COBRA Administration, without the complexity.
Reduce your risk and lessen your stress with fully integrated COBRA administration software that automates federal and state continuation coverage. Forget tracking eligibility, sending election notices, and contacting carriers. It's all taken care of—at no extra cost.*
Reduce your risk
No more missed deadlines, forgotten notices, or mishandled premiums. Eligibility is automatic, and COBRA compliance is taken care of.
Save hours on admin
Forget chasing down forms and managing spreadsheets—Gusto syncs employee data to Anuvi daily, and Anuvi handles the rest.
No hidden fees
With Gusto-brokered insurance, COBRA administration is included at no extra cost. For broker-integrated plans, pay just $30 per month.
#1
for benefits administration
G2
50+
hours saved annually on benefits admin for 25+ employee customers
81%
of customers spend 15 minutes or less each month managing benefits through Gusto.
COBRA and state continuation
Take COBRA compliance off your plate.
From federal COBRA to state-specific mini-COBRA requirements, we help you stay compliant without the hassle. Eligibility is tracked automatically, employee data syncs daily with Anuvi, and election notices are sent 2–3 days after a qualifying event occurs. Former employees choose their plan and stay on your carrier while Anuvi manages enrollment, collects premiums, and sends funds back to you.
Integrated COBRA software
Built into the benefits, HR, and payroll you love.
Say farewell to juggling platforms and manually moving data—with Gusto you can handle COBRA coverage in the same place you run payroll, manage benefits, and take care of your team. Payroll deductions are automatic, compliance is handled, and reporting is built right in.
Transparent pricing
COBRA administration at no extra cost.
With a Gusto-brokered health plan, COBRA administration services are included at no extra cost. Got a broker-integrated plan? You can add on COBRA software for just $30 per month. Gusto will sync your data with Anuvi, and Anuvi handles election notices, manages their enrollment, and reimburses your company for any premiums paid.
How it works
Step-by-step guide to COBRA admin in Gusto
Make sure you're opted in to COBRA administration
If subject to COBRA and using Gusto-brokered benefits, you're automatically onboarded; broker-integration customers can opt in for just $30 per month.
Employee data syncs automatically
Gusto sends employee and eligibility data to Anuvi daily—no manual file uploads.
Anuvi handles notices & enrollment
When someone loses eligibility, Anuvi sends election notices by email and mail, manages their enrollment, and notifies carriers.
Premiums & payments stay on track
Anuvi collects COBRA premiums, sends funds to the employer (check or ACH), and you continue to pay carrier invoices as usual.
Access the COBRA self service portal anytime
Admins get a comprehensive view of all COBRA activities, while participants get access to self-service enrollment, payments, and notices.
Common questions answered
COBRA (the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) allows employees and their covered dependents to continue their employer-sponsored health insurance after certain qualifying events, like leaving a job, getting a divorce, or reducing work hours. Some states also require similar continuation coverage—often called mini-COBRA—for smaller employers or different eligibility situations. Learn more about COBRA requirements here.
With Gusto, COBRA administration is handled through our partner, Anuvi. Together, Gusto and Anuvi take care of the key administrative steps, including sending required election notices, managing participant enrollment, collecting premium payments from former employees, and remitting those payments to the appropriate parties. This helps ensure your company stays compliant with COBRA requirements while reducing the manual work involved in managing continuation coverage.
COBRA administration is included at no additional cost for customers using Gusto-brokered health benefits. If you're working with a broker who connects benefits through Gusto, COBRA administration is available for $30 per month per company. This monthly fee covers the administrative services handled by Anuvi, including sending notices, managing elections, collecting participant payments, and handling participant support.
Yes—while Gusto and Anuvi handle most of the administrative work, employers still have a few responsibilities. You'll continue to receive and pay the carrier invoices for active and COBRA participants. In some situations—like severance agreements where you subsidize COBRA premiums—you may also need to coordinate those arrangements with Anuvi. If you choose not to use Anuvi and instead administer COBRA yourself, your company is responsible for managing all compliance requirements, notices, elections, and payments directly.
Yes. In addition to federal COBRA requirements, Gusto's continuation coverage support includes state continuation laws (often called mini-COBRA), which apply in certain states and for employers below the federal COBRA threshold. The system applies the appropriate continuation rules based on the employer's location and eligibility criteria. Check out your state's Department of Labor website to learn more.
When a qualifying event occurs, Anuvi sends the required COBRA or continuation election notice directly to the eligible participant. The notice explains their coverage options, deadlines, and premium amounts. Participants also receive access to a secure portal where they can review their options, elect continuation coverage, and make premium payments. If they have questions about their continuation coverage, Anuvi's support team handles those inquiries directly, so former employees can get help without needing to contact the employer.
Since Gusto's partnership with Anuvi, time to receive notices has dropped from 2–3 weeks to 2–3 days. Notices are both emailed and sent via regular mail.