General Notices
Continuation Coverage Rights under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Action ( COBRA )
The City offers continuation of coverage ( COBRA ) to employees or dependents that experience a COBRA qualifying event resulting in a loss of City-provided benefits . These may include medical , dental , vision , EAP and health flexible spending accounts ( FSA ).
COBRA benefits are the same as your active employee benefits , but the cost is much higher because you pay the full cost for the coverage , plus a 2 % administration fee .
Upon experiencing a COBRA event , you and / or your affected dependents will receive a notification letter to advise you of your options , guidelines and costs at that time . You have 60 days from the date of notification to make plan selections and 45 days from the election date to pay . Coverage will not be effective until the first payment is made but will be retroactive once the coverage is in effect . Costs for coverage will vary annually and are provided at the time of the event .
There may be other options for you and your family , if the need for coverage arises . Eligibility for COBRA coverage does not limit your eligibility to purchase coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace . Additionally , a loss of coverage with the City of Arlington would be a qualifying event , if your spouse has access to medical coverage notify their employer within 30 days of your loss of coverage to request the enrollment process and requirements .
For additional questions about your rights to COBRA continuation coverage , please contact Human Resources at 817-459-6869 .
Premium Assistance under Medicaid and the Children ’ s Health Insurance Program ( CHIP )
If you or your children are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP and you ’ re eligible for health coverage from your employer , your State may have a premium assistance program that can help pay for coverage , using funds from Medicaid or CHIP programs . If you or your dependents are already enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP , you can contact your State Medicaid or CHIP office to find out if premium assistance is available . For more information , visit www . HealthCare . gov .
If you or your dependents are eligible for premium assistance under Medicaid or CHIP as well as eligible under your employer plan , your employer must allow you to enroll in your employer plan if you aren ’ t already enrolled . This is called a “ special enrollment ” opportunity , and you must request coverage within 60 days of being determined eligible for premium assistance .
If you have questions about enrolling in your employer plan , contact the Department of Labor call 1-866-444-EBSA ( 3272 ) or www . askebsa . dol . gov .
* An initial notice is provided to you upon hire or rehire that notifies you of your COBRA rights . The complete notice is located on the Human Resources portal - Documents and Forms – Cetegory : COBRA .
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* The complete CHIP notice that includes contact phone numbers and websites is included on the Human Resources portal under Documents and Forms – Required Notices .