Medical Expense✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 2/5
A dependent child ages out of a parent's group health plan and loses eligibility as a dependent. Under COBRA, the child is entitled to continuation coverage for up to:
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
When a dependent child loses eligibility under a parent's group plan because of age, commonly referred to as aging out, that loss of dependent status is a COBRA qualifying event. The child is entitled to continuation coverage for up to 36 months from the date of the event. The 36-month period is longer than the standard 18-month employee continuation period because the dependent loses coverage through no action of their own. This is a distinct rule from the ACA's requirement that dependents be covered until age 26.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) 18 months is the continuation period for the employee's own termination or reduction of hours, not for a dependent aging out.
- C) 12 months is not a COBRA continuation period for aging-out dependents; COBRA uses 36 months for loss of dependent status.
- D) 6 months is not a COBRA continuation period; the dependent qualifying event carries the full 36-month entitlement.
Memory hook
Dependent loses coverage by aging out: 36 months of COBRA. Kids get the longest continuation.