WEBCASTS AVAILABLE FROM ARC

The following webcasts are available as live broadcasts or as archived versions of recorded webcasts. The archived versions will be available for viewing on the Internet unless otherwise indicated below that they are available on CD. The registration fee is the same for the live and the archived webcasts.

To register for one or more of these webcasts, please click on the appropriate link underneath the Topic. More information is available on each webcast by clicking on the specific topic in the table below.

Following your registration and payment, you will be sent a confirmation via email, as well as information about how to access the webcast and the "handout" materials for the presentation. As indicated in the email that you will receive, the audio portion of the archived webcasts is only available via "media streaming" using Windows Media Player. When registering, be sure to use "WS" as the "promotional code" (NOTE - ARC COBRA, FSA, HRA, and VEBA clients should call Karen Boos at (800) 588-2020 or (763) 421-5510 to receive their "promotional code").

 
DATE OF LIVE
WEBCAST		 PRESENTATION
CAN BE
VIEWED THROUGH		 TOPIC
October 9, 2008 January 9, 2009 Implementing the New IRS Cafeteria Plan Rules-Effective January 1, 2009 
Click here to register
July 30, 2008 October 31, 2008 COBRA Boot Camp for the New Administrator: Part II 
Click here to register
December 9, 2004 Available on CD Administering the New COBRA Notice Requirements 
Call Karen Boos at (800)588-2020 to order your CD.
August 26, 2004 Available on CD Everything You Always Wanted to Know About COBRA - Part II  
Call Karen Boos at (800)588-2020 to order your CD.
August 12, 2004 Available on CD Everything You Always Wanted to Know About COBRA - Part I 
Call Karen Boos at (800)588-2020 to order your CD.
 
 
Webcast Description
Implementing the New IRS Cafeteria Plan Rules-Effective January 1, 2009
On August 3, 2007, the IRS released sweeping new proposed Cafeteria Plan Regulations. These new regulations will affect plan sponsors, employees, and third-party Cafeteria Plan administrators. These regulations will become effective for plan years beginning January 1, 2009!

By attending, you will learn:
  • What has changed and what has remained the same
  • The new, “optional 30-day election period for new employees”
  • How orthodontia claims may be treated differently from other reimbursement claims
  • If self-certification is good enough to meet the claims substantiation requirements
  • The new safe harbor discrimination test for premium-only-plans (POPs)
  • When an employee can pre-pay health care premiums under a Cafeteria Plan
  • Whether an employee can pay his or her COBRA premiums through a Cafeteria Plan
  • About the use of severance agreements to pay COBRA through a Cafeteria Plan
  • When a “short plan year” is allowed
  • How income is imputed for excess group term life insurance
  • The treatment of individual accident & health insurance premiums through a Cafeteria Plan
  • How two-year election periods are handled for certain benefits
  • What the rules are for the timing of adopting a new plan or a plan amendment
  • The acceptable uses of forfeitures
  • The requirement for all plans to perform a nondiscrimination test
  • The documentation requirements
  • When you must comply with the new requirements
We will also discuss the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 (HEART Act) which allows active duty Reservists, who are called up for at least 180 days (or for an indefinite period of time), to withdraw health flexible spending account (health FSA) funds.

These and many more issues will be addressed in our presentation. And, as with all of our webcasts, if you have a question during the presentation, you may use the email feature on your viewing screen to communicate your question to us. Questions submitted by all participants will be compiled and answered in a Q&A document that will be available to every participant the week following the webcast.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be “brought up to speed” for January 1, 2009 on the latest new regulations!
 
Back to Top
 
COBRA Boot Camp for the New Administrator: Part II
Now in its 22nd year, COBRA continues to get more complex. The 2004 DOL regs, the IRS regs, the interpretation regarding Medicare, and numerous important court rulings make navigating through COBRA a tricky prospect - - fraught with serious, adverse consequences for the inexperienced.

Using numerous examples to illustrate how the rules work in actual practice, the information-packed COBRA Part II webcast will cover these important COBRA provisions and many more . . .
  • The COBRA Notice Requirements (including the new final DOL requirements, we will discuss the notice content, distribution timing and method, and documentation of distribution)
    • The Initial (General) Notices
    • Election Notices
    • Other Notices (including the new notices required by the final DOL regulations)
      • Ineligibility for COBRA
      • Termination of COBRA
      • Conversion notice
    The timing and format for making acceptable elections, and documentation of elections
  • The treatment of COBRA when other coverages are in force before and after a COBRA Qualifying Event (including Medicare coverage)
  • The reasons for termination of COBRA coverage
  • Coordination of COBRA and other benefit laws
    • COBRA and FMLA
    • COBRA and Section 125 Cafeteria Plans
    • COBRA and Qualified Medical Child Support Orders
    • COBRA and the Uniform Services law (USERRA)
  • The treatment of COBRA in business reorganizations
In discussing each of these crucial concepts, we will address many tricky issues that can arise in the administration of COBRA, including:
  • How to handle inquiries from health care insurers or providers before a QB elects to continue coverage
  • What to do if the Initial (General) Notices have never been sent
  • When to provide the Election Notice if the employer will be paying for some or all of the coverage through a severance arrangement
  • What to do if a QB elects COBRA but does not enclose the first premium payment
  • What documentation should be prepared and maintained to satisfy a court of law that timely and proper notifications have been made
  • What changes should be made to a plan's SPD to simplify the notification process
With all of the regulatory guidance from both the IRS and the DOL, and evolving court cases, this is a convenient, cost effective opportunity to sharpen your skills on these and many more critical COBRA requirements. We have earned a reputation for making complicated issues clear, straightforward, and - - believe it or not - - enjoyable! Register today for this valuable webcast.
 
Back to Top
 
Administering the New COBRA Notice Requirements
On May 26, 2004 , the Department of Labor issued final regulations on the COBRA Notice Requirements. Some of the rules from the proposed regulations have been retained, while several other rules have been modified or added in response to the public comments. Now, all health plans subject to COBRA (including health FSAs and HRAs) must comply with these new rules on the first day of the first plan year beginning after November 25, 2004 ( January 1, 2005 for calendar year plans).

ARC will present a webcast that will focus on how to administer these new DOL COBRA notice rules. While this timely webcast will review the proposed regulations and describe where the final regulations have made changes, the emphasis will be on what a plan sponsor needs to do in order to get their programs in compliance.

Even employers who outsource their COBRA administration will want to participate in this presentation because they will still need to insert appropriate language into their plan and summary documents. Furthermore, they will learn how they can significantly reduce their exposure to liability by establishing appropriate procedures for accepting notification of qualifying events from qualified beneficiaries and relaying that information to the “plan administrator.”

All registrants will receive copies of model notices and the presenters will provide practical suggestions on when and how each needs to be used to be in compliance with the final rules. In addition, we will include an easy-to-follow action plan to get your plans into compliance by the looming deadline.

Webcast participants also receive copies of the presentation slides, a guide highlighting the changes, a copy of the regulations, and unlimited access to the archived version of the webcast for up to three months from the date of the presentation.

Don't miss this opportunity find out what you need to do to comply with the new COBRA notice rules before the deadline!
 
Back to Top
 
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About COBRA - Part II
ARC's COBRA webcast, Part II, uses numerous examples to illustrate how the COBRA rules work in actual practice. This information-packed webcast covers these important COBRA requirements and many more . . .

  • The COBRA Notice Requirements (including the new final DOL requirements, we will discuss the notice content, distribution timing and method, and documentation of distribution)
    • The Initial (General) Notices
    • Election Notices
    • Other Notices (including the new notices required by the final DOL regulations)
      • Ineligibility for COBRA
      • Termination of COBRA
      • Conversion notice
    • The timing and format for making acceptable elections, and documentation of elections
    • The treatment of COBRA when other coverages are in force before and after a COBRA Qualifying Event (including Medicare coverage)
    • The reasons for termination of COBRA coverage
    • Coordination of COBRA and other benefit laws
      • COBRA and FMLA
      • COBRA and Section 125 Cafeteria Plans
      • COBRA and Qualified Medical Child Support Orders
      • COBRA and the Uniform Services law (USERRA)
    • The treatment of COBRA in business reorganizations

In discussing each of these crucial concepts, we will address many tricky issues that can arise in the administration of COBRA, including:
  • How to handle inquiries from health care insurers or providers before a QB elects to continue coverage
  • What to do if the Initial (General) Notices have never been sent
  • When to provide the Election Notice if the employer will be paying for some or all of the coverage through a severance arrangement
  • What to do if a QB elects COBRA but does not enclose the first premium payment
  • What documentation should be prepared and maintained to satisfy a court of law that timely and proper notifications have been made
  • What changes should be made to a plan’s SPD to simplify the notification process
With all of the new DOL guidance on COBRA notices and the evolving court cases, this is a convenient, cost effective opportunity to sharpen your skills on these and many more critical COBRA requirements. We have earned a reputation for making complicated issues clear, straightforward, and - - believe it or not - - enjoyable! Register today for this valuable webcast.
 
Back to Top
 
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About COBRA - Part I
ARC's COBRA webcast, Part I, will be presented using numerous examples to illustrate how the rules work in actual practice, this information-packed webcast will cover these important COBRA provisions and many more . . .

  • Employers who are and are not subject to COBRA
  • The types of benefits that are required to be offered
  • Who is a Qualified Beneficiary (QB), and what their rights are under the law
  • Who is often mistaken for a QB, but is not, and is therefore not entitled to benefit continuation rights
  • The premium payments that are required, the deadline for accepting them, and the proper treatment of amounts that are not exactly correct
  • The different types of Qualifying Events and what benefit offerings must be made for each.
In discussing each of these crucial concepts, we will address many tricky issues that can arise in the administration of COBRA, including:

  • When you might have to offer COBRA even though an employee hasn't actually lost coverage
  • When an EAP must be offered as a continuation benefit under COBRA
  • What you must offer as a continuation benefit to health flexible spending arrangement and HRA participants (and their spouses and dependents)
  • When a spouse or dependent is not a QB
  • How to handle multiple Qualifying Events ( e.g., termination of employment and subsequent divorce)
  • When and how to offer COBRA if coverage is terminated “in anticipation of divorce” ( e.g., an employee drops his/her spouse from coverage at open enrollment and is divorced shortly thereafter)
  • How to administer the “short payment” rule when a QB doesn't make a full premium payment
  • Why failure to strictly adhere to the rules governing the timing of elections and payments, and the amount of the payments can result in potentially catastrophic consequences (even if you are trying to bend over backwards to help out a deserving Qualified Beneficiary)
With all of the new guidance and evolving court cases, this is a convenient, cost effective opportunity to sharpen your skills on these and many more critical COBRA requirements. We have earned a reputation for making complicated issues clear, straightforward, and - - believe it or not - - enjoyable! Register today for this valuable webcast.
 
Back to Top
 
Copyright 2009, Administration Resources Corporation (763) 421-5510  •  (800) 588-2020

Contact ARC