When Benefits End

If you or one of your dependents is losing eligibility for 4J coverage, there are a number of options to make sure you and your family members are still protected after 4J insurance coverage ends.

COBRA

COBRA is guaranteed continuation of your previous 4J coverage.  Regardless of your health status, COBRA law allows eligible* parties losing 4J coverage to continue that same coverage for at least 18 months.  Depending on individual circumstances, it is sometimes possible to remain on COBRA coverage even longer.  Some examples of circumstances that would qualify one for an extension can be found on our FAQ page under the subheading "When Coverage Ends".

*There are rare circumstances that can render someone ineligible for COBRA coverage; for example, if employment was terminated for gross misconduct.  COBRA eligibility questions should be directed to BenefitHelp Solutions at (800) 556-2230.

BenefitHelp Solutions is the company that administers the 4J COBRA policies.  When 4J coverage ends, BenefitHelp Solutions mails COBRA information to the eligible party, including rates and enrollment instructions/forms.  Anyone enrolling in COBRA coverage will deal directly with BenefitHelp Solutions, making payments directly to them.

The premiums charged for COBRA coverage are simply the full premium cost of the plan. (Click here for Oct.2009 - Sept.2010 rates.) Many 4J employees don't realize that the district contributes a significant amount toward their health insurance premiums and are surprised by the comparatively high cost of COBRA coverage.  Portability and individual plans (details below) are a couple options that may be more economical.

Depending on the circumstances that caused your loss of benefits-eligibility, you may also qualify for COBRA premium assistance as provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).  People often refer to the ARRA as "President Obama's stimulus package" or "the federal stimulus package".  The ARRA provides up to 9 months of COBRA premium assistance (equal to 65% of the full premium) to individuals whose employment was involuntarily terminated between the dates of September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009.  If you qualify for this premium assistance you would only be charged 35% of the normal COBRA premium for the first 9 months of COBRA coverage. (Click here for Oct.2009 - Sept.2010 COBRA rates for those qualify for the ARRA subsidy.) More details about the ARRA can be found on our FAQ page under the subheading "When Coverage Ends".

Curious about COBRA rates dating back to the previous plan year?  Click here for Oct.2008 - Sept.2009 rates, or click here for Oct.2008 - Sept.2009 COBRA rates for those who qualify for the ARRA subsidy.

PORTABILITY

Portability is guaranteed coverage that picks up where your 4J plan (or COBRA plan) leaves off, so you ulitimately have uninterrupted coverage, although the specifics of the coverage change.  Portability plans typically have higher deductibles and cover less than your 4J coverage or COBRA coverage did, but it also typically costs less and coverage is guaranteed regardless of health.   

Portability coverage is only available through the company previously providing your group coverage, so ODS would provide all portability plans for people formerly covered through 4J.  Information about portability options should be mailed to you automatically once ODS receives notification of your coverage terminating.  If you'd like to explore this option prior to receving the information in the mail, you can visit the portability page of the ODS web site: http://www.odscompanies.com/members/portability.shtml or you can call the ODS Individual Marketing Department at (503) 543-3973.

INDIVIDUAL PLANS

Individual insurance plans are available on the open market from virtually any insurance carrier.  You may need to submit proof of good health before the carrier will agree to cover you (not always); but often even those with pre-existing health conditions can obtain quality coverage at affordable rates.  To get the best deal you should explore a number of different companies and compare coverage options and prices. 

Often people get intimidated by the idea of comparison shopping, not knowing where to start, so below are a few links to get you going and show you how easy it can be.  These are not the only options available, so feel free to contact any carrier that interests you and explore as much as you like until you find a plan that suits your needs.  These links are provided merely as a convenience and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any particular company or plan. 

ODS Companies Individual Plans - A major Oregon health insurance provider. ODS currently provides 4J's OEBB plans.

Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon Indvidual Plans - A major Oregon health insurance provider. Regence BCBSO provided 4J's plans prior to joining OEBB in October 2008. 

www.ehealthinsurance.com - A user-friendly site that quickly provides comparisons of various companies' individual and family helath plans.

 FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions)

For additional details about insurance options after 4J benefits end, please visit the FAQ section of our site and explore the subsection "When Coverage Ends".