Insights
Client Alert
New COBRA Subsidy Requires Prompt Action by Employers and Plan Administrators
February 19, 2009
Eric Keller and Ethan Lipsig
The stimulus legislation, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the Act), signed by President Obama on Tuesday creates a taxpayer-funded COBRA subsidy that imposes new notice, election and reporting requirements that require prompt action by employers and plan administrators. Employers that charge at least a portion of the COBRA premium virtually all employers who provide COBRA coverage -- do not have the option of offering COBRA without the subsidy. Consequently, virtually every employer that provides COBRA health coverage will have to take steps to implement the Acts COBRA subsidy provisions.
