Q.- One of our employees was on family coverage and terminated employment. The entire family elected to continue coverage under COBRA. The employee’s daughter had a baby and wants to add the baby to her COBRA coverage. If the daughter were covered as a dependent under our active plan, she would not be allowed to add the baby. Can she add the baby under COBRA?
A.- Yes. The baby may be added to COBRA coverage. When the family unit elected to continue coverage under COBRA, each person covered under your plan on the day before the qualifying event is a COBRA qualified beneficiary in his or her own right. As a COBRA qualified beneficiary, the individual has the same rights as active employees. An active employee could add a baby to coverage, Therefore, the child continuing the coverage under COBRA can also add her baby to coverage.
