When Is My Payment Due? And the answer is…it depends. “When is my payment due” is one of the top questions COBRA members ask our support team.
Author Archive | Shelley Holp
Document, Document, Document
COBRA compliance isn’t about what you did; it’s about what you can prove you did. If a lawsuit is ever brought against your company, the only way to keep from paying penalties and fines is having documented proof of what occurred.
What is the Cobra Disability Extension?
The purpose of the disability extension is to act as a bridge to allow disabled individuals to remain on Cobra until they become entitled to Medicare. Individuals who have been deemed disabled by the Social Security Administration can extend their coverage for an additional 11 months for a total of 29 months of coverage.
“What’s in a name?”
It goes by several different names: Specific Rights Notice, Qualifying Event Notice, Election Notice, COBRA Offering Packet and more. Regardless of which name you use, the rules and regulations are the same, and the fines for not following those rules are costly.
The Overlooked COBRA Notice
Did you know that one of the most important COBRA notices is the “General Rights Notice” or what is referred to as the “Initial Rights Notice”? Properly providing this notice is frequently overlooked by employers or the method of delivery does not meet COBRA compliance regulations.
Yikes…did you forget the spouse??
Forgetting a spouse is never a good thing but when it comes to COBRA compliance, it can have legal ramifications. Considering the legal ramifications and that it’s one of the most common COBRA compliance errors made by employers, we figured it was a worthwhile topic.
“Oops…” Better Call Your Attorney
COBRA is complicated and “oops” situations happen. But don’t let it happen to you! Work with an administrator that specializes in COBRA to ensure you remain in compliance with all the nuances of COBRA law.
FSA, COBRA and Rollover: It’s Complicated
The inner workings of how FSAs and COBRA interact create complications that require detailed clarification. One such topic is how FSA rollovers impact COBRA premiums. If it seems confusing, don’t feel bad. It’s a confusing topic for even the most seasoned HR professional.
FSAs and HRAs Don’t Count for COBRA, Right?
To avoid incurring fines and penalties and remain in compliance, the Department of Labor states that COBRA should be offered to any benefit defined as a group health plan. By definition this includes all HRAs and FSAs.
What is a “COBRA” Eligible Plan Anyway…
What is a “COBRA” Eligible Plan Anyway… Typically, when you think of plans eligible for COBRA continuation, you think of medical, dental and vision plans. While these are the most common they are not the only plans that are COBRA eligible. COBRA rules state that if a plan is legally defined as a group health plan, […]