E-MAIL MESSAGE TO EMPLOYERS — March 5, 2010 TO: State Biweekly and State Monthly Certifying Officers; Local Government Certifying Officers of Employers Participating in the SHBP; Local Education Certifying Officers of Employers Participating in the SEHBP FROM: Division of Pensions and Benefits, Health Benefits Bureau SUBJECT: Extension of COBRA Subsidy Eligibility through March 31, 2010 President Obama has signed H.R. 4691, the Temporary Extension Act of 2010, into law. This Act extends eligibility for the COBRA-ARRA premium subsidy from February 28, 2010 until MARCH 31, 2010. COBRA Applications and other COBRA related information have been updated and are available on the SHBP/SEHBP Web site: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/health-benefits.shtml Assistance eligible individuals affected by the extension include individuals involuntary terminated from employment anytime between September 1, 2008 and March 31, 2010*.
The Act also contains a new rule where the initial qualifying event is/was a reduction in hours. This means assistance eligible individuals who experience a reduction in hours anytime after September 1, 2008 and then are involuntary terminated on or after March 2, 2010 and on or before March 31, 2010 are now eligible for the subsidy. There is also a new election period for anyone who had a reduction in hours and did not choose COBRA or who chose COBRA and subsequently lost coverage and were later involuntary terminated from employment on or after March 2, 2010 and on or before March 31, 2010. The amount of the subsidized COBRA premium remains unchanged — qualified individuals continue to pay 35 percent of the regular COBRA premium. Similarly, the 15 month subsidy period remains unchanged (this period was extended from 9 months in December 2009 by the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2010 and is discussed in the Division’s Certifying Officer Letter of February 1, 2010). DISTRIBUTION OF THIS MESSAGE Certifying Officers should forward this message to their Human Resources staff, benefit administrators, and any other staff members responsible for administration of health benefits for your employees. Current and archived e-mail messages are available for viewing on the Division’s Web site (from the Pensions and Benefits home page: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions go to “Information for... Employers” and then select “E-mail Messages for Employers” from the “Letters, Laws, Boards & Other Resources” drop down list). PLEASE NOTE: It is important that the Certifying Officer’s e-mail address is kept current with the Employer Pensions and Benefits Information Connection (EPIC) to assure the accurate and timely delivery of this information. For more information about EPIC or to update your information contact the Division’s EPIC Help Desk at (609) 777-0534 or send e-mail to the Division of Pensions and Benefits at: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/epicmail.html CERTIFYING OFFICER LETTER — February 1, 2010 TO: State Biweekly and State Monthly Certifying Officers; Local Government Certifying Officers of Employers Participating in the SHBP; Local Education Certifying Officers of Employers Participating in the SEHBP FROM: Division of Pensions and Benefits, Health Benefits Bureau SUBJECT: Extension of COBRA Subsidy Letter and HIPAA Required Notices to SHBP/SEHBP Enrollees The Health Benefits Bureau of the Division of Pensions and Benefits is issuing the two attached documents to employers who participate in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) or the School Employees' Health Benefits Program (SEHBP).
DISTRIBUTION OF THIS LETTER Certifying Officers should forward this letter to their Human Resources staff, benefit administrators, and any other staff members responsible for administration of health benefits for your employees. The letter and notice are in PDF format and require Acrobat Reader which is available free from Adobe via a link at: http://www.state.nj.us/acrobat.htm If you are unable to open the PDF files, current and archived Certifying Officer Letters are available for viewing on the Division’s Web site (from the Pensions and Benefits home page: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions go to “Information for... Employers” and then select “Certifying Officer Letters” from the “Letters, Laws, Boards & Other Resources” drop down list). The HIPAA Required Notice is available in the HIPAA section of the Employers' Pensions and Benefits Administration Manual (EPBAM) at http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/epbam/ PLEASE NOTE: It is important that the Certifying Officer’s e-mail address is kept current with the Employer Pensions and Benefits Information Connection (EPIC) to assure the accurate and timely delivery of this information. For more information about EPIC or to update your information contact the Division’s EPIC Help Desk at (609) 777-0534 or send e-mail to the Division of Pensions and Benefits at: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/epicmail.html CERTIFYING OFFICER LETTER — January 25, 2010 TO: Local Government Certifying Officers of Employers Participating in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) and Local Education Certifying Officers of Employers Participating in the School Employees’ Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) FROM: Frederick J. Beaver, Director, Division of Pensions and Benefits SUBJECT: Dependent Eligibility Verification Audit The attached Certifying Officer Letter has been issued by the Division of Pensions and Benefits as notice of the Dependent Eligibility Verification Audit (DEVA) being conducted by Aon Consulting for the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) and School Employees' Health Benefits Program (SEHBP). DEVA mailings directly to employee home addresses are scheduled to begin February 10, 2010. Employee compliance with DEVA is required under State law. Employees must provide specific documentation to verify that persons listed as eligible dependents meet the standards for dependent coverage under the SHBP or SEHBP. DISTRIBUTION OF THIS LETTER Certifying Officers should forward this letter to their Human Resources staff, benefit administrators, and any other staff members responsible for administration of health benefits for your employees. The letter is in PDF format and requires Acrobat Reader which is available free from Adobe via a link at: http://www.state.nj.us/acrobat.htm If you are unable to open the PDF file, current and archived Certifying Officer Letters are available for viewing on the Division’s Web site (from the Pensions and Benefits home page: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions go to “Information for... Employers” and then select “Certifying Officer Letters” from the “Letters, Laws, Boards & Other Resources” drop down list). PLEASE NOTE: It is important that the Certifying Officer’s e-mail address is kept current with the Employer Pensions and Benefits Information Connection (EPIC) to assure the accurate and timely delivery of this information. For more information about EPIC or to update your information contact the Division’s EPIC Help Desk at (609) 777-0534 or send e-mail to the Division of Pensions and Benefits at: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/epicmail.html CERTIFYING OFFICER LETTER — January 6, 2010 TO: Certifying Officers of the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS) FROM: Wendy Jamison, Secretary, PFRS Board of Trustees SUBJECT: Reminder of Deadline for PFRS Training Requirements The attached Certifying Officer Letter has been issued by the Division of Pensions and Benefits as a reminder that as of July 1, 2010, all PFRS members must meet the statutory definition of a “police officer” or “firefighter” including the successful completion of specific training requirements. DISTRIBUTION OF THIS LETTER Certifying Officers should forward this letter to their Human Resources staff, benefit administrators, training officers, and any other staff members responsible for administration of PFRS related training and/or benefits for your employees. The letter is in PDF format and requires Acrobat Reader which is available free from Adobe via a link at: http://www.state.nj.us/acrobat.htm If you are unable to open the PDF file, current and archived Certifying Officer Letters are available for viewing on the Division’s Web site (from the Pensions and Benefits home page: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions go to “Information for... Employers” and then select “Certifying Officer Letters” from the “Letters, Laws, Boards & Other Resources” drop down list). PLEASE NOTE: It is important that the Certifying Officer’s e-mail address is kept current with the Employer Pensions and Benefits Information Connection (EPIC) to assure the accurate and timely delivery of this information. For more information about EPIC or to update your information contact the Division’s EPIC Help Desk at (609) 777-0534 or send e-mail to the Division of Pensions and Benefits at: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/epicmail.html CERTIFYING OFFICER LETTER — January 6, 2010 TO: Certifying Officers of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF), Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS), and State Police Retirement System (SPRS) FROM: Kathleen Coates, PERS Board Secretary; Wendy Jamison, PFRS and SPRS Board Secretary; and Mary Ellen Rathbun, TPAF Board Secretary SUBJECT: Election of Representative to the New Jersey State Investment Council The attached Certifying Officer Letter has been issued by the Division of Pensions and Benefits and the Office of the Board Secretary as a request for employer assistance in making employees aware of an opportunity to serve in a position on the State Investment Council. DISTRIBUTION OF THIS LETTER Certifying Officers should forward this letter to their Human Resources staff, benefit administrators, and any other staff members responsible for employee communications or the administration of pension benefits for your employees. The letter is in PDF format and requires Acrobat Reader which is available free from Adobe via a link at: http://www.state.nj.us/acrobat.htm If you are unable to open the PDF file, current and archived Certifying Officer Letters are available for viewing on the Division’s Web site (from the Pensions and Benefits home page: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions go to “Information for... Employers” and then select “Certifying Officer Letters” from the “Letters, Laws, Boards & Other Resources” drop down list). PLEASE NOTE: It is important that the Certifying Officer’s e-mail address is kept current with the Employer Pensions and Benefits Information Connection (EPIC) to assure the accurate and timely delivery of this information. For more information about EPIC or to update your information contact the Division’s EPIC Help Desk at (609) 777-0534 or send e-mail to the Division of Pensions and Benefits at: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/epicmail.html |
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Copyright
© State of New Jersey, 1996-2010
Division of Pensions and Benefits
PO Box 295
Trenton, NJ 08625-0295
Last Updated: March 5, 2010