What must a group health insurance policy provide when a group member becomes unemployed?

The correct answer indicates that a group health insurance policy must provide coverage continuation for a specified period when a group member becomes unemployed. In Connecticut, under certain circumstances, group health insurance policies are required to offer continuation coverage, allowing individuals to maintain their health insurance benefits even after losing their job.

This provision ensures that individuals who find themselves unemployed do not immediately lose their health care coverage, which can be critical as they transition to new employment or explore other options. The specific duration of 156 weeks represents an effort to provide a level of security and access to medical services during a potentially challenging time.

Other options do not adhere to the typical regulations around group health insurance policies. Immediate termination of coverage would leave individuals without necessary care at a crucial moment. While reduction of benefits could occur under certain circumstances, it is not standard and is not explicitly mandated as a continuation option. Conversion to an individual policy is a provision available in many cases, but it does not necessarily apply in this context as the first option for an unemployed individual, especially when continuation coverage is available.