Medical Expense✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 2/5
Which of the following COBRA qualifying events entitles the qualified beneficiary to the maximum continuation period of 36 months?
Select an option to reveal the answer and the full 3-part explanation — free, no signup.
Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why B is correct
Loss of dependent status, such as a dependent child reaching the plan's maximum coverage age, is a COBRA qualifying event that entitles the child to continuation coverage for up to 36 months, the longest of the standard periods. By contrast, termination of employment, voluntary or involuntary, and reduction in work hours generally entitle the qualified beneficiary to only 18 months, extendable to 29 months in cases of disability.
Why the other options are wrong
- A) Voluntary termination of employment is still a termination of employment, which carries an 18-month COBRA period, not the 36-month maximum.
- C) A reduction in hours is a qualifying event, but it carries the standard 18-month continuation period rather than 36 months.
- D) An approved medical leave of absence, such as FMLA leave, generally is not a COBRA qualifying event at all, because coverage under the group plan typically continues during the leave.
Memory hook
Aging out = 36 months of COBRA. Losing a job = 18 months. Remember 18 for work, 36 for dependents.