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Health Insurance

Employers must keep health insurance in place for employees who are serving in the reserves for less than 31 days. Reservists pay the normal employee cost, if any, for this coverage.

Upon request, employers must provide continuation of health insurance to reservist employees serving longer than 30 days. This extended health coverage continues for 24 months after the person’s absence begins, until the date the person returns to work or until the deadline for applying for re-employment, whichever is sooner.

Reservist employees who elect continued coverage for 31 days or more may be required to pay up to 102 percent of the premium.

Reservists returning to civilian jobs after their service have the right to resume health care coverage immediately, with no waiting period or exclusions for pre-existing conditions, except for conditions determined by the secretary of veterans affairs to be service-connected.

The law’s health insurance provisions apply to employees and their covered dependents.