COBRA Benefits Administration

The Travis County Healthcare District, operating as Central Health, is dedicated to delivering hospital and medical services to low-income residents within Travis County, with a focus on improving community health for uninsured and underinsured populations. Central Health is soliciting proposals for the administration of COBRA benefits to enhance their management of employee benefits, ensuring adherence to federal regulations and improving service efficiency. The selected COBRA vendor will undertake a range of responsibilities including managing electronic notifications of new enrollees, qualifying events, and terminations from Central Health's Human Resources Benefits Department. Furthermore, they will handle the distribution of initial and follow-up notices, COBRA election forms, and the collection of COBRA elections, along with the transmission of election data and premiums to Central Health on a monthly basis. The vendor is tasked with several crucial functions such as submitting eligibility details to Third Party Administrators (TPAs), providing premium reconciliations and reimbursements to Central Health, and overseeing the open enrollment notification process for COBRA participants. They will also manage all facets of the payment and billing process, including notifying participants of coverage end dates for various plans. Strict compliance with regulations such as COBRA and HIPAA is a mandatory requirement of the contract. The initial period of performance for this contract is set for two years, with options for four additional one-year renewals. All services will be carried out at Central Health's office located at 1111 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin, TX 78702. The estimated contract value ranges from $50,000 to $200,000, providing an important service to support Central Health's mission in managing benefits effectively for their employees.