The COBRA law (short for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) guarantees you the right to buy group health insurance for up to 18 months when you leave a job; it is federal law that applies to companies that employ 20 more people (including part-timers), with fully insured health plans. COBRA participants must pay for the full premiums out of their own pockets, plus up to a 2 percent administrative fee. Most states have also added provisions that expand that right for those working in smaller companies, usually with two to 19 employees.

The chart below shows which states have one of these "mini-COBRA" laws. (Remember that self-insured health plans are not subject to state insurance laws; they are governed only by the U.S. Department of Labor.)

Eligibility for "Mini-COBRA" by state
State	Length of time eligible for COBRA
Arkansas	4 months
California	36 months
Colorado	18 months
Connecticut	36 months
District of Columbia	3 months
Florida	29 months
Georgia	3 months
Hawaii	3 months
Illinois*	24 months
Iowa*	9 months
Kansas	6 months
Kentucky	18 months
Louisiana*	12 months
Maine	12 months
Maryland	18 months
Massachusetts	36 months*
Minnesota	36 months
Mississippi*	12 months
Missouri*	9 months
Nebraska	12 months
Nevada	36 months
New Hampshire	36 months
New Jersey	36 months
New Mexico	6 months
New York	36 months*
North Carolina*	18 months
North Dakota	36 months
Ohio*	6 months
Oklahoma	6 months
Oregon*	6 months
Rhode Island	18 months
South Carolina	6 months
South Dakota	36 months
Tennessee	15 months
Texas	36 months
Utah	6 months
Vermont*	12 months
West Virginia	18 months
Wisconsin	18 months
Wyoming*	12 months
* In these states, group carriers have the discretion not to continue coverage for certain coverage benefits such as prescription drug coverage, dental benefits and vision benefits.
Source: The Kaiser Family Foundation statehealthfacts.org. Data source: Georgetown University's "Consumer Guides For Getting and Keeping Health Insurance."

Other related state laws:

1. In Arizona and Virginia, insurers have the option of offering either continuation or conversion.

2. In Washington, insurers are required to offer employees the option of having a continuation coverage provision; however, continuation coverage is not mandated in group policies.

3.In Idaho, except extension of benefits up to 12 months for individuals that are pregnant or disabled, generally there is no continuation coverage.

3. Six states have continuation laws that extend, for certain individuals (generally 55 and older), continuation coverage to the time when the individual is eligible for Medicare. These states are Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, and Oregon.

4. In New Jersey, individuals considered disabled, under some circumstances, may continue coverage until they are no longer considered disabled.

6. The New Mexico Health Insurance Alliance permits some individuals to continue to maintain Alliance coverage indefinitely. In order to be eligible, an individual must have maintained Alliance group coverage for 6 months and no longer be eligible for this coverage for almost all reasons (i.e., loss of employment, loss of policy, again off parents' policy, death, divorce).

7. In North Dakota, except in the case of divorce, continuation coverage lasts 39 weeks. In the case of divorce, continuation coverage can last up to 36 months.

8. In Oklahoma, the information applies to non-HMO plans. Longer periods of extension (3 to 6 months) are available for those undergoing treatment or are pregnant at termination of coverage. HMOs are required to extend coverage through pregnancy or ongoing inpatient treatment.