What is the one addition to the spouses qualifying events that applies to dependent children qualifying events?

• A. Child loses dependent status under the plan
• B. Child becomes eligible for Medicare
• C. Child graduates from college
• D. Child changes plans

Answer: (A)

Familiar COBRA rules show that continuation coverage is available when a qualifying event happens. For spouses, those events usually come from changes in the employee’s status—things like the employee’s death, divorce or legal separation, the employee becoming eligible for Medicare, or the employee’s termination or a reduction in hours. There is, however, one extra qualifying event that specifically affects dependent children: when a dependent child loses dependent status under the plan. That situation—the child no longer meeting the plan’s definition of a dependent—triggers COBRA rights for that child to continue coverage. The other options don’t fit this unique addition: graduating from college or changing plans aren’t listed qualifying events, and while becoming eligible for Medicare is a qualifying event, it isn’t the additional event that applies only to dependent children.