What is Mini-COBRA? On June 10, 2009, Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell signed Act 2 of 2009 which amends the Pennsylvania Insurance Law to require small employers (employers who employ at least two but less then twenty employees) to offer continuation health coverage for individuals who lose their group health coverage due to certain qualifying events, including termination of employment.
This statute, known as “Mini-COBRA”, became effective on July 10, 2009. Prior to July 10, 2009, only employees of employers who employ twenty or more employees were entitled, under federal law, to COBRA continuation coverage. Now, under Mini-COBRA, employees of small employers based in Pennsylvania who lose their group health coverage on and after July 10, 2009 are entitled to up to nine months of continued health group health coverage (“Mini-COBRA coverage”). Mini-COBRA coverage is to be the same as the coverage in effect at the time of the qualifying event, as defined below, or any replacement coverage.
