Employer Frequently Asked Questions

An AEI is a person who is eligible for COBRA continuation coverage due to an involuntary termination or reduction in hours. To be eligible for the premium assistance, an individual:

• MUST have a COBRA qualifying event that is a reduction in hours or an involuntary termination of employment (as determined by the employer in accordance with applicable guidance);
• MUST elect COBRA continuation coverage;
• MUST NOT be eligible for Medicare; and
• MUST NOT be eligible for coverage under any other group health plan, such as a plan sponsored by a new employer or a spouse’s employer.

For individuals who meet these requirements and qualify as an AEI, the monthly premium cost will be $0.00 from April 1, 2021 (or, if later, the “COBRA Coverage Start Date”) through September 30, 2021 to the extent that the individual elects COBRA and are not eligible for other group health coverage or Medicare.

Employers must confirm via the new COBRA ARPA System for Eligibility (CASE) that their employees or former employees were involuntarily terminated or had a reduction in hours.

Once we receive a response from the SHBP Employing Entity (“Employer”), and if their response indicates “Involuntary”, individuals will receive a COBRA Benefits Continuation Coverage Election Notice from ADP’s subcontractor, WageWorks with information for the individual to elect COBRA and receive premium assistance.

• For individuals who have not yet elected COBRA Benefits Continuation Coverage, they MUST contact their employer (i.e., the employer who notified SHBP of their termination or reduction in hours) to let them know they are requesting premium assistance. If the employer confirms with SHBP via CASE that the termination or reduction in hours was involuntary, the individual will receive a COBRA Benefits Continuation Coverage Election Notice from WageWorks with information for them to elect COBRA and receive premium assistance.
• For individuals who have already enrolled in COBRA Benefits Continuation Coverage, if their employer confirms with SHBP via CASE that the termination or reduction in hours was involuntary, the individual will be considered an AEI and automatically will receive COBRA premium assistance.
• For individuals who need to request another COBRA Benefits Continuation Coverage Election Notice Election Form, please contact WageWorks at 1-800-741-0897.

The Subsidy will automatically terminate at the earliest of the following, when:

• The AEI’s COBRA eligibility ends;
• The AEI becomes eligible for another group health plan;
• The AEI becomes eligible for Medicare; or
• The Last Date of the COBRA Subsidy: September 30, 2021.

SHBP is not an Employer, therefore, we do not collect information regarding the circumstances of an employee’s or former employee’s termination or reduction in hours.

Additionally, the employee eligibility records transmitted by Employers to SHBP do not currently include the circumstances of an employee’s or former employee’s termination or reduction in hours. SHBP is in the planning stages of updating the employee eligibility records to require this information from employers as it may be needed again in the future.

CASE is the new SHBP COBRA ARPA System for Eligibility. CASE provides Employing Entities a tool to systematically provide employee and former employee information regarding the status of their termination or reduction in hours (e.g., Voluntary, Involuntary, or Involuntary Gross Misconduct) directly to SHBP 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

CASE is available for Employers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Click here to access CASE: https://forms.dch.georgia.gov/SHBP-COBRA/Account/Login.aspx

The employer contact list for CASE is derived from designated benefits administrators who have been granted access to the SHBP Employer (X)change System (i.e., the “Xchange”).  These designated benefits administrators received an Introductory CASE Validation Email on May 19, 2021, with a follow-up email providing a User Login ID and temporary CASE Password Credentials. Designated benefits administrators are required to respond to the CASE Validation Email by clicking the link provided.  Upon initial login, the designated benefits administrators will be required to change the temporary password.

If you did not receive an email, you were either not registered in the (X)change prior to May 19, 2021 or have failed to update your contact information in the (X)change prior to May 19, 2021. To request access to the (X)change, click here.

Please contact your dedicated Employer Services Specialist via the (X)change.

The Employer’s employees and former employees who are eligible for the COBRA subsidy will not receive this financial assistance from SHBP.

SHBP cannot make this determination for the employer. The employer should follow up with their attorney to make a determination.  

SHBP is required to track this information for compliance purposes and CASE is the process we have chosen to successfully collect and save this information. An Employer Services Specialist under no circumstances may collect this information directly from an Employer.

If you do not receive a CASE Validation Email with your login credentials or if you have additional questions about CASE, please contact your dedicated Employer Services Specialist via the (X)change.