We’ve all heard of ROI, but are you familiar with the new acronym – ROO? It stands for “Return on Outsourcing.” It may not be on your business radar, but it should be. Faced with fierce competition and a fickle economy, many companies are honing efficiencies to gain a competitive edge. In many cases, that means focusing on your strengths and outsourcing your weaknesses … and outsourcing COBRA administration.
The COBRA Blog
COBRA Administration Outsourcing: Achieve Return on COBRA Investment
Don’t make THIS COBRA administration mistake during open enrollment!
Every year, a large percentage of employers make a serious mistake when they change health plans. It’s not an intentional mistake – in fact, employers often don’t even realize what they’re doing until it’s too late. What is this costly mistake that leaves many an HR professional weeping with regret after the New Year? It is automatically changing COBRA administrators just because there’s a change in the health plan provider.
Mergers, Acquisitions and COBRA: The Apex of Complexity
According to PwC's Deals mid-year review and outlook report, mergers and acquisitions in 2022 decreased by nearly 17%, but unemployment rates are still wildly low. With this kind of continuous activity, we thought it would be a good time to revisit the complexities of COBRA during mergers and acquisitions.
Tags: cobra administration, cobra conundrums, COBRA during mergers and acquisitions
New Case Underscores Importance of Proper COBRA Notice
COBRA administration is complicated and confusing, but it is also consistent. As readers know, we look at COBRA mainly through the eyes of the COBRA or health Plan administrator, striving to address COBRA conundrums before they become a problem for the Department of Labor, the State Department of Insurance, the IRS, and especially the Federal Court.
Tags: cobra administration, COBRA notice
Five Years Later, COBRA Continuation Stands Strong
Since the onset of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014, employees who have lost health coverage due to a qualifying event have had the option of continuing their coverage by electing COBRA or by choosing their own health insurance plan through the Marketplace. Back then, some predicted that the ACA would make COBRA obsolete. Now, almost five years later, COBRA stands strong.
Managing COBRA Administration in the Fourth Quarter
Well, another football season is upon us. The weather is getting cooler, the leaves are turning, and the sun shines brightly on the football fields across America. The season includes parties, tailgating, fantasy football, and games at every level – from pee-wee league to pro.
COBRA Administration During Leaves of Absence: How to Navigate the Maze
We’ve covered many COBRA administration twists and turns through the years. As COBRA has evolved, the challenges continue to increase. Leaves of Absence (LOA) during employment has made COBRA even more complex. LOA used to be about sick time and vacation. Now it can include leaves for maternity, paternity, personal, family, childcare, medical, military, sabbatical, adoption, ADA and other reasons.
COBRA Pop Quiz: Can Your Team Answer These 4 Questions Correctly?
No matter how long you work with COBRA, questions still arise. Here are four COBRA administration questions that caught our attention this month. Ready for a pop quiz? See if your team can answer these four questions correctly!
Tags: cobra administration, cobra
Leonardo da Vinci’s Thoughts on COBRA Administration
“Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.” -Leonardo da Vinci.
Maybe the famous scholar from the 1400s wasn’t talking about the continuation of group health plan coverage. But, today more than ever, this quote is right on point for sponsors and administrators of employee benefit programs.
COBRA: One of Health Care’s Comfortable Commodities
With summer break upon us, most of us are reminded that being home has its perks. Think back to your spring break vacation … Maybe you were stuck at the airport with your kids when their devices ran out of power. Or, maybe you spent hours in the car taking direction from a computer-generated voice telling you to turn in 0.5 miles. Every year, we crave an escape from our daily routines. Then, halfway through our vacations, we yearn for the comforts of home.
Tags: cobra administration