COBRA Administration Error: Include Alternative Coverage causes COBRA "Qualify Error" (Doc ID 637350.1)

Last updated on AUGUST 23, 2023

Applies to:

Symptoms

If the COBRA Event Rules setup has "Include Alternative Coverage" checked on, and if the cobra period begin i.e On Event Date does not match the Event rules setup in Benefits administration i.e On event date, the event goes to "Qualify Error". 

The business rules require the flexibility to allow some employees in different plans to have flexibility in coverage ends.  For example, plan A allows coverage to end at the end of the month where plan B has to end on the Event date.  With only one COBRA event rule setup and two Ben Admin event rules, this does not work for both situations. 

Qualify error would also show an error 000385:
The coverage begin date calculated for this plan, for this event, precedes the COBRA Period Begin Date. The COBRA Process requires that the Coverage begin date be on or after the COBRA Period Begin Date, since COBRA Period defines the "window" of available coverage.  The problem is most often due to an Event Rule that is set to "Include Alternative Coverage" but the Coverage End Date of the employee's current coverage does not reflect a grace period.

Cause

My Oracle Support provides customers with access to over a million knowledge articles and a vibrant support community of peers and Oracle experts.