The COBRA Cheat Sheet

The numbers, the deadlines, and the new-hire part nobody mentions. Plain English, one page.

What’s in it

• The clock in days, how long coverage lasts, who can elect, and what it costs. One page, no digging.
• The gotchas that bite: FMLA, Medicare, the Marketplace, “gross misconduct,” and the vendor who mails your notices while you hold the liability.
• Two checklists you can run on the spot, one for new enrollees and one for qualifying events.

Why this exists

The most-missed notice in benefits isn’t the election notice. It’s the General Notice, and it’s due within 90 days after coverage starts, not when someone leaves. Most people find that out from an auditor or an attorney.

COBRA is mostly deadlines. About ten of them, and every one runs from a different date. Nobody hands you the list on day one.

This is the list. It’s education, not legal advice. I’m not an attorney, and your plan document, your state, and your facts can change the answer. But it’s the page I wish someone had handed me.