COBRA allows eligible individuals to continue employer-provided group health coverage for a specified period due to certain qualifying events, such as job loss. In February 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was enacted and provided a temporary 65% COBRA (or similar state continuation coverage) premium subsidy for eligible individuals. In December 2009, President Obama signed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act (2010 DOD Act or DDAA), which also amended ARRA.

The law extends the eligibility period, includes a retroactive subsidy extension, and imposes new notice requirements. The notice requirements are necessary so that all eligible employees know and understand the options that are available to them under the 2010 DOD Act. You can also get tax credits for individuals who may not have been previously eligible.

To learn more and get a list of action items that you can use right now, be sure to read the featured article by the HR pros at MyHRSupportCenter, COBRA-ARRA Subsidy Extension and New Requirements. If you’re not yet signed up or would like a free trial of MyHRSupportCenter, contact Vision Payroll today.