Bene-Care COBRA Administration / COBRA Solutions

Bene-Care is ready to assist you with understanding and implementing the new regulations.

Bene-Care works with you to stay abreast of ongoing changes to COBRA, ensuring that you are in compliance with Federal regulations. Bene-Care reduces the administrative burden placed upon employers by incorporating state-of-the-art system capabilities - along with 30 years of administrative expertise - to efficiently manage and simplify the COBRA administration process. Once you notify us of an individual’s COBRA eligibility, we:

• Coordinate the mailing of all communications and notifications, including the initial notification issued to COBRA eligibles
• Handle all premium invoicing and collection
• Coordinate open enrollment planning and fulfillment for participants
• Provide expert, individualized customer service to each participant
• Update you and eligible employees whenever plan changes occur

Recent Changes To Cobra

2009

February 17, 2009: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was enacted by the United States Congress. This law drastically changed COBRA benefits for employees who were involuntarily terminated.  Those who are considered as “Assistance Eligible Individuals” will be eligible for a 65% government subsidy, or discount, off their COBRA monthly premium. The COBRA participant will be responsible for paying the remaining 35% of their premium. 

Contact Bene-Care for more about the qualifications for “Assistance Eligible Individuals”

Click Here for a COBRA Subsidy Fact Sheet (provided by the US Department of Labor)

November 19, 2009: Total COBRA eligibility period extended from a maximum of 18 months to 36 months.  More on this can be found on the NY State website.

December 19, 2009: Senate passes Department of the Defenses Appropriations Act, extending the COBRA subsidy first enacted by the American Recovery and Reinvestment act.  This extends the subsidy qualification period an additional two months, to February 28, 2010.  The ARRA previously provided subsidy benefits for those terminated prior to December 31, 2009. 

This act also extends the maximum subsidy eligibility period from 9 months to 15 months.

2010

February 28, 2010: Last day (amended, see below) of potential subsidy eligibility for “Assistance Eligible Individuals.” 

March 2, 2010: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) is amended to include an additional month of COBRA subsidy eligibility for Assistance Eligible Individuals.  Anyone involuntarily terminated after 3/31/10 is not eligible for subsidy benefits provided by the ARRA.  More information on this can be found here.  

 

 

* Any information provided by this website may no longer be viable subsequent to its issuance. Any information it provides is developed at the time of its issuance based upon facts and circumstances known at that time.