Continuing Coverage with COBRA
Health Coverage After State Employment
Does your insurance coverage end soon? When you retire, leave your current job with the State or lose coverage for another qualifying reason, you and your dependents can temporarily continue your NCFlex Dental and Vision Plans and your Health Care Flexible Spending Account through COBRA.
You and your dependents must be enrolled in an NCFlex Plan prior to losing coverage to continue your insurance through COBRA. How long you can extend coverage depends on the plan and the reason your current coverage is ending. Since premiums will no longer come out of your paycheck, you must pay the required cost of coverage out of pocket.
What is COBRA?
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (COBRA) requires that most employers offer employees and their families the opportunity to temporarily extend health coverage in certain instances where their coverage would otherwise end. Through COBRA, you can continue coverage for a specific period when you or your dependents are enrolled and coverage is lost due to a qualifying event. You must pay the required cost of coverage.
Coverage Provisions & Qualifying Events
Health Care Flexible Savings Account coverage can be continued only through the end of the plan year. The duration of coverage and the beneficiaries who may continue coverage for the Dental and Vision Plans are dependent upon the life event that occurs and would otherwise end coverage.
Click the life event that applies to you to learn who can continue coverage and for how long.
Qualified beneficiaries who may continue coverage: Yourself, your spouse and dependent children
Duration of coverage: Up to 18 months
Qualified beneficiaries who may continue coverage: Ex-spouse and/or dependent children
Duration of coverage: Up to 36 months from initial qualifying event
Qualified beneficiaries who may continue coverage: Yourself, your spouse and dependent children
Duration of coverage: Up to 29 months; months 1-18, 102% of the premium; months 19-29, 150% of the premium
Qualified beneficiaries who may continue coverage: Spouse and/or dependent children
Duration of coverage: Up to 36 months from initial qualifying event
Qualified beneficiaries who may continue coverage: Yourself, your spouse and dependent children
Duration of coverage: Up to 18 months
For NCFlex benefits, an employee must work 20 or more hours per week. If your hours were reduced to under 20 per week, you would lose eligibility and would have the option to continue through COBRA.
2024 COBRA Rates for Dental & Vision
To continue your NCFlex Dental and Vision Plans through COBRA, you must pay the required costs listed below.
| COBRA Dental | Low Option Rates | Classic Option Rates | High Option Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employee Only | $24.18 | $40.23 | $55.40 |
| Employee & Spouse | $48.74 | $80.66 | $111.12 |
| Employee & Child(ren) | $52.34 | $87.15 | $119.84 |
| Employee & Family | $83.44 | $142.43 | $196.20 |
| COBRA Vision | Core Plan Rates | Basic Plan Rates | Enhanced Plan Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employee Only | $0.64 | $4.76 | $8.38 |
| Employee & Family | N/A | $11.92 | $20.90 |
Frequently Asked Questions
For more details and helpful insight into common questions, see the answers below. Still need help? Email NCFlex.
North Carolina Retirement System offers retirees options for dental, vision and identity theft coverage through Pierce Insurance. More information can be found at ncretiree.com. Active state employees and retirees can seek additional coverage options with a State Employees Association of North Carolina membership at seanc.org. The North Carolina Governmental Employee's Association can be a resource for benefits pending membership as well; learn more at ncrgea.com.
You should receive a COBRA offer within 30 days of leaving employment or losing eligibility. You have 60 days from the date of the offer to elect coverage.
Your coverage will be effective retroactively back to the first of the month after your coverage ended as an active employee.
For example, if your coverage ended as an active employee on June 30 and you elect COBRA coverage on August 15, your coverage will be retroactive to July 1.
If you no longer need COBRA coverage, contact your COBRA Administrator to let them know you are canceling due to enrolling in other coverage.
Please reach out to NCFlex at ncflex@nc.gov. In some cases, we can grant exceptions to allow you to make late payments.
Please reach out to NCFlex at ncflex@nc.gov. In some cases, we can grant exceptions to allow you to enroll late.
If you were reimbursed more money than you contributed to your Health Care Flexible Spending Account during your time as an active employee, you will not be offered COBRA. However, the money you were reimbursed over what you contributed is not owed back to the State of North Carolina.
No. You and your dependents must be enrolled in coverage prior to losing eligibility to be offered coverage continuation through COBRA. If a dependent was not on your plan while employed, they cannot be added under COBRA.
Contact COBRA Administration & Billing Services
Use the list below to reach your COBRA Administrator directly.
| Benefit Plan | Vendor | Phone | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Care FSA | P&A Group | 866-916-3475 | ncflex.padmin.com |
| COBRA for Dental and Vision | Non-University Administration: iTedium | 877-679-6272 | mycobra.info |
| University Administration: Empyrean | 833-874-1600 | cobraandbillingservices.com |