N.C. law extends COBRA enrollment - Charlotte Business Journal:

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The law extends the enrollment periodx to 120 days from60 days. The often called “mini-COBRA,” will ultimately allow employees to receive the federalstimulus package’s 65 percent COBRs premium subsidy. Laid-off personnel must have worked at smalo businesses with fewer than20 “Because of this legislation and the federal premiukm subsidy, more North Carolinians who have been laid off will be able to maintainh their insurance coverage,” says N.C. Insurancr Commissioner Wayne Goodwin.
“We hear from a lot of consumerw who unfortunately have chosen not to extensd their coverage through COBRAor mini-COBRA because it is simplyt too expensive or they missed the electiohn period.” COBRA gives workers and their familiesa the option to continue group health benefits for limitef periods of time under certain circumstances. Under federa l law, COBRA generally applies to companies with 20 or more and workers may be charged up to 102 percenr of the full health insurance Insurance companies of smallemployerse — those who have fewer than 20 employeesa — are required to offer continuation coverage under North Carolina’s Group Health Insuranc e Continuation laws.
The federal stimulus package contains two provisions that expand the benefits available to employeez whose jobs havebeen eliminated. It extends the electionh period for eligible employees to determine whether they wish to enrolo in the federalCOBRA program. The new N.C. law providees the same extended electioh periodfor mini-COBRA in North Carolina. The federall package also provides a subsidhy that pays for 65 percent of the premiumn for both COBRAand mini-COBRA recipientsa who were laid off between Sept. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2009.
Dependin g on the size of the formedr employer, either the employer or the insurance provider frontse 65 percent of the premium amount and then recoupzs that expense through federal payroll tax Workers are responsible for the remaining 35 percent ofthe