Agency Links
These agencies administer COBRA continuation coverage laws
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The Department of Labor, and the Treasury Department through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), have jurisdiction over private sector group health plans
- The Department of Labor also conducts expedited reviews of denials of premium assistance for private employers with 20 or more employees
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The Department of Health & Human Services, through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), administers the continuation coverage laws that affect state and local group health plans
- CMS, with the assistance of its contractor MAXIMUS Federal Services, conducts expedited reviews for public sector government employees and for private employers with fewer than 20 employees in states with "mini-COBRA" laws
For information about COBRA and the Premium Assistance Subsidy Programs administered by DOL, IRS, and CMS, go to:
- CMS COBRA Continuation of Coverage (www.cms.hhs.gov/COBRAContinuationofCov)
- DOL COBRA Continuation Coverage Assistance (www.dol.gov/ebsa/COBRA.html)
- IRS COBRA Health Insurance Continuation Premium Subsidy (http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204505,00.html)
Model Notice Information
The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act says that health plans must tell certain current and past members about the premium reduction. The Department of Labor has developed model notices for plans to use. You can view and access the full content of the model notices by visiting the Department of Labor (www.dol.gov/ebsa/COBRA.html) website.
Please note that the above-referenced website links may not yet reflect the most recent revisions to ARRA section 3001 extending the premium assistance subsidy.
