In passing that Act, Congress declared that employers with 20 or more full time employees (or equivalent) who also provide their employees with health insurance must continue to provide the insurance
at the group rate to an employee or their spouse or dependents (all are «qualified beneficiaries») when one of six «qualifying events»
occurs (termination of employment, reduction in hours [disqualifying from insurance
eligibility], death of the employee, separation / divorce of employee and spouse, dependent child who loses dependency through
age (19 or 23 is still a student) or marriage (becomes someone else's problem).