IQVIA Benefits Handbook
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR COBRA
Enrollment Requirements
In order to be eligible for COBRA you must be enrolled in the Health Care Plan on the date of the qualifying event.
If you or a qualified beneficiary is covered by any of the IQVIA Health Care Plan options on the day before a qualifying event, you have the right to choose COBRA coverage if you lose that coverage because:
  • Your work hours are reduced.
  • You're terminated from employment.
  • The employer files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.
  • The coverage is lost due to Medicare entitlement.
If you're enrolled in the IQVIA Health Care Plan and don't return to work following a leave of absence qualifying under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), the event that will trigger COBRA coverage is the earlier of the date that you indicate you won't be returning to work following the leave or the last day of the FMLA leave period.
If you're the spouse of an eligible employee and you're covered by the IQVIA Health Care Plan on the day before a qualifying event, you're considered a qualified beneficiary.
That means you have the right to choose COBRA coverage for yourself if you lose coverage under the IQVIA Health Care Plan because of any of the following qualifying events:
  • Your spouse dies.
  • Your spouse's employment is terminated or your spouse's work hours are reduced.
  • You divorce or legally separate from your spouse.
  • Your spouse becomes entitled to Medicare.
  • IQVIA files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.
If you're a dependent child of an employee and you're covered under the IQVIA Health Care Plan on the day before a qualifying event, you're also considered a qualified beneficiary. This means you have the right to COBRA coverage if you lose coverage under the IQVIA Health Care Plan because of any of the following qualifying events:
  • The employee dies.
  • The employee's employment is terminated or the employee's work hours are reduced.
  • The employee divorces or legally separates (this includes reducing or dropping your coverage in anticipation of a divorce or separation that occurs later).
  • The employee becomes entitled to Medicare.
  • You cease to be a "dependent child" under the IQVIA Health Care Plan.
  • IQVIA files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.
Note: The qualified beneficiary's right to elect COBRA is independent of your rights.
If a covered employee or spouse elect COBRA coverage and then have a child (either by birth, adoption or placement for adoption) during that period of COBRA coverage, the new child is a qualified beneficiary. In accordance with the terms of the IQVIA Health Care Plan and the requirements of federal law, these qualified beneficiaries can be added to COBRA coverage by calling the COBRA administrator with the new child's birth, adoption or placement for adoption at the telephone number listed under "Contacting the COBRA Administrator", within 30 days of the event. This notice should include information about you or the qualified beneficiary receiving COBRA coverage and the new child who will be receiving COBRA coverage. The COBRA administrator may ask you to provide documentation supporting the new child's birth, adoption or placement for adoption.
If you fail to notify the COBRA administrator within 30 days of the event in accordance with the terms of the IQVIA Health Care Plan, you will not be offered the option to elect COBRA coverage for the new child.
Your Duties
Under the law, you must notify IQVIA of a divorce, legal separation or child's loss of dependent status under the IQVIA Health Care Plan within 60 days from the latest of:
  • The date of the divorce, legal separation or loss of dependent status.
  • The date coverage is lost because of the qualifying event.
  • The date on which you were informed of the responsibility to provide the notice and the procedures for providing such notice.
The notice must include information about you or the qualified beneficiary requesting COBRA coverage and the qualifying event that gave rise to the individual's right to COBRA coverage. In addition, you or the qualified beneficiary must provide IQVIA with documentation supporting the occurrence of the qualifying event. Acceptable documentation includes the documents listed below and any other supporting documentation approved by the plan administrator:
  • Divorce – a copy of the divorce decree.
  • Legal separation – a copy of the separation agreement.
  • Child no longer qualifying as a dependent – completion of the Certification of Legal Tax Dependency of Child form.
Remember, in the case of divorce, legal separation or ineligibility of a dependent child, you are responsible for notifying IQVIA within 60 days. If you do not provide notice and all required documentation, you may lose your right to elect COBRA coverage.
Timing
If you fail to provide notice along with supporting documentation to IQVIA during this 60-day period, any covered dependent who loses coverage will lose the right to elect COBRA coverage.
When IQVIA is notified that one of these events has occurred, the COBRA administrator in turn will notify the affected individual that he/she has the right to choose COBRA coverage.
IQVIA's Duties
IQVIA has contracted with Triad to administer COBRA. IQVIA will notify Triad of the qualifying event. Qualified beneficiaries will be notified by Triad of the right to elect COBRA coverage if they lose coverage because of any of the following events:
  • The employee dies.
  • The employee's employment is terminated or the employee's work hours are reduced.
  • IQVIA experiences a bankruptcy under Title 11 of the U.S. Code.