A terminated employee must have been covered for how many months under a group health insurance policy prior to termination to be eligible for continuation of coverage?

To be eligible for continuation of coverage under a group health insurance policy in North Carolina, a terminated employee must have been covered for at least three months prior to their termination. This requirement ensures that employees have a sufficient duration of coverage before they qualify for continuation options, which are established to help transition them to alternate health insurance solutions without significant gaps in coverage. This provision helps protect employees from experiencing an interruption in their healthcare benefits as they move from employment to unemployment or to new employment. Therefore, three months is the standard period required for eligibility for continuation of coverage.