When COBRA coverage is elected within the required timeline (60 days) and all necessary payments are made, coverage is retroactive to your loss of coverage date following your qualifying event. Any insurance claims incurred during the period between your qualifying event and your election date will be eligible for payment consideration under your continuing coverage—provided that all required premiums are paid. Please contact your insurance carrier to have claims reprocessed.

Read on for additional details on how to elect COBRA continuation coverage, or jump to a section with these links:

Your employer and plan administrator generally have 44 days following your qualifying event to send you a COBRA election notice. Upon receipt, complete the election form, select the type of coverage you desire, sign it and mail before the election deadline. The postmark must be on or before the election deadline marked on your election notice.

You can choose to send your initial payment with your election notice or wait to send your initial payment within 45 days of the date you return your election notice (e.g., the postmark date of your completed election notice if mailed). Regardless of when you send your initial payment within this 45-day period, this payment must be retroactive, bringing your account current from the day your COBRA coverage began through the last day of the monthly coverage period ending on or before the end of this 45-day period.

You can also complete your election electronically at MyBenefits.WageWorks.com and complete the Enroll COBRA section.

You will not receive a new insurance card. You should continue to use the same cards provided to you by your insurance carrier(s).

You have the option to elect any or all your previous benefits that were in effect at the time of your qualifying event. If you want to continue medical benefits, but no longer want dental coverage, you have the flexibility to do so. You only pay for the coverage that you elect.

Be aware that elections must be made during the election period. Once the election window has closed, you can no longer change or adjust benefit elections and you will lose your rights as a qualified beneficiary.

Note: Election forms must be postmarked by the COBRA election due date.

Only dependents that were enrolled in the plan at the time of the qualifying event will be eligible to continue COBRA. You may add dependents to COBRA if a HIPAA special enrollment event occurs (such as a marriage or a birth/adoption). You may also add dependents to COBRA during the employer’s Open Enrollment period (to the extent similarly situated active employees have the opportunity to do so).

How to elect COBRA:

1. Use the account number provided in your COBRA Election notice or primary account holder's Social Security Number to register on the member portal.

2. Select Enroll in COBRA to select your coverage and complete the enrollment process

3. Make a payment

You can also elect COBRA by mailing your election form to:

WageWorks

P.O. Box 223684

Dallas, TX 75222-3684

To ensure that your COBRA coverage continues, it is important that your payments are received on time. Your first payment must be made within 45 days after your election date. Eligibility update requests to your insurance carrier will not be made until your payment is received and processed.

Payments can always be made by check or money order, payable to WageWorks and mailed with your monthly coupon (invoice statement) to:

WageWorks
P.O. Box 660212
Dallas Tx, 75266-0212

Payments can also be made via your COBRA services web portal, by mail, or by phone.

Once the COBRA enrollment has been processed, WageWorks will mail a courtesy monthly invoice to you for the first period(s) of coverage necessary to bring your account current. If you choose to pay premiums by mail, please submit your monthly invoice with your check payment. Please note that your COBRA payments are due whether or not you receive this monthly invoice.

All your statements can be accessed online by logging into the member portal, MyBenefits.WageWorks.com and clicking on the Notices tab on the left side of your screen.

For questions regarding COBRA coverage options, election procedures, payments or using the web portal, reach out to the COBRA Member Services team on the toll-free support line: 877-722-2667.

Our COBRA team is available Monday through Friday from 8 am – 8 pm Eastern Time.