Can you keep on COBRA for medical and elect only dental and vision coverage from new employer?

Question

Long story short, I am changing jobs and my new employer offers medical, dental, and vision. However, I've had a rough year and have finished paying all of my medical insurance's deductible and am close to the out-of-pocket maximum. After doing some math, I think going with COBRA instead of my new employer's medical insurance makes the most sense for me.

However, I'd still like to participate in dental and vision plans with my new employer. Is this a valid arrangement? That is, keeping COBRA for medical only and use my new employer's dental and vision.

Asking because I understand having COBRA medical and medical from the new employer is definitely not a valid arrangement as you can only have one.

Answer 1

I've worked for large and small companies across the US over the last 20 years. Every one of them has medical as a separate enrollment from all other benefits. Meaning, you can elect to have no medical coverage but elect to have dental and vision coverage.

At my current firm I hired someone who was on their prior firm's COBRA. Similar to you, they wanted to keep their COBRA medical until year end. This employee enrolled in all our other benefits. No issue

Answer 2

The answer to can you keep your current employer sponsored medical plan via COBRA and still participate in your new employer’s other benefits, probably. Bundling medical with other benefits is pretty unusual, as long as neither plan is bundled you can do this.

It’s important to remember when calculating the numbers, COBRA premiums are after tax dollars while contributions to an employer plan are generally pre-tax. So remember to gross up the COBRA costs to account for the taxes due.