COBRA Notice Requirements
Notice:
General Notice
Requirement:
A group health plan must notify a covered employee and spouse of their COBRA rights. Mailing the notice by first-class mail to the employees' and spouses' last known address is considered to be good faith compliance. A singe notice addressed to the employee and spouse is sufficient if the spouse's last known address is the same as the employee's. Otherwise, separate notices to each are required.
Deadline:
When coverage first begins under the plan.
Notice:
Employer Notice of Qualifying Event
Requirement:
An employer must notify the plan administrator of the following qualifying events:
Covered employee's termination of employment or reduction in hours
Covered employee's death
Covered employee's entitlement to Medicare under Title XVII of the Social Security Act
Employer's commencement of a Title 11 Bankruptcy proceeding that causes a covered retiree or covered spouse or child of a retiree to lost substantial coverage within one year before or after the filing
Deadline:
Within 30 days of the event.
Notice:
Qualified beneficiary Notice of Qualifying Event
Requirement:
A covered employee or qualified beneficiary must notify a plan administrator of the following qualifying events:
Covered employee's divorce or legal separation from the spouse
Child's loss of dependent status under the plan's provisions
Deadline:
Within 60 days after the date of the qualifying event
Notice:
Specific Notice
Requirement:
A plan administrator must notify a qualified beneficiary of his or her COBRA rights in connection with a qualifying event. A notice to a spouse is considered sufficient to notify all dependent children residing with the spouse.
Deadline:
Within 14 days of receiving a notice of a qualifying event.
Notice:
Notice of Disability
Requirement:
To obtain the disability extension in the maximum coverage period from 18 to 29 months, a qualified beneficiary must notify the plan administrator of Social Security's disability determination.
Deadline:
Within 60 days of Social Security determination
Notice:
Notice Qualified Beneficiary No Longer Disabled
Requirement:
A qualified beneficiary must notify a plan administrator of Social Security's final determination that a beneficiary is no longer disabled.
Deadline:
Within 30 days of Social Security Determination
