(a) Any employer, employee association, or other entity otherwise providing hospital, surgical, or major medical benefits to its employees or members is solely responsible for notification of its employees or members of the conversion coverage made available pursuant to Part 6.1 (commencing with Section 12670) of Division 2 of the Insurance Code or Section 1373.6 of the Health and Safety Code.

(b) Any employer, employee association, or other entity, whether private or public, that provides hospital, medical, or surgical expense coverage that a former employee may continue under Section 4980B of Title 26 of the United States Code, Section 1161 et seq. of Title 29 of the United States Code, or Section 300bb of Title 42 of the United States Code, as added by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-272), and as may be later amended (hereafter “COBRA”), shall, in conjunction with the notification required by COBRA that COBRA continuation coverage will cease and conversion coverage is available, and as a part of the notification required by subdivision (a), also notify the former employee, spouse, or former spouse of the availability of the continuation coverage under Section 1373.621 of the Health and Safety Code, and Sections 10116.5 and 11512.03 of the Insurance Code.

(c) On or after July 1, 2006, notification provided to employees, members, former employees, spouses, or former spouses under subdivisions (a) and (b) shall also include the following notification:

“Please examine your options carefully before declining this coverage. You should be aware that companies selling individual health insurance typically require a review of your medical history that could result in a higher premium or you could be denied coverage entirely.”

(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 526, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 2006.)