The New York State Legislature has adopted a law to provide a 50% subsidy to New York State residents in the entertainment industry whose current income is below a certain threshold. If a member is eligible for COBRA, and is a New York State resident, then you may be eligible for a subsidy to defray 50% of the cost of those COBRA premiums. Please be aware that there are certain conditions that MUST be met in order to qualify for this program. We have provided you with an application, and listing of instructions from The New York State Insurance Department that explains the conditions of the program and how to apply. Once completed, all applications should be sent to the New York State Insurance Department AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Once applications have been approved, and accepted, members are eligible to receive up to total of 12 months of premium assistance each time you first elect COBRA.
Please also keep in mind that each time members apply for COBRA, and require financial assistance through this program, you must re-apply, and send a new application to the New York State Insurance Department. For example, let's say that you are receiving health coverage through COBRA for 3 months from January 1 through March 31, and qualify for the COBRA Subsidy Program. You then become eligible for health coverage through covered employment effective April 1 for 6 months. You will be covered until September 30, and the program will not be in effect during this period. If you do not re-qualify for coverage when the 6 months expires, then you will be given the option to continue your coverage through COBRA that would begin on October 1. At that point, you will have to send another application to the New York State Insurance Department to see if you would qualify for the assistance program again. The New York State Insurance Department does track the amount of payments that members will receive as reimbursement during each COBRA period. Therefore, with this example, the member will be eligible to receive an additional 12 months of assistance under the program. Once members have received a total of 12 months of premium assistance during each COBRA coverage period, you will no longer be eligible for the program, unless you qualify for COBRA again at a later time.
The Fund Office will be notified from the New York State Insurance Department as well when applications have been approved. Once the Fund Office hears from the State Insurance Department that your application has been approved, we will notify you that you need only pay 50% of the COBRA premium; the State of New York will pay the other 50% directly to the Fund. But until we tell you that we have received notification that the application was approved, you MUST pay the full COBRA premium. If for any month you have already paid the full premium and the Fund then receives 50% from the State, you will, of course, be entitled to a refund of the overpayment. The State of New York WILL NOT approve payments retroactively, so the application should be submitted as early as possible.
Please note that in determining whether you are eligible, the State Insurance Department is interested only in your current monthly income (or, if you do not have information for the current month, they will accept information about the previous month). Therefore, you may be eligible even if your earnings were substantial during the previous year.
Please be aware that members residing within the Tri-State areas of New Jersey, and Connecticut, DO NOT qualify for this program. The Fund will mail New York State residents the required application with the COBRA packets each time that a member's health coverage through covered employment becomes terminated.
If you have any questions about this program you may contact the Consumer Services Bureau of the State Insurance Department at 1-800-342-3736 or the Actors Fund at (212) 221-7301
NYS COBRA SUBSIDY APPLICATION (PDF, 764K) NYS COBRA09.pdf
