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<p class="MsoNormal">On behalf of PEBB,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;color:#1F497D">Jason
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;color:#1F497D">(971) 900-7688
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><b>From:</b> PEBB - PDB Administration <<a href="mailto:PDB.Administration@dhsoha.state.or.us">PDB.Administration@dhsoha.state.or.us</a>>
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, April 30, 2021 1:16 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> PEBB - PDB Administration <<a href="mailto:PDB.Administration@dhsoha.state.or.us">PDB.Administration@dhsoha.state.or.us</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> PEBB - All Staff <<a href="mailto:PEBB_AllStaff@dhsoha.state.or.us">PEBB_AllStaff@dhsoha.state.or.us</a>>; OEBB - All Staff <<a href="mailto:OEBB_AllStaff@dhsoha.state.or.us">OEBB_AllStaff@dhsoha.state.or.us</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> A message from PEBB: COBRA Subsidy Process<br>
<b>Importance:</b> High<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><img border="0" width="672" height="113" style="width:7.0in;height:1.177in" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D73FF8.AC6F17C0"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none">Dear Partners,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none">The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), was signed on March 11, 2021. This new federal law subsidizes the full COBRA premium for “Assistance Eligible Individuals” (AEI). This premium assistance is available
from April 1, 2021, to September 30, 2021. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="color:#252525">An AEI qualifies for COBRA premium assistance if they:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo3">
lose benefits due to involuntary employment termination or work hours reduction, AND<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo3">
are not eligible for other group health coverage (a new employer or spouse’s employer plan), AND
<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo3">
are not eligible for Medicare, AND<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo3">
are eligible and elect COBRA during the subsidy period.<o:p></o:p></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="color:#252525"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="color:#252525">Employers are responsible for paying 100 percent of an AEI's COBRA premium during the subsidy period (April 1, 2021, through September 30, 2021). You will be reimbursed by the federal
government through: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo6;text-autospace:none">
<span style="color:#252525">A credit against payroll taxes, and (if applicable)</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo6;text-autospace:none">
<span style="color:#252525">An overpayment refund for credit amounts exceeding payroll taxes.</span><o:p></o:p></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none">Employers that don’t satisfy COBRA continuation coverage requirements may be investigated
<span lang="EN">by the Department of Labor. They may also be </span>subject to an excise tax under the Internal Revenue Code.<span style="color:#252525"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none">PEBB currently contracts with BenefitHelp Solutions (BHS) for our COBRA needs. Together we have developed the following process to determine subsidy eligibility:
<o:p></o:p></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:-.25in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo8;text-autospace:none">
<a name="_Hlk70657630">BHS will send legally required COBRA notices to all current COBRA members and those newly eligible, no later than May 31, 2021.
<o:p></o:p></a></li><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk70657630"></span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:-.25in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo8;text-autospace:none">
BHS will also send an attestation form. This form outlines the eligibility requirements. The beneficiary will need to sign and date the form attesting that they are eligible for the COBRA subsidy program.
<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:-.25in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo8;text-autospace:none">
BHS will send PEBB a weekly list of possible COBRA subsidy-eligible members. <o:p>
</o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:-.25in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo8;text-autospace:none">
PEBB staff will verify the BHS list against a Workday list which includes termination reasons.
<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:-.25in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo8;text-autospace:none">
If your agency is not included in the Workday list, we will send your list to you for review. Please indicate the termination reason (involuntary, voluntary, reduction in hours) and return. PEBB staff will send the list to BHS.
<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:-.25in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo8;text-autospace:none">
BHS will enroll eligible beneficiaries into the COBRA subsidy program retroactively effective April 1, 2021.
<o:p></o:p></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none">This completes the first part of the process. We are currently working out the invoice and billing process. We will provide those details once we have a solution in place.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you for your patience as we work through compliance with this law. Our number one goal is to create a simple process with the least amount of additional work for you.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>If you have questions about eligibility for the subsidy, please call BHS at 1-800-556-2230.
<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>If you have questions about the process we have described here, please email Sheila Clausen, OEBB/PEBB Policy Analyst at:
<a href="mailto:SHEILA.C.CLAUSEN@dhsoha.state.or.us">SHEILA.C.CLAUSEN@dhsoha.state.or.us</a>.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in"><b>Ali Hassoun<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in">Director <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in">Oregon Educators Benefit Board / Public Employees’ Benefit Board<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in">Oregon Health Authority – Health Policy & Analytics<o:p></o:p></p>
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