Which event would qualify a dependent for COBRA coverage?

• A. The employee enrolling in a new dental plan
• B. The employee's retirement
• C. The employee becoming entitled to Medicare
• D. The employee requesting a name change

Answer: (C)

COBRA continuation is triggered when a qualifying event causes a loss of coverage. For dependents, one of the recognized triggers is when the employee becomes entitled to Medicare. That event signals that the employee’s coverage will change and gives the dependent the right to elect COBRA to keep the same plan for up to a limited period, provided they pay the premium and meet the election deadlines.

Enrolling in a new dental plan doesn’t cause loss of health coverage and isn’t a COBRA trigger. Retirement isn’t treated as a standard COBRA qualifying event for dependents in the same way, and a name change has no impact on eligibility. So the correct event is the employee becoming entitled to Medicare.