Which statement accurately describes the 29-month disability extension?

• A. It shortens the maximum continuation to 21 months
• B. It adds 11 months to the standard 18 months
• C. It extends only for the employee, not dependents
• D. The disability extension raises the maximum continuation for a qualifying event from 18 to 29 months for the affected beneficiaries

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is how the disability extension changes COBRA continuation when a qualifying event occurs. Normally, COBRA allows 18 months of continued coverage after a qualifying event. If a beneficiary is determined to be disabled, the plan may extend that continuation by up to 11 more months, bringing the total to 29 months. This extension applies to the affected beneficiaries—those who are qualified to receive COBRA coverage due to the event (typically the employee and any dependents), not just the employee alone. The disability must be established within the initial continuation period, and there are notice and documentation requirements, but the key point is that the maximum coverage can extend to 29 months for the disabled individual and other affected beneficiaries. Therefore, the statement that accurately describes the 29-month disability extension is that it raises the maximum continuation from 18 to 29 months for the affected beneficiaries.