Recover COBRA premiums with new employer's ICHRA?

I work for a UK company (Company A) that has a US subsidiary (Company B). Company B has some US based employees but not enough to mandate a health plan. Instead, Company B has an ICHRA and gives each US employee the ability to use $X thousand each year. Company B is happy for employees to use this money on any kind of healthcare plans and does not want to restrict the employees ability to use the full amount.

A new employee (Bob) has joined company B after leaving their previous job at Company C. Company C has no relationship to Company A or B, Company C has offered Bob a COBRA plan so that he can continue to receive cover but Bob must pay for this.

Like all other employees, Bob has an ICHRA allowance with company B. Company B would be happy for Bob to reclaim his COBRA costs via Company B's ICHRA.

The ICHRA provider has rejected this claim and say that it is not possible for Bob to submit that claim. This seems ridiculous to me. Company B wants employees to benefit from this arrangement. Employees want to benefit from this arrangement. why should the ICHRA provider be in the middle saying "No"?

Should it be possible to setup / modify the ICHRA to allow such claims?

I hope I have explained this clearly. It is such a complex area, we don't fully understand the US system here in the UK. Just looking for as much adcvice as possible, TIA.

submitted by /u/stuartbisset
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