COBRA Qualifying Event Notice Checklist

This checklist from Mandated Health Benefits – The COBRA Guide is designed to help plan

sponsors and administrators ensure that their COBRA qualifying event notices include the specific

information required to comply with DOL’s COBRA notice regulations.

Description of Item Is it Addressed?

The name of the group health plan under which COBRA coverage is available;

and the name, address and telephone number of the party responsible under the

plan for the administration of COBRA continuation coverage benefits (that is,

such as a third-party administrator or insurance company representative).

Yes No

Comments:

Identification of the qualifying event which is generating the notice. Yes No

Comments:

Identification, by status or name, of the qualified beneficiaries who are

recognized by the plan as being entitled to elect COBRA coverage regarding the

qualifying event, and the date on which coverage under the plan will terminate

(or has terminated) unless COBRA coverage is elected.

Yes No

Comments:

A statement that:

each individual who is a qualified beneficiary regarding the qualifying

event has an independent right to elect COBRA coverage;

a covered employee or a qualified beneficiary who is the spouse of the

covered employee (or was the spouse of the covered employee on the day

before the qualifying event occurred) may elect COBRA coverage on

behalf of all other qualified beneficiaries regarding the qualifying event;

and

a parent or legal guardian may elect COBRA coverage on behalf of a

minor child.

Yes No

Comments:

An explanation of the plan’s procedures for electing COBRA coverage,

including an explanation of the time period during which the election must be

made, and the date by which the election must be made.

Yes No

Comments:

An explanation of:

the consequences of failing to elect or waiving COBRA coverage,

including an explanation that a qualified beneficiary’s decision whether

to elect COBRA coverage will affect the future rights of qualified

beneficiaries to HIPAA portability benefits, guaranteed access to

individual health coverage, and special enrollment rights under HIPAA,

with a reference to where a qualified beneficiary may obtain additional

information about these rights; and

the plan’s procedures for revoking a waiver of the right to COBRA

coverage before the date by which the election must be made.

Yes No

Comments:

A description of the COBRA coverage that will be made available under the

plan, if elected, including the date on which that coverage will commence. This

can be done either by providing a description of the coverage or by reference to

the plan’s SPD.

Yes No

Comments:

An explanation of:

the maximum period for which COBRA coverage will be available under

the plan, if elected;

the COBRA coverage termination date; and

any events that might cause COBRA coverage to be terminated earlier

than the end of the maximum period.

Yes No

Comments:

A description of the circumstances (if any) under which the maximum period of

COBRA coverage may be extended due either to the occurrence of a second

qualifying event or a Social Security disability determination event, and the

length of any such extension.

Yes No

Comments:

If COBRA coverage has a maximum duration of less than 36 months, a

description of the plan’s requirements regarding the responsibility of qualified

beneficiaries to provide notice of a second qualifying event and notice of a

Social Security Administration disability determination, along with a description

of the plan’s procedures for providing those notices, including the times within

which the notices must be provided and the consequences of failing to provide

the notices. The notice must also explain qualified beneficiaries’ responsibilities

to provide notice that a disabled qualified beneficiary has subsequently been

determined to no longer be disabled.

Yes No

Comments:

A description of the amount, if any, that each qualified beneficiary will be

required to pay for COBRA coverage.

Yes No

Comments:

A description of:

the due dates for payments;

the qualified beneficiaries’ right to pay on a monthly basis;

the grace periods for payment;

the address to which payments should be sent; and

the consequences of delayed payment and non-payment.

Yes No

Comments:

An explanation of the importance of keeping the administrator informed of the

current addresses of all participants or beneficiaries under the plan who are or

may become qualified beneficiaries.

Yes No

Comments:

A summary of the 72.5-percent health coverage tax credit created by the Trade

Act of 2002 that may be applicable to participants who could be eligible for trade

adjustment assistance or because they may be receiving payments from the

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC-eligibles). [This explanation is

not required in the DOL model notices but should be considered if the plan

administrator believes employees might be affected.]

Yes No

Comments:

A statement that the notice does not fully describe COBRA coverage or other

rights under the plan, and that more complete information regarding such rights

is available in the plan’s SPD or from the plan administrator.

Yes No

Comments: