COBRA

Congress Considering New Bills to Extend COBRA Subsidy

Bills have recently been introduced in Washington to extend the COBRA subsidy provisions originally provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Read more

COBRA Subsidy Web Page Updated

The U.S. Dept. Read more

COBRA Enrollment Doubles After Subsidy

Continuation of medical coverage enrollments under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act have doubled since the enactment of subsidized payments for involuntarily terminated employees, according to a recent Hewitt analysis.

COBRA enrollment activity for 200 large U Read more

IRS Adds to COBRA Subsidy Q&A

The Internal Revenue Service has added to its question and answer page on the COBRA subsidy requirements under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Under the Q&A for Administration and Eligibility, the IRS answers questions such as: how acceptable is an employer’s determination that there was an involunt Read more

IRS Issues COBRA Subsidy FAQ Update

New questions and answers on the implementation of the subsidized medical premiums for involuntarily terminated employees have been added to the Internal Revenue Service’s COBRA: Answers for Employers webpage.

The new questions include how the reimbursement for the COBRA premium subsidy claimed if there are no payroll Read more

Employers Cannot Prematurely Claim COBRA Tax Credit, CCH Reports

Employers cannot claim the new medical premium assistance tax credit under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act until they receive the 35 percent payment from the former employee, CCH reports, citing Treasury Department and IRS officials who spoke during an April 6 webcast.

According to CCH, the officials also said being called up to military duty may be an involuntary termina Read more

HMSA COBRA Subsidy Policy Posted Online

Hawaii Medical Service Association has posted a special webpage outlining its policy on the premium reductions under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act for “assistance eligible individuals” and employer group health plans with HMSA.

( Categories : COBRA )

Spencer’s Benefits Reports Asking Employers to Participate in COBRA Survey

Spencer's Benefits Reports, a publication of Wolters Kluwer Law & Business (CCH), is asking for employer participation in its 2009 COBRA Continuation of Coverage survey.

This year's survey, which has a total of 23 questions, requests information concerning the costs, administrative procedures, and problems associated Read more

IRS Issues New Q&A on COBRA Subsidy

The Internal Revenue Service has issued its guidance on implementing the medical premium subsidy under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act for involuntarily terminated employees. Read more

COBRA Subsidy Extended to Involuntary Terminations Up To March 31

Healthcare Coverage Legislation to extend the eligibility for subsidized COBRA to employees who are involuntarily terminated up to March 31, 2010, was signed by President Obama on March 2. Read more

IRS Should Examine COBRA Subsidies, GAO Recommends

Audit The Internal Revenue Service should conduct a compliance initiative project to determine if employers are claiming individual COBRA subsidies for longer than 15 months, and if individuals are properly receiving COBRA, the General Accounting Office says.
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President Signs COBRA Extension

President Obama has signed into law an extension of the COBRA premium subsidy for involuntarily terminated employees. The eligibility period for the COBRA subsidy is extended an additional two months (through Feb. 28, 2010) and the maximum period for receiving the subsidy for an additional six months (from nine to 15 months). Read more

DOL Issues Updated COBRA Subsidy Expedited Appeal Notice

The U.S. Dept. of Labor has posted an updated Application for Expedited Review of Denial of COBRA Premium Reduction under the recent amendments to ARRA. Read more