Jan 05, 2021
Empire extends health plan timeframes during COVID-19 emergency
Our primary focus is our members’ health and well-being, and making sure they have access to the care they need. In response to the national COVID-19 emergency, we are giving your clients more time to enroll in a health plan, file and appeal claims, elect COBRA continuation coverage, and pay COBRA premiums.
U.S. Department of Labor guidance effective March 1, 2020, remains in effect, suspending key timeframes until 60 days after the federal government declares the end of the national emergency or outbreak period in your area, whichever is later.
This applies to Fully Insured and self-funded ERISA employer-sponsored plans only.
Empire is extending timeframes to make it easier for employees to:
- Take advantage of special enrollment if they previously declined employer-sponsored coverage but would now like to enroll.
- Elect COBRA continuation coverage if they lose their job or their work hours are reduced.
- Pay COBRA premiums.
- File or appeal claims.
- Notify their plan of qualifying life events such as marriage, divorce, birth of a baby or adoption, or disability determination related to COBRA coverage.
We’ve developed a letter you can share (upstate/downstate) with your clients to explain the extended timeframes.
If you have questions, please contact your Empire representative.
Tool to assist displaced employees
You can share this flyer with employees (upstate/downstate) who’ve been displaced to help them understand their health plan options. They include COBRA, as well as Individual coverage, short-term plans, Medicaid, and Medicare.
We will continue to support you by offering updates on plan changes that impact you and your clients, so they can feel secure knowing their health plan has them covered.