Q.- Do we have to provide ongoing notices to a COBRA continuant when the person pays each month?
A.- No. The COBRA regulations require an employer to provide the following notices:
- Initial Notice (provided when coverage under the plan first begins)
- Election Notice/Qualifying Event Notice (providing information about rights and obligations upon a specific qualifying event)
- Notice of Unavailability (when COBRA is not going to be offered)
- Notice of Termination of Coverage (required only when COBRA ends before the maximum potential COBRA period)
- Notice of COBRA Premiums Short by an Insignificant Amount
The insignificant amount notice is required only when a COBRA premium payment is not significantly less than the COBRA premium amount. “Significantly less than” is considered to be no more than the lesser of the two following amounts: Fifty dollars or 10 percent of the COBRA premium.
Notice is also required at annual enrollment or when premium amounts change, but ongoing notification of outstanding balances and/or payment amounts is not required.
