You asked if someone who is covered by COBRA health insurance can qualify for the new Charter Oak Health Plan insurance. You also asked when the Department of Social Services (DSS) will start accepting applications for Charter Oak.

It is not clear whether someone who is insured under COBRA will have to wait six months from when the COBRA coverage ends to qualify for Charter Oak. The Charter Oak law states that the insurance benefit is available only to individuals who have been uninsured for at least six months, but it does not define what it means to be insured. The request for proposals (RFP), to which three health insurers responded, contains language indicating that an exclusion list will be added to the six-month rule. Such a list would presumably allow certain people with health care coverage to qualify without having to wait six months.

We asked DSS' David Parrella whether someone with COBRA coverage would be on the exclusion list. He said he could not answer the question at this juncture.

Parrella also indicated that DSS hopes to begin accepting applications on July 1, 2008.

RC:tjo