The Requirements of COBRA Notifications
Required COBRA Notifications
The Department of Labor (DOL) requires certain notifications be sent to employees and their families in order to inform them of their rights under COBRA. The two most important notices are the General Rights Notice (Initial Rights Notice) and the Specific Rights Notice (Election Notice). The General Rights Notice communicates to plan participants their COBRA rights and general obligations. The Specific Rights Notice gives qualified beneficiaries information regarding their rights and obligations with reference to a specific qualifying event. This notice also explains the cost if they choose to continue coverage.
Other required COBRA notices include:
- Notice of Unavailability of COBRA Coverage
- Notice of Termination of COBRA Coverage
- Qualifying Event Notice to Plan Administrator
- Notice of COBRA Premiums Short by Insignificant Amount
- Open Enrollment Materials
- Individual Conversion Policy Notices (if the plan offers individual conversion)
- HIPAA Certificates of Creditable Coverage
- Notice of Change in COBRA Premiums
Required COBRA Timelines
Each notification must be sent to the employee or qualified beneficiary within a specific amount of time. If an organization does not notify the employee or qualified beneficiary within the allowed time-frame, they will fall out of compliance. This can cause the organization to face penalties and fees until they become compliant again.
The qualified beneficiary also has a specific time in which they must respond to the notices. If they do not notify the administrator in a timely manner or fail to comply with the timeline outlined in the notices, continuation rights may be lost.
Our COBRA services adhere to all COBRA Guidelines and will make sure your organization stays compliant with COBRA. We stay updated on all the new COBRA regulations and will make any necessary changes to keep you compliant.
