What does the 29-month maximum cover?

• A. It extends COBRA for all possible beneficiaries to 29 months in every scenario
• B. It adds 11 months to the standard 18 months for eligible beneficiaries when disability is determined
• C. It limits COBRA to 12 months only
• D. The disability extension raises the maximum continuation for a qualifying event from 18 to 29 months for the affected beneficiaries

Answer: (D)

The key idea is the disability extension in COBRA. After a qualifying event, most beneficiaries can continue coverage for 18 months. If a beneficiary is determined to be disabled, the maximum can be extended to 29 months, which means an extra 11 months of coverage for the affected person (and for other qualified beneficiaries on the plan in the same circumstances). This extension hinges on the disability determination and is specifically tied to the person whose coverage was affected, not a blanket 29-month extension for every scenario. The correct choice captures that the 29-month maximum comes from adding the disability extension to the original 18 months for the affected beneficiaries. The other options misstate the scope or duration: it isn’t automatic for all scenarios, it isn’t just 12 months, and simply saying “add 11 months for eligible beneficiaries” doesn’t emphasize the 29-month cap tied to disability.