On May 4, 2020, the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service jointly provided updates to the notification and elections deadlines set forth in the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) intended to protect the participants and beneficiaries in employee benefit plans during the National Emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The final rule, effective immediately, includes the following:

New “Outbreak Period” defined: The final rule defines a new “Outbreak Period” as the period from March 1, 2020 until 60 days after the end of the declared National Emergency. Note that the Trump Administration has not yet specified the end date of the National Emergency. Thus, we do not yet know when the Outbreak Period will end.

COBRA elections period extended: Normally, after a qualifying event (i.e. employment termination, reduction in hours, or other loss of coverage), employees have 60 days after receipt of a COBRA Election Notice to elect COBRA coverage. Under the new rule, employees will have until 60 days after the end of the Outbreak Period to elect COBRA coverage and return the form to the employer. Again, since we do not know the end of the Outbreak Period, we do not know when the 60-day extension ends.

Deadline to pay COBRA premiums extended: Normally, employees have a grace period of 45 days after making their COBRA election for their initial COBRA premium payment and a grace period of 30 days each month to pay their COBRA premiums for each subsequent month of COBRA coverage. Under the new rule, employees will have 45 days following their COBRA election, which is extended as noted above. Furthermore, for any COBRA premiums due during the Outbreak Period, employees will have 30 days following the end of the Outbreak Period to make catch-up payments (i.e. payments for at least March, April and May). Again, since we do not know the end of the Outbreak Period, we do not know when the 30-day extension ends.

For COBRA notices that have been sent out since March 2020, employers should communicate the new extended deadlines to all recipients. This can be done by a simple letter to the address of record for each employee. Employers should also consider supplementing or modifying COBRA notices provided to employees between May 4 and the end of the Outbreak Period to reflect the revised deadlines set forth in the new final rule.

Employers can download the updated forms in Word format on this page by clicking on the appropriate icons. The new language is highlighted in yellow and areas to be customized are highlighted in green. Employers will then need to insert information about their benefits plan/s, premium/s, COBRA deadlines, and COBRA administrator. Alternatively, the attorneys and HR professionals at Lake Effect HR & Law can help you tailor the forms for your organization. We can also assist and advise on overall COBRA administration.

The attorneys and HR professionals at Lake Effect HR & Law can help you draft the employee communication or update the COBRA forms for your organization. We recognize the administrative struggles this will present for your COBRA administrator and your health plan. Our team is also available to assist and advise on this COBRA administration.