The Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued new model notices for group health plan administrators to use to comply with COBRA notification requirements.
Although plan administrators are not required to use the updated model notices, the DOL generally considers their use—with the addition of appropriate plan information—to be good faith compliance with COBRA’s content requirements for:
The general notice of coverage continuation rights, which must
Updated Model COBRA Notices Available
be provided to each employee and spouse within 90 days of coverage.
The notice of a qualified beneficiary’s right to elect continued coverage, which must be provided within 14 days after receiving notice of a qualifying event.
The updated model notices aim to help qualified beneficiaries better understand the interactions between Medicare and COBRA. Additional details about Medicare and COBRA enrollment options are also included in the updated model notices.