Understanding Initial Event Status and Secondary Events

When a secondary event is processed, the system reviews the initial event to determine whether its event status is Closed to Processing (indicating that the participant has made an election or waived COBRA coverage). If the initial event is not closed, the secondary event's status becomes Qualified Pending. The secondary event needs to be reprocessed after the initial event is closed.

This can happen if dependents are covered under an employee's coverage instead of electing independent coverage.

For example, suppose that an employee and her dependents become qualified beneficiaries after she terminates her employment. She enrolls in family coverage for plan types 10 and 11—covering herself, her spouse, and her daughter—and waives plan type 14. As a result, the terminated employee's record is Closed to Processing. But the dependents' records remain Open for Processing because they have not independently elected or waived coverage.

To close an initial event and reprocess a secondary event:

1. A secondary event, such as a divorce or dependent marriage, occurs.

   The HR system processes the personnel action.

   The COBRA process evaluates the secondary event and returns a status of Qualified Pending.

2. Determine whether the initial event is still Open for Processing because the dependent records were not waived or enrolled.

3. Waive or elect options for the dependents and run the COBRA process to close the initial event.

4. Use the Update Event Status page to reprocess the secondary event by changing the reprocess status for the secondary event to Qualify Event.

   After you run the COBRA process again, the secondary event should be set to Qualified.