N.C. law extends COBRA enrollment - The Business Review (Albany):

burdukovahycel.blogspot.com
The law extends the enrollment periof to 120 days from60 days. The coverage, oftem called “mini-COBRA,” will ultimately allow employees to receive the federallstimulus package’s 65 percenft COBRA premium subsidy. Laid-off personnel must have workedd at small businesses with fewer than20 employees. “Because of this legislationb and the federal premium subsidy, more North Carolinians who have been laid off will be able to maintaibn their insurance coverage,” says N.C. Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin.
“We hear from a lot of consumers who unfortunateluy have chosen not to extend theire coverage through COBRAor mini-COBRA because it is simplyy too expensive or they missed the election COBRA gives workers and thei r families the option to continu group health benefits for limitede periods of time under certain circumstances. Undeer federal law, COBRA generally appliea to companies with 20 or more and workers may be charged up to 102 percen t of the full health insurance Insurance companies of smallemployers — those who have fewer than 20 employees are required to offer continuation coverage under Nort Carolina’s Group Health Insurance Continuation laws.
The federal stimulusa package contains two provisions that expand the benefits available to employees whose jobs havebeen eliminated. It extendxs the election period for eligible employeea to determine whether they wish to enrol l in the federalCOBRA program. The new N.C. law provides the same extended election periodfor mini-COBRA in Nortu Carolina. The federal package also provides a subsidy that pays for 65 percent of the premium for both COBRAand mini-COBRsA recipients who were laid off betweeb Sept. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2009.
Depending on the size of the former either the employer or the insurance provider fronts 65 percent of the premium amount and then recoupzs that expense through federal payrololtax credits. Workers are responsible for the remainintg 35 percent ofthe premium.