COBRA Continuation
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) is a law passed by Congress in 1986. It gives eligible employees the right to temporary continuation of health coverage at group rates for 18 to 36 months after losing their jobs or experiencing other qualifying events. Sentinel Benefits is the third-party administrator for Dartmouth's COBRA.
You aren't required to continue Dartmouth benefits through COBRA, and you can choose which benefits you want to continue for you and/or your dependents. For other options, see Other Insurance Options on the Leaving Dartmouth page.
Sentinel Benefits (COBRA administrator)
Phone: (888) 762-6088
sentinelgroup.com
Dartmouth Benefits Office
Phone: (603) 646-3588
Human.Resources.Benefits@dartmouth.edu
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) is a law passed by Congress in 1986. It gives eligible employees the right to temporary continuation of health coverage at group rates for 18 to 36 months after losing their jobs or experiencing other qualifying events. Sentinel Benefits is the third-party administrator for Dartmouth's COBRA.
You aren't required to continue Dartmouth benefits through COBRA, and you can choose which benefits you want to continue for you and/or your dependents. For other options, see Other Insurance Options on the Leaving Dartmouth page.
You have 60 days to elect COBRA. The 60-day election period ends 60 days after the later of your loss of coverage date or the date of the COBRA notice. You lose all rights to continue coverage if you don't make an election in that window.
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Who Is Eligible COBRA Eligible Benefits The Packet and Enrollment Cost and Payments While on COBRA COBRA and Medicare
Who Is Eligible for COBRA
- COBRA eligibility: you and any family members currently covered under a Dartmouth medical, dental, vision, supplemental, or Health Care FSA plan may continue coverage under COBRA. If you're Medicare eligible, see COBRA and Medicare.
- Dependents taking individual coverage: if you take coverage elsewhere, or a family member is removed from your plan because of a divorce, a child turning 26, or similar, your family members may continue coverage through their own COBRA plan. They are assigned a new plan ID number.
COBRA Eligible Benefits
Dartmouth offers COBRA continuation for these benefits.
Cigna Medical
- Coverage: if you continue medical and prescription coverage through COBRA, your plan doesn't change. You stay on the same OAP, CCF, or HDHP plan you had as an active employee. All out-of-pocket expenses paid year to date continue to count toward your deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums for the year.
- ID cards: as long as you are still the primary member on the plan, your ID numbers and cards don't change for you or your family members. If a family member becomes the primary member, ID numbers change.
Cigna Health Reimbursement Account (HRA)
- The account: if you're enrolled in the Cigna CCF or the HDHP with HRA option when you leave, you keep an HRA attached to your medical plan if you elect to continue medical coverage under COBRA. HRA accounts are funded by and belong to Dartmouth, so if you don't continue medical coverage, the remaining amount is forfeited and goes back to Dartmouth.
- Paying claims: the HRA follows a 90-day run-out period after the plan terminates. In-network and out-of-network claims incurred before your coverage end date, and received by Cigna within 90 days of that date, can still be paid with remaining HRA dollars. Claims received after 90 days are not considered.
Express Scripts Pharmacy
- Coverage: your pharmacy benefits end on the same day your medical benefits end. If you continue Cigna medical coverage under COBRA, your pharmacy coverage continues too. If you don't, it ends on the last day of the month in which you're benefits eligible with Dartmouth.
- ID cards: as long as you are still the primary member on the Cigna medical plan, your pharmacy ID numbers and cards don't change. If a family member becomes the primary member, ID numbers change.
Delta Dental
- COBRA rules: the same rules apply to dental coverage as to medical.
- Coverage: you continue under the same dental plan and plan ID number as under the active plan. Accumulators and deductibles or coinsurance met to that point don't change.
- Other options: New Hampshire residents also receive a packet offering continuation of dental coverage through the State of New Hampshire. See Other Insurance Options.
Vision Coverage
- Cigna basic level vision through EyeMed: if you continue your OAP, CCF, or HDHP medical coverage through COBRA, your eligibility for one free eye exam per calendar year through EyeMed stays intact. Enrolling in COBRA automatically continues your enrollment in Cigna Vision.
- VSP buy-up coverage: if you're enrolled in a VSP vision plan through the college, which includes an annual allowance for contacts or glasses and frames, you may continue it for 18 to 36 months under your COBRA rights. If you don't, your vision coverage ends on the last day of the month in which you're benefits eligible with Dartmouth.
Health Care FSA (HCFSA) and Limited Purpose FSA (LPFSA)
- Change in employment: if you move to an employment category that can't participate in an HCFSA or LPFSA, or you lose benefit eligibility because of a reduction in full time equivalency, you may choose to continue contributing on a post-tax basis under COBRA.
- Debit cards: your Sentinel debit card is deactivated the day after you lose eligibility for the benefit.
- Overspent funds (not COBRA eligible): if you've already spent more than you've contributed when your coverage ends, you don't have to pay back the difference, and you can't continue the HCFSA or LPFSA under COBRA.
- Underspent funds (COBRA eligible): if you haven't spent more than you've contributed, you may elect to keep incurring expenses and contributing on a post-tax basis through the end of the plan year in which your employment ends (December 31).
- Incurring claims: you can keep incurring claims through the end of the month in which you leave Dartmouth or lose eligibility. If you continue under COBRA, you can keep incurring claims through the end of the calendar year.
- Runout period: whether or not you continue under COBRA, the Health Care FSA has a three-month runout period (through March 31) to submit claims for expenses incurred during the prior calendar year. That's typically January 1 through the last day of the month in which you were benefits eligible, or through December 31 if you continued under COBRA.
- Carryover: if you continue your Health Care FSA under COBRA, unused dollars don't carry over after the runout period ends, and the remaining balance is forfeited.
- Submitting for reimbursement: once your card is deactivated, submit claims directly to Sentinel through the Sentinel phone app or your account at sentinelgroup.com.
- Proof of payment: you don't need to show proof of payment. An Explanation of Benefits or unpaid invoice should suffice.
- Eligible expenses: see dartgo.org/fsa_eligible.
The COBRA Packet and Enrollment
When to Expect a COBRA Packet
Sentinel Benefits mails the packet to the legal mailing or legal residence address you have on file in Dartmouth's employee self service system, within 2 to 3 weeks of your loss of coverage date. If you need a packet mailed to an ex-spouse or a dependent child who no longer lives with you, notify the Benefits Office as soon as possible with an updated address, at (603) 646-3588 or Human.Resources.Benefits@dartmouth.edu.
Completing the COBRA Packet
Once you receive the packet, complete your enrollment either online or by returning the COBRA election forms with payment within the 60-day election period. You aren't covered until enrollment is completed and Sentinel Benefits has received payment. Once received, all expenses incurred during the enrollment window are covered up to the "allowable amount," retroactive to the date your Dartmouth coverage ended.
COBRA Enrollment Process
- You receive a COBRA packet from Sentinel Benefits 2 to 3 weeks after your Dartmouth coverage ends.
- Review the packet and rates. You may want to compare the COBRA rates against rates on the Health Care Exchange.
- Review the Online Enrollment and Payment Steps on the New Member Login Notice at the end of the packet. Step-by-step directions are available.
Cost of COBRA and Payments
Monthly Rates
Rates are per month and include the 2% administrative fee. The dental and vision rates are the same in 2026 and 2027.
Medical rates
COBRA medical rates are coming soon.
Dental and vision rates
| Dental plan | Single | Two person | Family |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Dental Low Plan | $36.64 | $65.22 | $112.13 |
| Delta Dental High Plan | $67.49 | $120.14 | $206.53 |
| Vision plan | Single | Parent + child(ren) | Employee + spouse | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VSP Vision Plan | $7.11 | $14.23 | $13.52 | $20.91 |
Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) benefits are also available through COBRA.
Paying Monthly COBRA Premiums
Sentinel Benefits offers three ways to pay:
- Monthly automatic withdrawal from your bank account by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT).
- Credit card payments, which can be made at any time but aren't recurring.
- Check or money order, payable to Dartmouth College and mailed to the address below.
Check or money order address
Dartmouth College
Sentinel Benefits & Financial Group
PO Box 5004
Reading, MA 01867
Attn: COBRA Administration Team
While on COBRA
When COBRA Runs Out
Coverage generally lasts up to 18 months. Some situations, such as divorce or death, may allow up to 36 months. Refer to your COBRA packet for more information. Once COBRA is exhausted, you may be able to buy some benefits directly through the Health Care Exchange or the vendor. See Other Insurance Options.
Life Events While on COBRA
- Changing plans: once you elect COBRA, you can't change to a different Cigna plan (OAP, CCF, or HDHP) until the COBRA Open Enrollment period.
- Mid-year qualifying events: you may add or remove dependents if you have a mid-year qualifying event, such as the birth or adoption of a child, marriage or divorce, or you or a covered dependent gaining coverage elsewhere. Contact Sentinel Benefits at (888) 762-6088 to make a change.
Open Enrollment While on COBRA
If you enroll in COBRA, you have an annual Open Enrollment period where you may add or remove dependents, change plans, or stop coverage. It typically follows Dartmouth's Open Enrollment window. COBRA Open Enrollment typically requires you to actively re-elect your coverage for the upcoming year, otherwise you will have no coverage. Watch your mail closely in October and November for an Open Enrollment packet from Sentinel. Health Care FSAs aren't eligible for re-enrollment during COBRA Open Enrollment.
COBRA and Medicare
If you or your covered spouse are Medicare eligible, or becoming Medicare eligible within the next year, we strongly encourage you to contact your local office on aging or the Medicare office. Ask how signing up for COBRA or coverage on the health care exchange may affect you, including coordination of benefits with your new plan and the potential for late enrollment penalties.
- Medicare: 800-MEDICARE (633-4227)
- ServiceLink (Lebanon, NH): 866-634-9412
- Central Vermont Office on Aging (locations also in Rutland and Springfield): 802-477-1364
Need help? Contact Benefits | Leaving Dartmouth | Sentinel Benefits
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