All Illinois group health insurance plans that are renewed or amended after June 18, 2009 are subject to the new Illinois state law governing state coverage continuation.

The new law:

• Extends the length of state continuation coverage from 9 months to 12 months. This is a permanent change in Illinois state continuation law.
• Provides a new special enrollment opportunity for electing state continuation coverage and applying for premium assistance subsidized by the federal government under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
• Entitles an individual participant to an additional 3 months of coverage at their full cost, regardless of the date they first elected coverage, if they are currently on subsidized state continuation and the group’s plan is renewed or amended after June 18, 2009.