Under federal COBRA, the maximum continuation period for a covered employee who becomes entitled to Medicare and the family then loses coverage is:

Explanation

COBRA continuation maxima under 29 U.S.C. §1162 (ERISA §602) are: 18 months for the covered employee following voluntary or involuntary termination (or reduction in hours); 29 months if the qualified beneficiary is determined disabled by the SSA within 60 days of the qualifying event; and 36 months for SPOUSES AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN following the employee's Medicare entitlement, divorce/legal separation, or death of the employee, or for a dependent child losing dependent status. The covered employee himself doesn't need COBRA after Medicare entitlement (he has Medicare), but his family does, hence the 36-month period. The 18-month figure applies to the standard termination/reduction-of-hours scenario. The 29-month figure is the disability-extension period. And 60 months is not a COBRA period at all.