COBRA qualifying events are different from "life events" that impact health coverage or employee benefits. 
In this article, we take a closer look at events and which employees or dependents  they impact, as well as how long a person can be enrolled in COBRA continuation coverage. 

It’s no secret that navigating Medicare can be a challenge all it’s own. But add COBRA compliance into the mix, and you’re sure to stumble upon an HR conundrum.
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Not to worry. Fortunately, there are Medicare and COBRA Experts who are able to help with frequently asked questions that pertain to an employee or retiree’s options to continue coverage, bridging the gap between active benefits and Medicare entitlement. 

Complex COBRA Events & Best Practices | Special Enrollment Rights | College Students and COBRA Rights
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Recently, an Employer presented the following questions regarding special enrollment options for COBRA beneficiaries. In this article, we’ll visit the topic of Special Enrollment Rights, specifically for dependent children participating in college sponsored health plans.
Can college students receive COBRA continuation coverage? Let's take a closer look.

COBRA Compliance for Employers & Leave Management Work in Conjunction with one another. 
Perhaps one of the more frequently asked questions we receive from Employers and Brokers at CobraHelp is, “What do we do with the benefits now that an employee is going on leave?”.  There is a common misconception that Companies should terminate benefits immediately and offer COBRA, or conversely, not offer COBRA at all, even when the employee does not return to work following leave.

Generally, Employers know about basic COBRA administration requirements for Medical coverage. However, there is often oversight of less common plans subject to COBRA, causing Employers to fall into costly lawsuits, or be subject to hefty government penalties. One such plan is the “EAP” or Employee Assistance Program. 
By understanding what an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) is, as well as how it should be handled in terms of COBRA administration, will help keep your company sponsored benefits on track.
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What’s an EAP?
While Employee Assistance Programs vary from plan to plan, many provide support for serious issues employees may face such as mental health programs, health and caregiving, counseling, family services, and even financial services. 

It is no secret that the entire world was changed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and thereafter. Consequently, a new wave of modern work from home arrangements was born. Companies launched creative “backup plans” for continuing business during shut-downs and Stay-At-Home Orders. The world of employee benefits was no exception, as benefits professionals could no longer count on face-to-face interactions allowing the “in-person” benefits enrollment approach. Enter “self-service enrollment”. In this article, we will cover why self-service enrollment, for employee insurance plans, has become a staple in the present employee benefits sector, and why it’s here to stay in the future of the ever-changing employee benefits landscape.

Many employers are aware of their obligations to provide new employees with certain notices, but often times even the seemingly straight-forward HR tasks become convoluted or overlooked. When it comes to COBRA compliance, the General Notice, which is also commonly referred to as the Initial Rights Notice, plays an important role in protecting both employers, and employees rights to continuation. 

​However, this simple yet informational notice is often mishandled, or completely forgotten which can lead to costly lawsuits, hefty fines, and overall stress for an HR team. In this article we look at a few simple ways CobraHelp can ensure that an adequate Initial Rights Notice is provided to employees and common pitfalls to avoid.

According to experts in employee health and wellness, people feel like they’re working harder, and accomplishing less since the COVID19 pandemic.  Something for modern day workforce employers and employees to consider is that productivity is habit-based, and new habits are perhaps needed now more than ever in order to combat that looming sense of overwhelm.