Severance w/ Aetna continuation via Cobra + new job’s Aetna – can I do both?

I was laid off and as part of severance receive several months of my existing Aetna health insurance premium fully paid by my previous employer – through end of Jan 2025. I am now in a new job, and that employer also uses Aetna.

My questions:

1) can I have both plans active?

2) since previous employer is paying all premiums through end of Jan, 2025 I am most likely to decline insurance at new company, but sign up as part of 2025 enrollment starting Jan 1 2025. Is anyone familiar with how typical severance agreements work in this case? What I'm wondering is if the fact that I now have access to new insurance would be something that would make my previous employer (or Aetna, since both new and old coverage are through Aetna) stop my severance insurance coverage.

I am asking because I'd hate to not enroll at my new company (which I must do by next week as a new hire) and then have my severance insurance coverage cancelled due to the fact I can now be covered under another employers plan.

submitted by /u/a10b11c12
[comments]