BRI COBRA Renewal & Open Enrollment

Here you’ll find helpful information and links about renewal for COBRA, Continuation, and Direct Billing in preparation for Open Enrollment.

Overview & Instructions

If your group plans are being renewed, please complete all information required for open enrollment in the Forms & Resources section below. Once finished, you must email the required documentation to cobra@benefitresource.com. Please include “Renewal” or “Open Enrollment” in your subject line. This will allow BRI to ensure that the COBRA portal is updated and that members are notified of their open enrollment options.

Watch the video to the right to get an overview of the renewal process. Additionally, you can review an overview of a standard timeline and what to expect at each stage below.

Action Items: Partner

Clients should submit all Open Enrollment documents together (rate & carrier sheet, plan description form, SBCs, and summaries) once they are FULLY EXECUTED in our BRI templates.

Action Items: BRI

Portal is updated for ongoing administration in the new plan year.

Action Items: Partner

Provide the same plan names and coverage levels to your EDI file vendor that is sending member data for events. COBRA system and file vendor must match.

Action Items: Partner

Submit the Plan Description & Enrollment Changes form.

Action Items: BRI

BRI creates passive or active enrollment packets for mailing.

Action Items: Partner

Clients/brokers may be asked to preview a sample.

Action Items: BRI

BRI mails all custom packets with corresponding instructions to members.

Action Items: Partner

Review carrier invoice(s) monthly and inform BRI of any discrepancies. Member Status & Remittance reports are available on the employer & broker portals for download.

Action Items: BRI

BRI sends notification to the carrier(s) of all eligibility updates upon receipt of any changes from the members. This is done via secure email to the carrier contacts provided.

Action Items: BRI

BRI sends updated coupons, and the member portal rate tables are updated as needed.

Required Documentation

Click the buttons below to access the required forms and documentation you need for renewal. Additional information about each is available below.

Plan Design Intake Form

This step is critical in ensuring that all account structure details are accurate in the administrative system for the new plan year. This form is also used to customize Open Enrollment packets, which are sent to anyone pending or enrolled in the COBRA platform. All corresponding instructions on how to fill out the required fields can be found on the “Instructions” tab.

  • The required information in this file is called the “account structure” and consists of the necessary information to update the COBRA portal with new plans, carrier, and rate information. If you have a file feed in production, the vendor must be notified of any changes to plan names and/or coverage levels.
  • When specifying the rates on the rates tab, make sure you enter the raw monthly rate without the 2% administrative fee. Our system automatically adds the administrative fee. This will be the rate sheet included in external open enrollment packets and is to be printed as is. You can use the unlocked version of the rate sheet if more plans or customization is needed.
  • Don’t forget to provide updated contact information (phone number and email address) on the plans tab to send COBRA enrollments/terminations for each of the carriers. This ensures that all eligibility changes can be successfully communicated by BRI.

Partners must use the Plan Design Intake Form to provide the updated plan year information. Age-banded or ACA rates must be provided separately in Excel format.

Note: scanned copies of PDFs will NOT be accepted.

Carrier Assignment Form

This form will ensure BRI’s eligibility changes will be processed by the new carrier(s). This form is only applicable if you are switching to a different insurance carrier for one or more of your plans.

Complete for each new benefit carrier and submit directly to your carrier contacts.

  • Your Insurance Carrier 
  • Group Number
  • Date that BRI has been assigned to assist with COBRA administration 

Next Steps

BRI will send open enrollment materials to all COBRA Qualified Beneficiaries (QBs) who are pending election, as well as those who are currently enrolled in COBRA. 

  • If continuation or direct bill plans, all current participants should be notified.
  • If you DO NOT want BRI to administer packets for your population, please notify your dedicated COBRA Account Manager. (BRI will still require all plan details for updates.)
  • Please refer to your signed sales agreement for open enrollment pricing.

Due to increased year-end volume, open enrollment packets may be delayed if this information is not received 30 days prior to the effective date.

  • Once fully executed documents are submitted, it may take BRI up to 5-7 business days to mail once finalized.
  • USPS mailing times can be 1-5 business days.
  • Members will receive updated coupons for payment once plan information is updated.

Be sure to log in to the COBRA portal to review plan information and continue to reconcile carrier invoices against COBRA Remittance.

If discrepancies are found, BRI must be made aware timely to take corrective action within carrier guidelines.

Election Experience

Members will refer to the BRI election form for specific effective dates, deadlines, and instructions.

 

Once received by BRI, the election change(s) will be forwarded to the applicable insurance carrier(s) upon receipt, provided the form is completed in its entirety with all pertinent/required information. Members will be issued updated coupons for subsequent payments.

 

Members should allow 10-14 business days from the date of their signed election form for the carrier(s) to process plan change(s). For questions regarding coverage status within this timeframe, members are instructed to contact the insurance carrier(s) directly using the number on the back of their insurance card. If moving to a new insurance carrier, this process may take longer. Election changes are retroactive to the effective date, and claim forms are to be completed in the interim of active status.

Get our Benefit Continuation Client Guide

Learn everything you need to know about working with BRI to administer your COBRA, continuation, and direct billing.