BABB INC. Insurance Brokers Since 1929

COBRA GENERAL NOTICE

The General Notice, describing the right to COBRA Continuation Coverage, must be provided to each covered employee and their spouse no later than 90 days after coverage under the group plan begins. The General Notice also outlines the responsibilities of the Employer and qualified beneficiaries under COBRA Continuation Coverage.

One General Notice addressed to the employee and spouse is permissible, unless their coverage begins at different times or if they have different addresses. When this occurs, separate notices are required. The General Notice must be mailed to the employees’ home. It is required that you maintain a record of the date the notice was sent, to whom it was sent, and the address where it was sent. Hand delivering this notice to an employee is not considered to be in compliance with COBRA regulations.

The General Notice must also be sent to newly covered spouses of existing employees at the time of their enrollment, to anyone newly covered during an open enrollment period, and anyone covered during a special enrollment period. The General Notice should also be included in your group health plan’s Summary Plan Description (SPD). Failure to follow these procedures could result in penalties, excess claims expenses and unnecessary premiums.

The COBRA General Notice