Permanent Employees

If you are a permanent employee in a regular assignment and become unpaid for an entire month, you will be offered the option of continuing your coverage under COBRA. Employees on unpaid leaves of absence under the Federal Family Leave Act (FMLA) may be able to retain District-sponsored coverage for up to 12 weeks.

Substitute and Adult Ed Employees

Employees who lose benefits at the end of a school year because they did not meet eligibility requirements in the previous fiscal year or become unpaid for an entire month may be eligible to continue coverage under COBRA.

Retiree

If you retire but are not eligible for LAUSD retiree health care coverage, continuation of coverage may be available first through COBRA for you and your dependent(s), then through AB528 for you and your spouse.

COBRA is automatically generated once an employee’s benefits are terminated or coverage is lost. The District will notify the COBRA Administrator in the event of any of the following. Upon receipt of notification, the COBRA Administrator will mail you a COBRA election packet.

• Your resignation or dismissal (except in cases of gross misconduct)
• Your loss of benefits due to a reduction of your assigned hours (including taking an approved unpaid leave)

If you or a family member experience any of the events listed below: 

• Your divorce
• Your child ceasing to qualify as a dependent under the District’s plan(s)
• Your death

You must notify Benefits Administration within 60 days. Failure to notify the District within 60 days will forfeit your right to elect COBRA.  In general, employees may continue coverage under COBRA for 18 months, while dependents may continue for 36 months.

Cal-COBRA is a California law that is similar to Federal COBRA. If your 18 months of Federal COBRA ends, you may be able to continue your health insurance under Cal-COBRA for an additional 18 months, for a total of 36 months. If your COBRA lasted 36 months, you are ineligible for additional Cal-COBRA coverage. Coverage under Cal-COBRA is available for medical benefits only.

If you are enrolled in Kaiser or Health Net, please contact the plans directly for information regarding Cal-COBRA benefits. For information regarding Cal-COBRA for the Anthem Blue Cross Select HMO & Anthem Blue Cross EPO plans, contact WageWorks directly.

AB528 is a program that may allow your surviving spouse to continue his/her coverage. Employees who retire and are not eligible for lifetime benefits are also eligible for AB528 once COBRA eligibility ends. Dependent children are not eligible for coverage under AB528.

Your domestic partner and children of your domestic partner are not eligible for continuation of coverage through COBRA or AB528. (If you are registered with the State of California, then your domestic partner and his/her children may be eligible for Cal-COBRA). Your dependent children are not eligible for continuation of coverage through AB528.

You may change your health care elections during the District’s annual enrollment period held each October and if you move out of state/out of the service area for your particular plan or upon reaching the age of 65.

There is no reinstatement of coverage after cancellation of COBRA/AB528 coverage. You must adhere to the COBRA guidelines and time frames for enrolling in your coverage. You have 60 days to notify the COBRA Administrator of your intent to enroll in the COBRA or AB528 coverage. If you miss this deadline, you will lose your right to enroll in benefits.

The Anthem Medicare Preferred (PPO) and SilverScript plans are not available to COBRA/AB528 members.