District of Columbia program
Keeping the work plan for three months after the job ends
District continuation can keep eligible work coverage for a short time after it would end.
What it is
District continuation can keep eligible work coverage for a short time after it would end.
District continuation can bridge a coverage gap when federal continuation does not apply. You pay the full group premium plus the allowed charge. The short duration makes the next coverage start date important.
Eligibility rules
- Not terminated for gross misconduct and not eligible for the federal continuation extension. Federal employee health plans are excluded from the definition.
- District of Columbia group coverage.
What you get
- Up to 3 months of the same group coverage for eligible employees and covered dependents.
If you decide to apply
- Ask human resources for the District continuation notice, monthly cost and coverage end date.
- Ask a benefits counselor to compare the bridge cost with Medicaid and DC Health Link options.
Your employer and its insurer · Official page ↗
Notice and exclusions
- The employer must send its continuation notice within 15 days after coverage ends. Covered dependents receive the same continuation right.
- The District route excludes termination for gross misconduct, people eligible for federal continuation and federal employee health plans.
Good to know
Payment is due within 45 days after coverage would end. This is temporary coverage at the full price.
“If our work plan ends, would three months of District continuation help us avoid a treatment gap? Could you help us compare its premium and deadline with other coverage?”
Why I’m asking: I want to compare the cost of keeping the same plan briefly with other coverage options.
More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules
Who does what
The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.
You
Ask for the notice, pay inside 45 days, and start the next application straight away.
Your social worker
The employer must send the notice within 15 days of coverage ending.
The care team
Records and letters when the application asks for them.
- Who decides
- Your employer and its insurer.
- Ask HR
- “I am electing District continuation coverage. Please send the notice and tell me the monthly amount and the date it is due.”
How to apply
First step: Ask human resources for the continuation notice and the monthly cost today.
- Ask human resources for the continuation notice and the monthly cost.
- Diary 45 days from the end date.
- Apply for Medicaid or a marketplace plan in the same week: three months is short.
Official application / program page ↗
Where it starts: Ask human resources for the continuation notice, and pay within 45 days of the end date.
What to gather
The diagnosis letter, the child’s insurance card, and the last two pay stubs cover most applications. The official page lists the rest.
How long: Notice within 15 days of the end; you have 45 days from the end date to pay.
Clock: Forty-five days after the coverage would end to pay the employer for continued coverage.
What a yes looks like
The same plan carrying on for three months while you arrange what comes next.
What a no looks like, and the next move
Ask whether the federal continuation law applies instead, and go to DC Health Link inside your sixty days.
Watch out
- Three months only. Start the next application in the same week.
- You pay the whole premium plus a small charge.
- Federal employee plans are excluded from this law.
The numbers and the rules
The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 11, 2026.
What it is worth
Three months of the same coverage at up to 102% of the group rate, with 45 days to pay.
- $3 — Months of continued coverage
- $102 — Maximum price, as a share of the group rate
- $45 — Days to pay the employer after coverage would end
- $15 — Days for the employer to send the notice
Covers: The same plan the family already has
Legal protection: Covered dependents have the same right as the employee
What it costs the family: Up to 102% of the full group rate, which is the whole premium plus a small charge.
The eligibility facts, as published
- Other
- Not terminated for gross misconduct and not eligible for the federal continuation extension. Federal employee health plans are excluded from the definition.
- Residency
- District of Columbia group coverage
The trap: Three months is short. Start the Medicaid or marketplace application in the same week, not at the end of it.
Where I read this
- D.C. Code § 32-732 — Continuation of coverage — Council of the District of Columbia, read September 10, 2026
- D.C. Code § 32-731 — Definitions — Council of the District of Columbia, read September 10, 2026