COBRA Subsidy Available for Eligible Union Members *Updated
| On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law. The Act includes a six-month, federally-financed COBRA subsidy to cover the COBRA premium for eligible individuals from April 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021. During this six-month period, the federal government will pay the full COBRA premium for each eligible individual, and the eligible individual will not have to pay any premium for COBRA coverage. Eligible individuals will receive a COBRA election form in the mail from the 727 Benefit Fund Office. For your convenience, we will also have COBRA election forms available at the Tradeshow Referral Office (for MTSD participants) and in the lobby of 1300 W. Higgins Rd, Park Ridge, IL 60068. Eligible individuals may also download the form here and return it to the Benefit Fund Office either in person or by mail. *Please note that this is an updated COBRA form. You are eligible for the COBRA subsidy if: – You lose health coverage because of a layoff, involuntary termination of employment or involuntary reduction in hours of employment; and – Your 18-month COBRA coverage period overlaps with the subsidy period (April 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021). If your health coverage was previously extended because you were laid off, involuntarily fired from your job or forced to reduce your hours of work on or after March 1, 2020, your health coverage will now end on March 31, 2021. In order to extend your health coverage beyond March 31, 2021, you must complete a COBRA election form and send it back to the Fund Office by the due date listed on the election form. When the COBRA subsidy ends on September 30, 2021, the Trustees will consider extending health insurance, if it is feasible. Please note that the COBRA subsidy will end before September 30, 2021 if an individual becomes eligible for coverage under another group health plan or Medicare. Individuals are required to notify the Fund Office if they become eligible for such coverage and will be subject to penalty if they fail to do so. If you have any questions regarding the COBRA subsidy, please contact the Fund Office at 773-685-0340. If you are a Movie/Trade Show participant, please contact Elite Administration with any questions you may have at 312-243-1265. Nothing in this article should be read as the union’s waiver of any legal argument, position or grievance(s), or as a waiver of any rights, arguments, or defenses under any contract, collective bargaining agreement, or applicable law. The union does not forfeit its right to make any and all supplemental arguments. |
Category: Union News
