WELCOME TO THE EMPLOYEE BENEFIT SERVICE CENTER COBRA PORTAL

It is important that each participating employee and their dependents be enrolled on the system when they enroll in your plan. Your insurance broker may arrange for this to be performed during the enrollment process by direct transfer of computer files. If the broker has arranged for enrollment of plan participants into the COBRA Administration System, there is no need for the employer to complete the enrollment steps. If enrollment has not been arranged, please enter the requested information for the employee and each dependent, including the coverage plans, at the time of enrollment of a person on your benefit plan.

After enrollment, to update system information such as an address changes, click on the employee's name and use the EDIT BUTTON to change the information on an employee or dependent. For Terminations, click on the NEW QUALIFYING EVENT button and follow the steps that provide the information required to perform COBRA administration.

We have developed a User Manual that explains how to use the system and displays examples of the various screens. The User Manual is available after log-in by clicking the COBRA USER MANUAL box at the top of the MAIN MENU screen.

COBRA administration is an employer/plan sponsor responsibility. As your COBRA administrator, Avalon Benefit Services can only perform your COBRA responsibilities based upon the accuracy and the timeliness of the information you provide. Please log into the system on a timely basis and complete the necessary enrollment of new plan participants so we can perform the INITIAL COBRA NOTIFICATION. Upon learning of a COBRA QUALIFYING OR OTHER COBRA EVENT, please log in and perform the steps to inform us of the COBRA EVENT. When there is a COBRA EVENT, the most recent address information on the plan participant is extremely important. Please check the system address and update it before completing the COBRA EVENT information.

After you notify us, we will perform the steps required by COBRA law and record the activity with copies of any correspondence on the system. Since electronic transactions are not always reliable, it is the employer/plan sponsor's responsibility to log on to the system within ten (10) business days after entering a transaction that will require a COBRA activity and confirm that the proper activity for the entry made by the employer was taken by The Employee Benefit Service Center. The employer/plan sponsor follow-up is critical to assure that the necessary COBRA activities are performed.

REMEMBER YOUR USER NAME AND PASSWORD. FOR ASSISTANCE CALL The Employee Benefit Service Center  1-800-310-6645.