Tag: COBRA

Back to Normal: Ending COVID-19 Tolling of COBRA Deadlines

Getting “back to normal” as the COVID-19 pandemic has eased has not been simple for anyone. In terms of plan administration, the continued tolling of employee benefit plan deadlines, including those related to continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), has kept plan administrators firmly planted in a “COVID-19 world,” even as […]

Managing Alternative Coverage and COBRA Coverage in Uncertain Economic Times

We’ve all heard about the “Great Resignation” triggered by the post-COVID environment. Workers are deciding to voluntarily exit the workplace in search of other options. Separately, we have seen the news about a possible economic recession in the near future that could prompt employers to consider “reductions in force” (RIFs). Given the economic turbulence and […]

Managing Expectations When Administering COBRA Open Enrollment Periods

It is that time of year again—time to plan for and implement annual open enrollment processes. At least it is that time for the typical group health plans that operate on a calendar-year basis. For most plans, this means it is time to reprint plan-related material such as enrollment forms (electronic or otherwise), summary plan […]

Former Employees Can’t Sue Employers Under Utah’s Mini-COBRA Statute

In Greek mythology, Panacea was the goddess of universal remedy. She supposedly had a potion of herbs to cure almost any ailment. From the fabled goddess, the English language has adopted the word “panacea” to mean a cure-all or solution to all problems. Often, filing a lawsuit is seen as the way to get all […]

American Rescue Plan Offers Free COBRA Coverage, But it’s Very Complicated

When President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), one of the effects was to make COBRA continuation coverage free for certain qualifying individuals and their families from April 1 to September 30, 2021. The free coverage is available to those who lose group health plan coverage because either (1) they […]

Transportation Authority Immune from COBRA Claims Under PHSA, Court Finds

Technically, continuation coverage rules under the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) apply to employees of state and local governments. Often, however, the problem is one of enforcement. It is not always easy to prevail in a case alleging continuation coverage violations against a state or local government. One of those reasons could be “sovereign immunity”—a […]

Employee’s COBRA Rights Forfeited Due to Employer’s Plan Termination

COBRA’s protection only arises upon the occurrence of a “qualifying event.” In other words, COBRA is triggered any time an employee or a dependent loses group health plan coverage. For COBRA to apply, there must be a loss of coverage caused by one of the specific statutory events: termination or reduction in hours of employment, […]

UPDATED: COVID-19 Map and Resources for HR Professionals

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is top of mind for HR professionals and employers nationwide. Our latest interactive map of COVID-19 cases has been adjusted to reflect the rise in cases in the United States. Read on to view our updated color-coded map, a list of resources, plus an animation showing how our map has developed […]

Information Overload: Employee Communications in Crisis

Let’s face it: We’re all on information overload. The amount of content we are consuming on a minute-by-minute basis in the blurred lines between our personal and professional lives has exploded in this digital economy.