Breaking News!

June 4, 2009

IRS Posts Q&As on COBRA Premium Subsidy Issues. The IRS added Q&As to the following categories:

• Administration and eligibility
• Form preparation
• Reporting and documentation

No Q&As were added to the taxability and recapture section.

More information can be found by clicking here.

May 21, 2009

New Application for Review of Premium Reduction Denials Introduced by the Department of Labor (DoL)

As you're aware, ARRA allows qualified beneficiaries to request a review of their termination status. Until now, there was no formal process for such reviews. Please click here for more details.

As always, you may visit www.ecobra.com for continued developments pertaining to ARRA.

ARRA Status (as of 04/16/2009)

Status:

• ARRA re-notification packets were mailed out last week beginning 04/06/09. We will continue to process ARRA re-notification packets as data is received.
• Next month (05/10/09) we will post an additional “ARRA Notification Report” per the mass mailing on 04/06/09.
• Next month (05/10/09) we will include an additional column to our existing Active Report. The additional column will inform you whether someone has been verified as an AEI (Assistance Eligible Individual) under premium reduction.
• We are continuing to work on the stimulus reduction reporting on behalf of our clients. By second quarter, we hope to have an online “Stimulus Premium Report” available to assist you with 941 Tax Reporting. Until this report is made available online, you may request Stimulus Premium Reports manually by emailing our office at cobra@eflexgroup.com. Please note participants are in the beginning stages of ARRA verification. Due to volume, we ask you only initiate this request if you are filing the 941 Form weekly or monthly. We will provide additional online tools as soon as they are available to assist you with Premium Reporting process.

Please visit this page for further updates. Using our Web service will help minimize telephone calls and allow our eCOBRA team to focus on completing the mailings.

DOL Releases COBRA Model Notices

COBRA Information

ARRA COBRA Seminars:

• http://benefitblog.com/

General stimulus information:

• http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/COBRA.html

IRS Releases New ARRA COBRA Q&A:

• http://www.ecobradmin.com/news/ARRA_Notice.php

ARRA 2009 Compliance Assistance Webcast:

• https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration

Fact Sheet: COBRA Premium Reduction:

• http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/newsroom/fsCOBRApremiumreduction.html

FAQs regarding stimulus:

• http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq-cobra-premiumreductionEE.html

Additional FAQs regarding stimulus:

• http://waysandmeans.house.gov/media/pdf/111/cobra.pdf

FAQs about COBRA continuation coverage (without stimulus):

• http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_cobra.html

For Employers: IRS 2009 Form 941

• http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f941.pdf

For Employers: IRS Instructions Form 941

• http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i941.pdf

For Employers: IRS Form 941 FAQs

• http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204708,00.html

Contact Us Today!

For more information about making the move to eCOBRA please contact our sales by email, phone 1-877-933-3539, ext. 300, or visit our Online Live Support.