Public Law 99-272, Title X requires employers sponsoring group health plans to offer employees and their families the opportunity for a temporary extension of their health insurance coverage if their coverage would otherwise end because of qualifying events. This coverage would be at group rates, plus 2% for administrative costs. An employee of the University covered by a group health plan has a right to choose to continue coverage for up to eighteen (18) months if the employee would otherwise lose coverage because of a reduction of hours of employment or termination of employment. The spouse of an employee covered by a group health plan has the right to choose to continue coverage for up to thirty-six (36) months if the spouse would otherwise lose coverage because of any of the following reasons: the death of a spouse; termination of a spouse’s employment or reduction in spouse’s hours of employment; divorce or legal separation from a spouse; or a spouse becomes eligible for Medicare. A dependent child of an employee covered by group health has the right to choose to continue coverage for up to thirty-six (36) months if the dependent would otherwise lose coverage because of any of the following reasons: the death of a parent; the termination of a parent’s employment or reduction of a parent’s hours of employment; parents’ divorce or legal separation; a parent’s becoming eligible for Medicare; or the dependent’s ceasing to be a dependent child because of age. Detailed information regarding employee rights under COBRA is available in the Human Resources Office.