Yes. You can extend COBRA for yourself and your family if you become disabled within the first 60 days of COBRA continuation coverage. To extend COBRA coverage, you must:
1. Obtain a ruling from the Social Security Administration that you became disabled within the first 60 days of COBRA continuation coverage.
2. Send the plan a copy of the Social Security ruling letter within 60 days of you receipt of the Social Security ruling. You must submit this letter to the plan before your 18 month period of continuation expires.
If you meet these requirements, then you and your eligible dependents will be entitled to an additional 11 months of COBRA continuation coverage, for a total of 29 months. The plan can charge you more for this extension, up to 150% of your premium cost.
In addition, if your spouse or dependent child experiences a second Qualifying Event during the initial term, you can extend COBRA coverage for them by an additional 18 months, for a total of 36 months. A second Qualifying Event for your spouse or child would be:
death of a covered employee
the divorce or legal separation of a covered employee and spouse
a covered employee's becoming entitled to Medicare
loss of dependent child status under the plan.
The second event can be a second Qualifying Event only if it would have caused your spouse or dependent child to lose coverage under the plan in the absence of the first Qualifying Event. If a second Qualifying Event occurs, you will need to notify the plan.
