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Compliance Briefing Center

COBRA

Making it Easier for You
to Manage Benefits

ARRA Extension Update: Participant Notices

WageWorks is in the final stage of generating the required ARRA-extension notices to the COBRA participants providing an update of their rights to retroactively extended ARRA benefits. 

We expect mailings to be completed the week of February 1st, well in advance of the deadline date of February 17th, 2010.

The grid below provides you with the criteria that will determine which notice each COBRA participant will receive. You may view copies of the participant communications on the WageWorks® Compliance page at http://WageWorks.com/Compliance/.

ARRA Extension  – Participant Notification Process
Currently Active COBRA & ARRA Participants

  • Advises participants of the extension of the ARRA subsidy and their accounts being automatically updated for the full 15 months.

Currently Active COBRA & Past ARRA Participants

  • Advises participants of the extension of the ARRA subsidy and informs them that they will be automatically re-enrolled in the ARRA subsidy program and any payments made while off the ARRA subsidy (full premiums) will be credited to their accounts based on the ARRA subsidy percentage.

Former COBRA and ARRA Participants 
All Reasons

  • Advises former participants who have exhausted the ARRA subsidy of the extension of the subsidy and their ability to re-enroll into COBRA and the ARRA subsidy.

Qualifying Events since 11/1/09 
Re-Notification Only

  • Advises existing participants of the extension of the ARRA subsidy and provides their updated COBRA Qualifying Event packet information with ARRA information.  Only an ARRA subsidy Enrollment Form is included with the communication, as these participants would already be currently active on COBRA.

Qualifying Events since 11/1/09 
Enrollment Only

  • Advises COBRA participants who may not have initially taken advantage of the ARRA subsidy and provides them with their updated COBRA Qualifying Event packet information as it relates to the ARRA subsidy.    Included are both a COBRA Enrollment Form and an ARRA subsidy Enrollment Form.

If you have questions about the ARRA subsidy extensions or your COBRA program, please do not hesitate to contact your Client Services account manager.

WageWorks will continue to provide updates to keep you informed as legislative changes occur.

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