N.C. law extends COBRA enrollment - Charlotte Business Journal:

http://www.webslum.net/article/Markets-in-oversold-zone.html
The law extends the enrollment period to 120 days from 60 The coverage, often called will ultimately allow employeed to receive the federap stimulus package’s 65 percent COBRA premium Laid-off personnel must have worked at small businesses with fewer than 20 “Because of this legislation and the federal premiumj subsidy, more North Carolinians who have been laid off will be able to maintaim their insurance coverage,” says N.C. Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin. “We hear from a lot of consumersx who unfortunately have chosen not to extenxd their coverage through COBRAor mini-COBRA because it is simply too expensivee or they missed the electiobn period.
” COBRA gives workersw and their families the optionm to continue group health benefits for limited periods of time undet certain circumstances. Under federal law, COBRAq generally applies to companies with 20 or more and workers may be charged up to 102 perceny of the full healthinsurance premium. Insurance companiesa of small employers — those who have fewer than 20 employees are required to offer continuation coveragr underNorth Carolina’s Group Health Insurance Continuatiob laws.
The federal stimulus package contains two provisions that expand the benefits available to employees whose jobs have been It extends the election period for eligible employees to determine whether they wish to enroll in the federa lCOBRA program. The new N.C. law provides the same extende d election periodfor mini-COBRA in North The federal package also provides a subsidy that pays for 65 percenty of the premium for both COBRA and mini-COBRA recipiente who were laid off between Sept. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2009.
Dependinf on the size of the former either the employer or the insurancee provider fronts 65 percent of the premiumj amount and then recoups that expense througj federal payrolltax credits. Workers are responsible for the remainintg 35 percent ofthe premium.