico Department of Insurance

New York



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 18 months
Additional time if disabled: 18 months (total 36)
Controlling law: NY COBRA Laws NRS689B.245, NRS689B.246, NRS689B.249
Additional information:

  • New York's COBRA law basically extends the federal law and its provisions to small groups.
  • NY also has guaranteed issue health insurance so you can purchase health insurance even with a health condition. Compare prices of individual health insurance to premiums payable under COBRA.

For more information contact:

  • Consumer Services Bureau at 212.480.6400 or 800.342.3736
  • www.ins.state.ny.us/acrobat/hsmbsrpt.pdf contains information about New York's COBRA law.

North Carolina



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 18 months
Additional time if disabled:
For more information contact: North Carolina Department of Insurance

North Dakota



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 39 weeks
For additional information: North Dakota Department of Insurance

Ohio



Number of employees: 10 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 6 months
Additional information: Employees must be terminated from employment involuntarily, have had three months of prior continuous coverage, and be eligible for Unemployment Compensation

For more information contact: Ohio Department of Insurance

Oklahoma



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 1 month
Controlling law: Title 36, Ch. 1, Article 45
For more information contact: Oklahoma Department of Insurance

Oregon



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 6 months

For more information contact: Oregon Divsion of Financial Regulation

Pennsylvania



COBRA law similar to federal COBRA law except Pennsylvania law is for employees of small businesses with 2 - 19 employees, and coverage can only be extended for up to nine (9) months.

Like the federal law, Pennsylvania's COBRA law is for employees who lose their employer based health insurance because of a qualifying event such as job termination.

Employees who elect to continue health coverage under COBRA must pay full monthly premium. Employer can charge up to 5% additional for administrative costs.

For more information, see: Pennsylvania Department of Insurance

Rhode Island



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 6 months

For more information, contact: Rhode Island Department of Insurance

South Carolina



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 6 months

Additional information: A second period may be available for trade dislocated workers (TAA) who did not elect COBRA when it was first offered


For more information contact: South Carolina Department of Insurance

South Dakota


Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 18 months
Additional time if disabled: 18 months (total 36)
For more information contact: South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation

Tennessee



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 3 months
For more information contact: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance

Texas



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 6 months
For more information contact: Texas Department of Insurance

Utah



Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 6 months


For more information contact: Utah Department of Insurance

Vermont


Number of employees: 2 -- 19
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 6 months
For more information contact: Vermont Department of Financial Regulation


Virginia


Number of employees: 2-19 with group policy
Length of time for COBRA continuation: 12 months
Additional time if disabled: 11 months

For more information, contact: Virginia Bureau of Insurance

Last updated: 7 March 2017