On Feb. 17, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. This legislation includes hundreds of provisions intended to help jump-start the economy and protect the economic security of U.S. citizens. One provision establishes new, temporary procedures that employers must follow when notifying former employees of their eligibility to maintain existing employer-sponsored healthcare coverage through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconcilia-tion Act (COBRA). Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Labor recently published model COBRA eligibility notices that employers may use to ensure that the COBRA-related provisions of the ARRA are included.
 
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