State RegulationsNC specificDifficulty 2/5
An employee's group hospital, surgical, and major medical coverage under a North Carolina group policy terminates when her employment ends. Under G.S. 58-53-35(a)(1), for how long may she elect to continue that coverage?
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
Under G.S. 58-53-35(a)(1), group coverage may be continued for up to 18 months after employment or membership terminates, provided the employee was continuously insured under the group policy for 3 consecutive months before termination under G.S. 58-53-10. North Carolina law has only this 18-month tier, and once the employee elects and pays, coverage is retroactive to the termination date.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) 29 months is a federal COBRA extension figure; North Carolina's continuation statute has no such tier.
- C) 36 months is likewise a federal COBRA figure for multi-event cases and does not exist in North Carolina law.
- D) 12 months is the maximum preexisting-condition exclusion period under G.S. 58-51-15(a)(2)b, not a continuation period.
Memory hook
NC continuation is 18 months, one tier only - leave the COBRA numbers alone.