Notice Requirements of the
Health Care Continuation Coverage Provisions
Extension without change of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
01/12/2026
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
01/31/2026
24,351,126
26,890,373
524,890
490,857
19,237,389
16,403,128
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) provides that under certain
circumstances participants and beneficiaries of group health plans
that satisfy the definition of “qualified beneficiaries” under
COBRA may elect to continue group health coverage temporarily
following events known as “qualifying events” that would otherwise
result in loss of coverage. Under the regulatory guidelines, plan
administrators are required to distribute notices: a general notice
to be distributed to all participants in group health plans subject
to COBRA; an employer notice that must be completed by the employer
upon the occurrence of a qualifying event; a notice and election
form to be sent to a participant upon the occurrence of a
qualifying event that might cause the participant to lose group
health coverage; an employee notice that may be completed by a
qualified beneficiary upon the occurrence of certain qualifying
events such as divorce or disability; and, two other notices, one
of early termination and the other a notice of unavailability. Also
included in the ICR are two model notices that the Department
believes will help reduce costs for service providers in preparing
and delivering notices to comply with the regulations.
US Code:
29
USC 1168 Name of Law: Employee Retirement Income Security
Act
US Code: 29
USC 1166 Name of Law: Employee Retirement Income Security
Act
There are no program changes
for this submission. The increases in the cost burden estimates are
due to a decrease in the number of individuals in COBRA eligible
plans, labor cost inflation, and increased postage costs resulting
from inflation. As a result, the number of responses has decreased
2,539,247 responses, the hour burden has increased by 34,033 hours,
and the cost burden has increased by $2,834,261. While the decline
in responses is a result of fewer general notices being sent, the
hour and cost burdens have increased due to an increase in the
number of termination notices and plan administrator election
notices, as well as an increase in the cost of postage to mail the
notices.
$0
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
James Butikofer 202 693-8434
Butikofer.James@dol.gov
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
1210-0123 COBRA SS 12.22.25.docx
Notice Requirements of the Health Care Continuation Coverage Provisions