Medical Expense✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 3/5
A dependent child ages out of eligibility under a parent's COBRA-qualified group health plan because of the age limit. Under COBRA, the child may continue coverage for up to:
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
COBRA continuation coverage lasts up to 18 months for most qualifying events, but a dependent who loses coverage because of a qualifying event such as aging out of dependent status is entitled to up to 36 months of continuation coverage. The longer 36-month period reflects the greater risk of dependency loss. This COBRA aging-out rule is a specific figure in the ACA/COBRA material tested on the A&H exam.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) 18 months is the general COBRA period for an employee's own loss of coverage (such as job loss or reduced hours), not the aging-out period for a dependent.
- C) 24 months is not a COBRA continuation period; the dependent aging-out window is 36 months.
- D) 12 months is not a COBRA period; dependent loss due to aging out extends to 36 months.
Memory hook
Age-out dependents get the long runway: 36 months of COBRA, double the usual 18.