Employer Requirements Under COBRA

2/27/2026

There are a large number of timelines and requirements for administering COBRA. Below are just a few.

• Provide General Notice to Employees and Spouses
• Notify the Plan Administrator of a "Qualifying Event" that causes a loss of coverage under the employer's group health plan (such as termination of employment, reduction of hours, and divorce)
• Send a "COBRA Election Notice" to "Qualified Beneficiaries" (those individuals that could lose coverage). The "COBRA Election Notice" must include a description of the coverage, how to elect COBRA, payment requirements, length of coverage, and consequences of not electing
• Provide the coverage
• Collect premiums
• Notify of Termination of COBRA Coverage
• Maintain accurate records

Note that while many employers handle COBRA compliance in-house, many other outsource the majority of their administrative work to a Third Party Administrator (TPA). If outsource, we suggest that you use a Certified TPA.