Health Care Continuation Coverage

This document contains final rules implementing the notice requirements of the health care continuation coverage (COBRA) provisions of part 6 of title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA or the Act). The continuation coverage provisions generally require group health plans to provide participants and beneficiaries who under certain circumstances would lose coverage (qualified beneficiaries) the opportunity to elect to continue coverage under the plan at group rates for a limited period of time. The final rules set minimum standards for the timing and content of the notices required under the continuation coverage provisions and establish standards for administering the notice process. These rules affect administrators of group health plans, participants and beneficiaries (including qualified beneficiaries) of group health plans, and the sponsors and fiduciaries of such plans. These rules also provide model notices for use by administrators of single-employer group health plans to satisfy their obligation to provide general notices and election notices.