CalCPA ProtectPlus

To give you a definition of what COBRA is and a brief description of the COBRA subsidy, here is some important information from the Department of Labor (www.dol.gov):

 What is COBRA?

COBRA gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to purchase group health coverage provided by the plan under certain circumstances.

If the employer continues to offer a group health plan, the employee and his/her family can retain their group health coverage for up to 18 months by paying group rates. The COBRA premium may be higher than what the individual was paying while employed but generally the cost is lower than that for private, individual health insurance coverage.

The plan administrator must notify affected employees of their right to elect COBRA. The employee and his/her family each have 60 days to elect the COBRA coverage; otherwise, they lose all rights to COBRA benefits.

COBRA generally does not apply to plans sponsored by employers with fewer than 20 employees. Many States have similar requirements for insurance companies that provide coverage to small employers. The premium reduction is available for insurers covered by these State laws.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), as amended on December 19, 2009 by the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010 (2010 DOD Act) provides for premium reductions for health benefits under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, commonly called COBRA. Eligible individuals pay only 35 percent of their COBRA premiums and the remaining 65 percent is reimbursed to the coverage provider through a tax credit. To qualify, individuals must experience a COBRA qualifying event that is the involuntary termination of a covered employee’s employment. The involuntary termination must occur during the period that began September 1, 2008 and ends on February 28, 2010. The premium reduction applies to periods of health coverage that began on or after February 17, 2009 and lasts for up to 15 months.

To read more about this click here.

Update on COBRA Extension

President Obama signed a bill [Temporary Extension Act of 2010 (H.R. 4691)] extending federal funding for the COBRA subsidy and unemployment benefit on March 2nd, shortly after the Senate passed it with a 78–19 vote. The main purpose of the bill is to extend unemployment benefits and health care subsidies for the unemployed. The federal tax credit that allows the federal government to subsidize 65% of the cost of COBRA premiums is now extended from February 28, 2010 through March 31, 2010.  (continue reading…)

This short video reviews what you can do to make sure you don’t get the flu, including the new H1N1 flu, and how you can be sure not to spread the flu to others. Also, find out how to reduce your risk of becoming ill with an influenza virus.

Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Running Time: (1:47) Release Date: 10/30/2009

Tylenol recently announced a voluntary recall of Tylenol Arthritis Pain 100 count bottles, which can be easily identified by its red EZ-open cap. Apparently the company decided to recall the product after identifying “an unusual smell or taste associated with these lots that led to a small number of people reporting nausea and related symptoms.” If you are using this product, or would like more information please visit Tylenol for information about the recall and discontinued use of the product.

This article by Reuters, was published in the New York Times Saturday October 8th, 2009

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – After a landmark win in the House of Representatives, President Barack Obama’s push for healthcare reform faces a difficult path in the Senate amid divisions in his own Democratic Party on how to proceed.

On a 220-215 vote, including the support of one Republican and opposition from 39 Democrats, the House backed a bill late on Saturday that would expand coverage to nearly all Americans and bar insurance practices such as refusing to cover people with pre-existing medical conditions.

The battle now shifts to the Senate, where work on Obama’s top domestic priority has been stalled for weeks as Democratic leader Harry Reid searches for an approach that can win the 60 votes he needs to overcome Republican procedural hurdles.

“Take this baton and bring this effort to the finish line,” Obama urged senators on Sunday in an appearance at the White House, saying passage of healthcare reform would represent “their finest moment in public service.” Democrats have no margin for error — they control exactly 60 seats in the 100-member Senate. Some moderate Democrats have rebelled at Reid’s plan to include a new government-run insurance program, known as the “public option,” in the bill.

Senator Joe Lieberman, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, renewed his promise on Sunday to help Republicans block a final vote if the bill contains the government-run insurance option backed by Senate liberals. “If the public option plan is in there, as a matter of conscience, I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote,” Lieberman said on “Fox News Sunday.”

Republicans and some moderate Democrats have balked at the House bill’s $1 trillion price tag, new taxes on the wealthy and what they call a heavy-handed government intrusion in the private sector. The overhaul would lead to the biggest changes in the $2.5 trillion healthcare system — which accounts for one-sixth of the U.S. economy — since the 1965 creation of the Medicare government health insurance program for the elderly.

(continue reading…)

According to California Department of Public Health (CDPH) the vaccine for H1N1, also known as ‘’swine” flu has arrived and will continue to arrive weekly throughout the fall and winter months. Here are some of the locations where the shots will be available, but are currently only providing general seasonal flu shots.

• Walgreens (H1N1 flu information provided)
• CVS Pharmacy (H1N1 flu information provided)
• Wal-Mart Flu Shot Clinics (H1N1 flu information provided)
• Rite-Aid (H1N1 flu information provided)
• Safeway (H1N1 flu information provided)

Local Public Health Clinics provides a full listing of California Local Public Health Departments. (Click on your city or county to go to the county web page where you will find current information about H1N1 flu vaccinations offered by the local public health clinic) – via CDPH.

For additional questions call: H1N1 Flu Hotline at 1-888-865-0564, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.