If you've had a claim denied or if your provider is telling you your coverage is inactive, Kept can help! This can be common when transitioning to COBRA, and it usually comes down to a lag in data processing rather than a true loss of coverage.

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Because COBRA is retroactive to your date of coverage loss, any gap you experience is almost always an administrative delay, not a lack of insurance. If your provider tells you that your coverage is inactive, work through this quick troubleshooting checklist to pinpoint the issue and get it resolved.

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Step 1: Have you made your first COBRA payment?

COBRA cannot be officially activated until your first premium payment is processed.

• Scenario: You have 45 days from the date you elect COBRA to make your first payment. If you haven't paid that initial premium yet, your insurance carrier won't reactivate your coverage.
• Action: Check your Kept login. Has the first payment been successfully processed? Remember, you must pay all premiums owed back to the day your employer-sponsored coverage ended, not just the current month.

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Step 2: Have you allowed enough time for carrier enrollment?

Even if you have elected COBRA and paid your premium, it can take time for insurance carriers to review your submission and update their systems.

• Scenario: After you pay your Kept, we send that data to your actual insurance carrier (like Blue Cross, Aetna, Cigna, etc.). It can take anywhere from 5 to 14 business days for the carrier’s system to update your status to "Active."
• Action: If you paid your premium within the last few days, your coverage is likely legally intact, but the update just hasn't been finalized on the insurance carrier's end. You'll need to give it more time for processing.

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Step 3: Have you checked your carrier’s member portal?

Don't rely solely on what the receptionist's computer says. Check the source directly.

• Scenario: Log into your health insurance carrier’s member portal (or call the member services number on the back of your insurance card). Look specifically for your Eligibility Status.
• Action if it shows Active: The provider may be running an old insurance ID, or typing in your details incorrectly. Ask them to re-verify using your exact member ID and group number.
• Action if it shows Inactive: Proceed to the immediate next steps below.

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Immediate Next Steps

If you have paid your premium, allowed enough time, and your carrier portal still says inactive, surface the issue to Kept.

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Step 1: Escalate to Kept

We're here to help!

1. Email cobra@kept.io to notify us that you're not reflecting active on the carrier portal
2. We'll review and troubleshoot on our end, as well as provide an ETA of when the issue will be resolved.

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Step 2 (if you have an urgent need): Pay out-of-pocket

If you are currently at the doctor's office or pharmacy and need immediate service, you can pay out of pocket to be reimbursed by the carrier later. Because COBRA is 100% retroactive to your coverage start date, you will not lose money for covered services once the paperwork catches up.

1. If you cannot get resolution immediately, you can choose to pay the provider's self-pay rate out-of-pocket.
2. Keep every single receipt and an itemized bill (superbill) from the provider.
3. Once your COBRA shows active in the system (usually a few days later), submit a reimbursement claim form to your insurance carrier to get your money back.

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Heads up!: When your COBRA is successfully processed, your Member ID number usually stays the same as it was when you were an active employee, but your Group Number might change. You may not always get a new ID card in the mail, so we recommend reviewing a digital ID card on your member portal before your next appointment.