Which statement about COBRA and group health plans is true?

• A. COBRA applies to every group health plan regardless of plan specifics
• B. COBRA never applies to government or union plans
• C. COBRA applies only to group health plans; check the specific plan to determine applicability
• D. COBRA requires different coverage from active employees

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is that COBRA rights depend on the specifics of the plan. It isn’t automatic for every group health plan; you determine applicability by looking at the plan’s own terms and whether it falls within COBRA’s scope.

The best statement recognizes that COBRA covers group health plans, but you must check each plan to confirm whether continuation coverage is available for a given beneficiary and for how long. Some plans or types of plans may be exempt or governed by different rules, so the plan document itself is the source of truth.

Why the other ideas don’t fit: it’s not true that COBRA applies to every group plan regardless of plan specifics, so that blanket view is incorrect. It’s also not accurate to say COBRA never applies to government or union plans, since some government plans are subject to continuation rights or have analogous provisions, and the determination depends on the plan. Finally, COBRA continuation coverage is not about offering different coverage from active employees; the requirement is that the continuation coverage be identical to what active employees can enroll in, with the exception that the beneficiary may pay the premium.