New Releases of both TravisCobra and WebCOBRA.com with DOD COBRA Changes are Now Available
Users of both TravisCobra and WebCOBRA.com are now able to use new releases of these systems reflecting the changes to the COBRA law enacted December 22nd as part of the Department of Defense Appropriation Act 2010.
Users of TravisCobra were notified on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 that they could download and install its new version. The new version of WebCOBRA.com was implemented during the evening of December 31st.
Both system updates include three new letters required to notify different types of COBRA qualified beneficiaries of the availability of up to 15 months of ARRA subsidy, rather than the nine months of subsidy previously available, and the extended period of eligibility for the subsidy through February 28, 2010. The COBRA Election Notice packet sent to new COBRA qualified beneficiaries has also been modified to reflect the longer period of subsidy.
Additionally, new premium accounting modifications have been added to the system as required by these new requirements.
These new releases put users of TravisCobra and WebCOBRA.com in a position to meet the administrative requirements of the now-modified COBRA law. As clarification to some of the finer points of the new COBRA provisions are made known by the U.S. Department of Labor or the Internal Revenue Service, Travis will produce further updates to both systems.
20 Responses to “New Releases of both TravisCobra and WebCOBRA.com with DOD COBRA Changes are Now Available”
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January 4th, 2010 at 09:37 AM
Will there be a notification wizard or will we have to identify each individual on our own and send letters manually to QBs?
January 4th, 2010 at 11:06 AM
Will there be instructions posted on the blog on how to process these new notices for WebCOBRA?
January 4th, 2010 at 12:09 PM
Were the ARRA Summary and the DOL Model notice updated with the DOD dates
January 4th, 2010 at 02:04 PM
How does one run the ARRA Extension Letter and ARRA Exhausted Letter? Once you change the options to yes, do they auto run or is there a section to go to to generate these letters? I see with the ARRA Notice for Termed QB’s it states it won’t run until the ARRA Reinstatement process has run, but there is no instruction regarding the other letters. Would you please advise?
January 5th, 2010 at 07:48 AM
At what time are we going to get instructions on how to print the new letters for the second ARRA renotifications.
January 5th, 2010 at 08:48 AM
@Kathie For WebCOBRA, the model notices, (which I assume you are referring to the documents that look like posters) are already updated. For TravisCOBRA, they will be updated with the next release. The notification letters for the different QB groups will be updated in the next release of both systems.
January 5th, 2010 at 08:48 AM
@Kathie For WebCOBRA, the model notices, (which I assume you are referring to the documents that look like posters) are already updated. For TravisCOBRA, they will be updated with the next release. The notification letters for the different QB groups will be updated in the next release of both systems.
January 5th, 2010 at 08:51 AM
@Kendra To print the ARRA Notice for Termed QBs, run your renotification wizard, for the others, turn on the options to print those letters and then run your correspondance. For more detailed instructions please contact ARRAtraining2010@travisoft.com for training information.
January 5th, 2010 at 08:53 AM
@Mary K. Once the options to print the letters is turned on, the letters auto generate in the system. For the ARRA Notice for Termed QB’s, you are correct, this prints when you run the Reinstatement process.
January 5th, 2010 at 08:54 AM
@Mary K. Once the options to print the letters is turned on, the letters auto generate in the system. For the ARRA Notice for Termed QB’s, you are correct, this generates after you run the Reinstatement process.
January 5th, 2010 at 08:55 AM
@DeAnn To print the letters, simply turn the options “on” for the corresponding letters. For the Notice for termed QB’s, the letters will generate once you have run the Re-Notification wizard. For more detailed instructions, please contact ARRAtraining2010@travisoft.com for information on training.
January 5th, 2010 at 08:57 AM
@ Elisabeth You do not have to run them manually for each QB. The system will generate the letters once you turn on the options for those letters to print. For the Notice for Termed QB’s, that generates once the Re-Notification wizard, or Reinstatement Process, has run.
January 5th, 2010 at 02:25 PM
Can you tell me where exactly we simply turn the options “on” for the corresponding letters? I’m not quite clear on what that means.
January 6th, 2010 at 10:02 AM
I am currently in the process of testing the re-notification process and see that you have the following as criteria that must be met.
-QBs who have up to 6 months or more of COBRA eligibility. -QBs original ARRA subsidy is exhausted. -QBs has terminated due to non-payment effective 11/30/2009 or 12/31/2009
My questions are as follows:
1. Do the participants have to meet all 3 of the criteria above or one or more of them?
2. Why the criteria that they have up to 6 months or more? What about those that may only have 3 months left of COBRA eligibility? Will they be included?
Example: Participant who started on COBRA 10/01/2008 who was active at the time of the initial re-notification process, who began the subsidy on 3/1/2009 that ended on 11/30/2009, who has until 03/31/2010 to be on COBRA. 18 months from start of COBRA 10/01/2008. This person, should they currently be terminated, should be offered the extension of the subsidy for the additional 4 months of coverage.
3. Is it soley for a termination reason of NON-PAYMENT? What if the participant elected to end the coverage as of those dates? Is there a specific Termination code the system is looking for, e.g. FOE?
I have run the process for one of my employers and it returned no results. I do have individuals who are terminated that should get the extension. Have you had any reports with issues on this process?
January 7th, 2010 at 04:36 PM
In your option screen, under ARRA options, there are three new options. If you check the boxes, it will turn the options “on.”
January 8th, 2010 at 06:54 AM
Were letters created for the “eligibility” extension for mini cobra. Since the length of time extension will not apply, but the eligibility through 2/28/10 does, will there be letters that will accomodate this type of required notification?
January 12th, 2010 at 08:49 AM
If we have already accepted 100% payments, how does the system automatically calculate forward the credits that should be applied?
January 25th, 2010 at 02:23 PM
The credit is applied in TravisCobra through running the wizard. In WebCOBRA, the credits automatically move forward in the ledger.
January 26th, 2010 at 08:23 AM
@gblakley We do not have letters to accomodate this in the system. To request an enhancement, please visit http://ideabook.travisoft.com
January 26th, 2010 at 08:29 AM
@Denise 1. Each letter has its own criteria to be met per the way the law was written. 2. If they only have 3 months left then that’s it, they are done. Yes they will be notified. 4. Yes, the system will only pull those terminated due to non-payment.
Please contact support on the issue with individual who you believe are suppose to get the extension notices.