Q-35. Is COBRA premium assistance available for COBRA continuation coverage under a vision-only or dental-only plan?
A-35. Yes. COBRA premium assistance is available for COBRA continuation coverage of any group health plan, except a health FSA under § 106(c) offered under a § 125 cafeteria plan. Group health plans include vision-only and dental-only plans, regardless of whether the employer pays for a portion of the premiums for active employees. COBRA premium assistance is not available for continuation coverage offered by employers for non-health benefits that are not subject to Federal COBRA continuation coverage requirements, such as group-term life insurance. (See Q&A-55 regarding eligibility for COBRA continuation coverage for distinct benefit options).
Q-36. May retiree health coverage be treated as COBRA continuation coverage for which COBRA premium assistance is available?
A-36. Yes, but only if the retiree coverage is offered under the same group health plan as the coverage made available to similarly situated active employees, though the amount charged for the retiree coverage may be higher than that charged to active employees. In that case, the retiree coverage may still be eligible for the COBRA premium assistance as long as the amount charged to a retiree does not exceed the maximum amount allowed under Federal COBRA.
Q-37. Is COBRA premium assistance available for COBRA continuation coverage under a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA)?
A-37. Yes. Note that, for purposes of the ARP, COBRA continuation coverage does not include a health FSA provided through a § 125 cafeteria plan paid for with salary reduction amounts. Even though, under some circumstances, an HRA may qualify as a health FSA under § 106(c)(2), such an HRA would not be excluded from the ARP’s definition of COBRA continuation coverage because the HRA would be paid for with employer contributions, not salary reduction amounts contributed through a § 125 cafeteria plan.
Q-38. Does eligibility for coverage under an HRA end the period of COBRA premium assistance under the ARP in the same way as eligibility for coverage under any other group health plan?
A-38. Yes, unless the HRA qualifies as a health FSA under § 106(c)(2). Under § 106(c)(2)(B), a health FSA is health coverage under which the maximum amount of reimbursement that is reasonably available to a participant for the coverage is less than 500 percent of the value of the coverage. For this purpose, the maximum amount of reimbursement that is reasonably available generally would be the balance of the HRA, and the value of the HRA coverage generally would be the applicable premium for COBRA continuation of the HRA coverage, not taking into account COBRA premium assistance.
Q-39. Is COBRA premium assistance available for COBRA continuation coverage under an HRA integrated with individual health insurance coverage (an individual coverage HRA)?
A-39. Yes. In the case of an individual coverage HRA, the COBRA continuation coverage applies only to the individual coverage HRA and not to the underlying individual health insurance coverage. The qualified beneficiary with COBRA continuation coverage must still incur and substantiate covered medical care expenses (which may include health insurance premiums) to be reimbursed by the individual coverage HRA. Although an individual coverage HRA may include an HRA integrated with Medicare, a qualified beneficiary eligible for Medicare cannot be an Assistance Eligible Individual; thus, COBRA premium assistance is not available if the COBRA continuation coverage is under an individual coverage HRA integrated with Medicare. (See Q&A-70 regarding the calculation of the premium assistance credit in the case of an individual coverage HRA.)
Q-40. Is COBRA premium assistance available for coverage under a QSEHRA as defined in § 9831(d)?
A-40. No. A QSEHRA is not a group health plan eligible for COBRA continuation coverage.
Q-41. Pursuant to § 9501(a)(1)(B) of the ARP, a plan sponsor allows an Assistance Eligible Individual to enroll in coverage under a plan that is different than the coverage the individual was enrolled in at the time of the qualifying event. Does the requirement that the premium for the different coverage elected not exceed the premium for coverage that the individual was enrolled in at the time of the qualifying event simply limit the amount of the COBRA premium assistance, thereby allowing the individual to elect a plan with a higher premium but restricting the amount of COBRA premium assistance to the amount of the premium for the coverage that the individual was enrolled in at the time of the qualifying event (with the individual or employer paying the excess over the COBRA premium assistance)?
A-41. No. Unless otherwise allowed under the COBRA regulations or other applicable law, coverage with a premium greater than the premium for the coverage that the individual was enrolled in at the time of the qualifying event is not eligible for the COBRA premium assistance. However, the requirements in § 9501(a)(1)(B) of ARP do not apply to a situation in which the plan in which the individual was enrolled at the time of the qualifying event is not available (see Q&A-42). Example: An individual is an Assistance Eligible Individual who was enrolled in a plan with an $800 per month COBRA premium at the time of the qualifying event. The employer sponsoring the plan permits Assistance Eligible Individuals to enroll in other coverage pursuant to § 9501(a)(1)(B) of the ARP. Three other coverages are offered to active employees similarly situated to the individual, none of which are excepted benefits, a QSEHRA or a health FSA. The COBRA premiums for the other coverages are $700, $750 or $1,000 per month. The individual may enroll in the $700 or $750 per month options with COBRA premium assistance. If the employer allows, the individual may enroll in the $1,000 per month coverage option but that coverage will not be eligible for the COBRA premium assistance. (But see Q&A-69 regarding the availability of COBRA premium assistance for an Assistance Eligible Individual electing a different benefit package in compliance with § 54.4980B-8, Q&A-2(c), such as during open enrollment.)
Q-42. If a potential Assistance Eligible Individual elects COBRA continuation coverage during the ARP extended election period but the employer no longer offers the health plan that previously covered the individual, must the employer place that individual in the plan most similar to the prior plan, provided the employer offers other health plans?
A-42. Yes. If an employer no longer offers the health plan that previously covered the potential Assistance Eligible Individual, the individual must be offered the opportunity to elect the plan that a similarly situated active employee would have been offered that is most similar to the previous plan that covered the individual, even if the premium for the plan is greater than the premium for the previous plan. In this case, the other coverage elected by the individual is eligible for the COBRA premium assistance, regardless of the premium for that coverage.