During the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees and their families have lost group health plan coverage because of layoffs or reduced hours. If your business has had to take such steps, and it’s required to offer continuing health care coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), the recently passed American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) includes some critical provisions that you should be aware of.
COBRA requirements and coverage
COBRA generally requires that group health plans maintained by private-sector employers with 20 or more employees, or by state or local governments, offer workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to choose to continue group health benefits provided by their group health plan for limited periods of time under certain circumstances, such as voluntary or involuntary job loss, reduction in the hours worked, transition between jobs, death, divorce, and other life events. Qualified individuals may be required to pay the entire premium for coverage up to 102% of the cost to the plan.
100% subsidy
Under the ARPA, assistance-eligible individuals (AEIs) may receive a 100% subsidy for COBRA premiums during the period beginning April 1, 2021, and ending on September 30, 2021. This means the former employee will not pay anything towards their COBRA premium.
An AEI is a COBRA qualified beneficiary — in other words, an employee, former employee, covered spouse or covered dependent — who’s eligible for and elects COBRA coverage because of a qualifying event of involuntary termination of employment or reduction of hours. COBRA coverage for these qualifying events runs 18 months. Employees who voluntarily terminate employment are not AEIs. However, former employees who qualify as an AEI, had it been in effect at the time of their termination, and who currently have COBRA coverage in effect will qualify for the subsidy until the earlier of September 30, 2021 or the end of their period of coverage. For purposes of the law, the subsidy is available for AEIs for the period beginning April 1, 2021, and ending September 30, 2021. Employers will be able to claim a credit against their payroll taxes to be reimbursed for this subsidy.
Extended election period (retroactivity)
Previously terminated individuals without a COBRA election in effect on April 1, 2021, but who would be an AEI if they did, are eligible for the subsidy. Those who elected but discontinued COBRA coverage before April 1, 2021, are also eligible if they’d otherwise be an AEI and are still within their maximum period of coverage.
Individuals meeting these criteria may make a COBRA election during the period beginning on April 1, 2021, and ending 60 days after they’re provided required notification of the extended election period. Coverage elected during the extended period will commence with the first period of coverage beginning on or after April 1, 2021, and may not extend beyond the AEI’s original maximum period of coverage.
Duration of coverage
As explained, the subsidy is available for any period of coverage in effect between April 1, 2021, and September 30, 2021. However, eligibility may end earlier if the qualified beneficiary’s maximum period of coverage ends before September 30, 2021. Eligibility may also end if the qualified beneficiary becomes eligible for coverage under Medicare or another group health plan other than coverage consisting of only excepted benefits or coverage under a Health Flexible Spending Arrangement or Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement.
Other provisions
The ARPA’s COBRA provisions go beyond the subsidy. For example, they stipulate that group health plan sponsors may voluntarily allow AEIs to elect to enroll in different coverage under certain circumstances. In addition, group health plans must issue notices to AEIs regarding the:
- Availability of the subsidy and option to enroll in different coverage (if offered),
- Extended election period, and
- Expiration of the subsidy.
The U.S. Department of Labor is expected to issue model notices addressing all three points.
Further explanation
The COVID-19 crisis has emphasized the importance of health care coverage. Contact your benefits administrator for assistance in implementing these new provisions.