The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) has brought sweeping changes for employers. What’s the main impact? Starting April 1 through September 30, 2021, the government is subsidizing 100% of COBRA premiums for eligible workers who were terminated or had their work schedules reduced, as well as their dependents.

As employers, it is important that you understand and are prepared for the changes related to this act regarding COBRA coverage. To help you understand the effects of ARPA, who is eligible, and the new requirements for employers, we’ve gathered all the best resources and have linked them here for you.

An ARPA & COBRA Overview

If you are looking to learn more about what COBRA even is, who is eligible and key ARPA details you need to be prepared for as an employer, check out our recent blog that details the overall scope of the ARPA bill. We break down eligibility requirements, how to remain compliant, new notice requirements and more.

Hear From a COBRA Compliance Lawyer

For a closer look the specific impacts ARPA will have on COBRA, watch our on-demand webinar ARPA & COBRA: What HR Leaders Need to Know. Hear directly from our COBRA compliance lawyer as he details what ARPA means for your business and how HR can navigate the new requirements without incurring legal penalties or footing the bill.

Eligibility Status Tools

We also have two tools available to assist you in determining if participants are potentially eligible for this subsidy and to update their AEI status in the portal. Watch this short tutorial video to learn how to update ARPA subsidy statuses in PlanSource.

Top 10 FAQs

Still left with some burning questions? Read our ARPA FAQ blog to gain a deeper dive into the nuances of this bill. We compiled some of the most frequently asked questions from our ARPA webinar in this easy to read ‘Top 10 List’ including what PlanSource is doing for customers, specific eligibility questions and more.

Additional Resources

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Labor has some great resources related to the COBRA Premium Subsidy including FAQ sheets, model notices and other related information. For a collection of updated resources from both the U.S. Department of Labor, law firms and more, refer to this SHRM article. Additionally, this SHRM blog details 7 COBRA subsidy use cases you may run into with employees.

Links Recap

INTERNAL

• [Blog] ARPA Increases COBRA Access
• [Webinar] ARPA & COBRA: What HR Leaders Need to Know
• [Video] How To Update Subsidy Statuses for ARPA
• [Blog] Top 10 ARPA FAQs for Employers

EXTERNAL

• [Webpage] DOL COBRA Premium Subsidy Information Webpage – Includes FAQ sheets, model notices and other related information
• [PDF] COBRA Premium Assistance under ARPA FAQs
• [Guide] Employer’s Guide to Health Continuation Coverage Under COBRA
• [Webinar] COBRA Compliance National Webcast
• [Blog] SHRM COBRA Subsidy Info Summary
• [Blog] SHRM 7 Perplexing COBRA Subsidy Questions

And remember, if you have specific questions and are a PlanSource customer you can reach out directly to your Customer Success contact or email us here: cobra.arpa@plansource.com

We’re here to help!
Your PlanSource Customer Team