State RegulationsNC specificDifficulty 1/5
An employee in Charlotte is terminated after many years and wants to keep the employer's group major medical coverage under North Carolina's state continuation law. For how long may that group coverage be continued after employment terminates?
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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 hospital, surgical, and major medical coverage may be continued for up to 18 months after employment or membership terminates. North Carolina law has only this single 18-month tier, with no disability or divorce extension, so the practical consequence is that an eligible former employee should budget for a maximum of 18 months of self-paid group coverage.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) 29 months is a federal COBRA extension period, not a North Carolina state continuation period; North Carolina has no such tier.
- C) 36 months is the federal COBRA figure for certain second qualifying events; it does not exist under G.S. 58-53-35(a)(1).
- D) 12 months is the maximum preexisting-condition exclusion period under G.S. 58-51-15(a)(2)b, not the continuation duration.
Memory hook
NC keeps it simple: eighteen months, and nothing more.