The Insurance Continuation Act is a Rhode Island law allowing continuation of health insurance coverage for up to 18 months for plans covering 2 to 19 people. It covers former spouses or people who change group contracts or insurance companies within the same group or change plans provided by the same insurance company.
Changing Groups, Insurers Or Plans
The law provides continued group coverage if the person applies within three months of losing coverage, changes groups due to changing jobs, changes benefit plans or changes insurers. The law also applies if a person's individual or group plan was eliminated by the employer or insurer or if the person's employment was terminated and he doesn't qualify for, or no longer qualifies, for the federal COBRA group health insurance extension. Late enrollees are not eligible.
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Underwriting Waived
Underwriting must be waived under the law if plans normally used underwriting to exclude a specific person or medical condition. The law also requires waiving pre-existing condition exclusions or limitations.
Ex-Spouse Coverage
In addition to those who lose or change jobs or insurers, the law also covers ex-spouses. An ex-spouse can remain on the employee's group health insurance policy without additional health exams or premiums if it is included in the divorce judgment when the judgment is filed. The ex-spouses's eligibility continues until one person remarries or the time set out in the divorce judgment. However, if the ex-spouse becomes eligible for a comparable plan through his or her employment, then the extended coverage stops.
Tags: health insurance, divorce judgment, group health, group health insurance, Insurance Continuation
