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GIMS
Benefits Newsletter - NOVEMBER 2007
Message
from Mark
 This month’s
newsletter has specific updates on the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts Health Care Reform (HCR) Legislation. Recently I
attended a forum sponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Health
Underwriters (MassAHU) regarding this subject.
In attendance were
representatives of the state agencies DUA, DHCFP and the Connector
involved in the implementation of this new HCR. While there are still
more amendment updates forthcoming this month and in the future, it was
made loud and clear to these agencies from MASSAHU representatives that
CLARITY, COSISTENCY and COMMON SENSE are needed by these agencies
regarding the legislation and implementation.
Unfortunately, employers
have been given numerous responsibilities with little
clarification. Some of this is changing – more is
needed.
As you review MassAHU's new extension website
on HCR, www.masshealthreformact.com, please note the new changes
regarding the 3 main issues: HIRD, Section 125 and FSC. Rest
assured
that updated information is always readily available on our
website, www.YourRightArm.com for your use. In addition to this,
the leading health insurance carriers in MA have their legal and legislative staff reviewing
this HCR legislation and its amendments.
We will be in
attendance at
many seminars being sponsored by these health insurance carriers
through the end of this year and beyond. You are welcome to
recommend our website to other
employers
and their representatives- including being placed on our e-News/Alerts
automated list. They simply need to access our website and make a
request to be on our mailing list for the e-News/Alerts.
If you
have
specific questions that you are unable to quickly find an answer,
please Contact Us and we will do our best to answer your questions
promptly.
As always, I am appreciative of your loyalty as our clients and the
professional relationships that we have developed together.
Sincerely,
Mark
Health
Care Reform Update - Don't Miss the November 15th Deadline
Employer Fair Share and HIRD
filings due by November 15
Massachusetts employers with 11 or more full-time equivalent employees
are required to complete a Fair Share Contribution and Health Insurance
Responsibility Disclosure (HIRD) filing by November 15, 2007,
regardless of whether the employees reside in or out of Massachusetts.
The filing must be completed online at https://fsc.detma.org.
The Fair Share Contribution filing verifies that an employer is making
a “fair and reasonable premium contribution” toward
the cost of their employees’ health insurance. Employers who
don’t make a “fair and reasonable
contribution” are required to pay a per-employee contribution
amount of up to $295 annually.
In order to ease an additional reporting requirement placed on
employers by the legislation, the Department of Unemployment Assistance
(DUA) has incorporated into the fair-share filing process the HIRD
information that must be submitted to the Division of Health Care
Finance and Policy.
The employer HIRD reporting confirms that an employer is offering a
Section 125 plan that meets the regulations of the Health Connector. In
addition to employer information, the filing must include the number of
full-time and part-time employees and whether the employer offers
subsidized insurance and/or a Section 125 cafeteria plan.
The first annual report encompasses employment and health insurance
data for the applicable base period of October 1, 2006 to September 30,
2007. Filing is by employer DUA number.
More information can be found on the DUA Web site at www.mass.gov/fairshare.
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