Sheffield, Olson & McQueen, Inc. (SOMI) has been providing COBRA administration to clients since the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) of 1985 was passed into law. SOMI offers both COBRA Administration and Retiree Billing Services as a stand-alone service or as a service that integrates well with other services such as Common Remitter / Consolidated Billing, Flexible Benefit Spending, HIPAA Administration or any of our Self-Funded Administration Services. Service Options SOMI offers both a full service and a shared approach to our clients for COBRA Administration. While standard services are offered with both approaches, we recognize that flexibility is important to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers. So, if you have a unique requirement or need, please let us know. We would be happy to address this need as part of your plan design. return to top Full Service Administration SOMI takes care of all of the notification, enrollment and on-going management functions. You simply notify SOMI of a COBRA event and review regular status reports. Under Full Service Administration, SOMI will: - Mail the Initial Notification for New Hires (or provide a template that an employer can customize and use at their own discretion).
- Provide a customized SOMI Termination Form for employer's use.
- Mail COBRA election packets to qualified beneficiaries.
- Automatically track election periods and COBRA eligibility time frames.
- Issue payment coupons.
- Automatically track premium payments to ensure timely payment and handle significant payment shortages.
- Track on-going enrollment additions, changes, and terminations.
- Provide knowledgeable customer service professionals to handle all COBRA participant inquires.
- Produce and issue the proper letters needed to administer Federal COBRA and/or State Continuation within the law.
- Update carriers* and/or clients on a regular basis of enrollment additions, changes, and terminations (employers' responsibility to check their next carrier bill to ensure changes are made).
- Remit premiums monthly to client or carrier* with supporting documentation and reports.
- Maintain Federal and State mandated COBRA documentation.
- Stay current with COBRA regulations and legal opinions surrounding COBRA.
- Issue standard rate change letters.
- Provide detailed reporting.
*Carrier notified directly only in conjunction with SOMI Consolidated Billing product. return to top Shared Approach Administration Under the Shared Approach, the client maintains responsibility for some functions such as initial notification and the distribution of COBRA election packet to qualified beneficiaries. SOMI then performs the additional functions as noted above for the client. return to top Optional Services SOMI also offers services for assembly, mailing, and coordination of open enrollment packets. return to top
| 
