|
Retiree Medical, Prescription Drug and Mental Health and Substance Abuse Programs - RR Donnelley   
Your Legal Right to Continuation Coverage
General Information
A federal law called the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (COBRA), requires that most employers, including a Participating Employer (other than an outside member of the board of directors who has elected to participate), that sponsor medical benefit plans (including HMOs) offer employees and certain members of their families the opportunity to extend coverage temporarily at group rates after coverage under the medical benefits plan would otherwise end due to specific events. The extension of coverage to employees and their eligible spouses is called “continuation coverage.”
In general, the coverage that may be continued is the same as the coverage in which you and your spouse were enrolled under the Program on the day before the qualifying event (as listed below). For example, if you are enrolled in the Program with retiree and spouse coverage, you and your spouse can continue this same coverage under COBRA. In addition, if you elected the “No Coverage” option as a retired employee, you would not be eligible for any continuation coverage.
To be eligible for continuation coverage, a qualifying event must take place. After the qualifying event, continuation coverage must be offered to each person who is a continuation coverage beneficiary. You and your spouse could become continuation coverage beneficiaries if coverage under the Program is lost because of a qualifying event. The following are qualifying events:
Who Can Continue Coverage
|
In What Situations
|
For How Long
|
Retiree and spouse
|
Loss of coverage or increases in cost due to, or significant reduction in coverage within one year before or after, the commencement of bankruptcy proceedings under Title 11 of the United States Code with respect to RR Donnelley or its subsidiaries from whose employment you retired
|
Until death; however, in the case of the covered surviving spouse, no later than 36 months after the death of the covered former employee
|
Retiree’s spouse
|
Divorce or legal separation
|
36 months
|
|
If you or your spouse becomes eligible to participate in Medicare but does not elect to participate therein, you or your spouse may become entitled to certain COBRA rights. You should contact the COBRA administrator within 60 days of not electing Medicare to receive more information.
|
