COBRA in Vermont

Vermont gives 18 months of continuation to people covered under group medical or dental plans of any size, at up to 102 percent of the group rate. You have 60 days from the notice to elect, but the first payment has to go in with your election.

Reviewed by Prodest Insurance Group, a licensed insurance agency (NPN 19515569) · Updated 20 October 2026 against the Vermont Statutes as recodified in 2025, and federal sources.

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Eighteen Months, Whatever the Reason

Section 4047a of Title 8 of the Vermont Statutes requires all group major medical and dental insurance policies to let people continue their coverage after a qualifying event: losing a job, including a cut in hours that ends eligibility; a divorce, dissolution, or legal separation; a child ceasing to qualify as a dependent; or the death of the covered employee.

The section numbers changed in 2025

Vermont recodified these rules in 2025, moving them from Sections 4090a to 4090c to Sections 4047a to 4047c, effective September 1, 2025. Many websites still cite the old numbers, and some describe older, shorter continuation periods.

The current law gives 18 months for every qualifying event.

Vermont Continuation Compared With Federal COBRA

	Federal COBRA	Vermont continuation
Who it reaches	Employers with 20 or more employees	Group major medical and dental policies of any size
How long	18 months, up to 36 for some events	18 months for every qualifying event
Time to elect	60 days	60 days from receiving the notice
First payment	45 days after electing	With the election, covering the period from the qualifying event
What you pay	Up to 102 percent of the full premium	Up to 102 percent of the group rate
Dental	Included if you had it	Included

Your employer must give you notice of the right within 30 days of the qualifying event.

Electing and Paying

You elect in writing to the insurer, the policyholder, or the group's agent within 60 days of receiving the notice. The election must include the first contribution, covering the period from the qualifying event through the end of the month in which you elect.

After that, contributions are due monthly in advance, at no more than 102 percent of the group rate for the coverage being continued.

When It Ends or Is Not Available

Continuation is not available to anyone covered by Medicare, to anyone who lost their job due to misconduct as Vermont's unemployment law defines it, or to anyone who was not insured under the group policy on the date of the qualifying event.

It ends early if a contribution is not paid on time, if you become covered by Medicare, or if you join another group arrangement you were not already in. If the employer replaces the group policy with similar coverage, you can move to the replacement for the rest of your period.

How Much Does COBRA Cost in Vermont?

Federal COBRA lets a plan charge up to 102 percent of the full premium: everything your employer was paying, everything you were paying, plus two percent. Based on Vermont's average employer premium in 2025, that works out to about $850 a month for single coverage and $2,163 a month for family coverage. That is about $83 a month more than the U.S. average of $767 for single coverage.

	Single coverage	Family coverage
Average full annual premium in Vermont	$10,004	$25,450
Estimated COBRA cost per month (102%)	$850	$2,163

Estimate = average total employer premium in Vermont × 1.02 ÷ 12, from the federal Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2025). These are averages. Your exact premium depends on your former employer's plan and is listed on your COBRA election notice. If you are on state continuation instead of federal COBRA, the premium rules described on this page apply.

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Nearby states: New Hampshire · New York

Health Insurance After Job Loss in Vermont

Vermont expanded Medicaid, so adults under 65 with household income up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level may qualify. Federal law passed in 2025 adds work and community engagement requirements for expansion adults from January 2027.

A spouse or parent's plan. Losing your own coverage usually opens a window to join a family member's employer plan, and that window can be as short as 30 days. Ask early.

Common Questions

How much is COBRA insurance in Vermont?

About $850 a month for single coverage and $2,163 a month for family coverage, based on Vermont's 2025 average employer premium plus the 2 percent administrative fee federal COBRA allows. Your actual premium depends on your former employer's plan and appears on your COBRA election notice.

What are my health insurance options after losing my job in Vermont?

Vermont runs its own marketplace, Vermont Health Connect, rather than using HealthCare.gov. Losing job-based coverage opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period, and you can enrol up to 60 days before coverage ends so a new plan starts as the old one stops. Vermont expanded Medicaid, so adults under 65 with household income up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level may qualify. Federal law passed in 2025 adds work and community engagement requirements for expansion adults from January 2027.

How long does Vermont continuation last?

18 months for every qualifying event.

Does it cover small employers only?

No. It covers group major medical and dental policies of any size.

How long do I have to elect?

60 days from receiving the notice, with the first contribution included.

How much does it cost?

Up to 102 percent of the group rate.

Why do the section numbers differ from other websites?

Vermont recodified these rules in 2025, moving them from Sections 4090a to 4090c to Sections 4047a to 4047c.

Sources

Drawn from the Vermont Statutes Online as published by the Vermont General Assembly, reflecting the 2025 recodification, and federal sources. Your plan documents and the terms your carrier provides govern your specific situation.

Vermont Statutes, 8 V.S.A. Section 4047a, Continuation of group
Vermont Statutes, 8 V.S.A. Section 4047b, Continuation; notice; terms
Vermont Statutes, 8 V.S.A. Section 4047c, Termination of coverage
U.S. Department of Labor, FAQs on COBRA Continuation Health Coverage for Workers
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Insurance Component, 2025

Sixty days, with payment

A licensed agent can confirm whether federal COBRA or Vermont continuation applies to you, work out the first payment, and price Vermont Health Connect plans alongside it. No charge, no obligation.