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if you have health insurance through work & you change to part time, can you still purchase the same insurance?

I am going to change my hours at work from full time to part time and I get pretty good insurance benefits as a full-time employee. However, my company does not offer this insurance to part-timers. Is there a way I could still keep my insurance by simply paying for it out of pocket? It is Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and Metlife Dental. If so, how do I do this?

Public Comments

1. Yes through Cobra but you should inquire of HR what that cost will be to you . It could be as high as 2k a month
2. There are two options. Pay to continue the health and dental insurance under COBRA. You will be allowed to do that for up to the next 18 months but understand that you can be charged 100 percent of the premiums plus a 2 percent administrative fee. "Pretty good" plans that are subsidized or paid for by your employer may be shockingly expensive when you are the one picking up the tab. The other possibility might be to see if the carriers offer a individual conversion plan. The benefits offered will not be so "rich" but you also won't have to be rich to afford the monthly premium.
3. You can keep the insurance through Cobra but it sounds like the company is going to quit paying their portion of the premium so the premiums are probably going to go way up. Right now you pay part and the company pays part of the cost of the insurance. When you go to part time you will have to pay the entire premium.
4. If you no longer qualify for benefits, because you've moved to part time, AND your employer is subject to COBRA laws, you can continue the coverage on COBRA, at your cost. If your employer isn't subject to COBRA or a state mini-COBRA, you cannot stay on the plan.
5. If your employer's group health plan is specifically for full time workers, you cannot participate in the same group health plan as a part-time worker. If you want to pay out of pocket you don't need insurance. You can get your own health insurance without your employer.
6. In most cases, you can keep it for 18 months (if not disabled) or 36 months (if determined by SSA to be disabled) through COBRA, but you may be required to pay slightly more than just the cost of the insurance, and you do not get to keep it forever.