COBRA

The Risk of Employers Making Plan Benefit Exceptions

The Risk of Employers Making Benefit Plan Exceptions Employers occasionally run into scenarios for which they consider making benefit exceptions. For example, waiving waiting periods, permitting mid-y...

Webinar Replay: COBRA and Medicare

COBRA and Medicare As many employees now remain in the workforce beyond age 65, a better understanding of how Medicare interacts with employer-sponsored benefits is required. This webinar will take a ...

Webinar Replay: Hurricane Relief - Extended Benefit Timelines

Hurricane Relief - Extended Benefit Timelines Following the hurricanes and tropical storms that affected much of the southeast, the agencies have extended ERISA, HIPAA and COBRA time frames for affect...

Employer COBRA Subsidies

Employer COBRA Subsidies Date Issued: April 2024 Background Employers may want to provide an employee with a COBRA subsidy for any number of reasons, whether it is to help meet their own affo...

Amwins Connect - April 2024 Question of the Month

Amwins Connect – April 2024 Question of the Month Question An employer has offered, or wants to offer, to subsidize part or all of a qualified beneficiary’s COBRA premiums. Is that subsidy taxab...

Refresher - Determining COBRA Premiums for HRA Plans

Determining the COBRA Premium for an HRA March 2024 Setting the correct COBRA premium for a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) can be challenging. COBRA defines “applicable premium” as the ...

Events Permitting Election Changes Mid-Plan Year

Events Permitting Election Changes Mid-Plan Year The Plan may be drafted to permit an individual to change an election mid-year based on a permitted event. Alternatively, a plan sponsor may design ...

Amwins Connect - September Question of the Month

Amwins Connect - September Question of the Month Changing COBRA Rates During Determination Period Question: Due to an administrative oversight, an employer failed to adjust its COBRA rates fo...

Compliance Issues for A Short Plan Year

Compliance Issues for Short Plan Years When there is a need to discontinue benefit offerings, or a need to adjust the benefit plan year, employers may need to run a short plan year. Short plan year...

Refresher on Those Events Permitting Election Changes Mid-Plan Year

Refresher on Those Events Permitting Election Changes Mid-Plan Year July 2023 The Group Health Plan may be drafted to permit an individual to change an election mid-year based on a permitted eve...

Question: Is An Employer Subsidy for COBRA Premiums Taxable to the Qualified Beneficiary?

Question: Is an employer subsidy for COBRA premiums taxable to the qualified beneficiary? February 27, 2023 An employer has offered, or wants to offer, to subsidize part or all of a qualified be...

Outbreak Period - Guidance on Extended Timeframes for COBRA Elections and Payments

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2021-58, which further clarifies how to apply the extended deadlines for COBRA elections and COBRA premium payments during the Outbreak Period (i.e.,...