Vermont Health Connect Update 10/1/13
The Vermont Health Connect website is live today, 10/1/13. Health Connect is Vermont’s health care exchange for purchasing health insurance for individuals and businesses with under 50 full time employees.
Enrollment and Billing Timelines for Coverage Effective January 1, 2014. Please note that these dates have been provided by the state. We encourage all businesses and individuals to make decision and enroll in a timely manner. The state will need to forward you enrollment and payment information to the insurance carriers and the carriers need time to print the insurance cards and get them out to insured Vermonters.
For Individuals
Individual Enrollment Begins: October 1, 2013
Individual Must Select Plan By: December 15, 2013
Individual Payment Due: December 31, 2013
Coverage Effective: January 1, 2014
For Businesses
Employer Enrollment Begins: October 1, 2013
Employees Should Select Plan By: November 30, 2013*
Employer Payment Due: December 21, 2013
Coverage Effective: January 1, 2014
*Important because invoice to employer is generated on 1st of each month.
Health Connect Program Navigators
Join one of the Vermont Retail Association’s Health Connect Program Navigators in a town near you for “open office hours.” Navigators will be available to meet with businesses and employees about the state’s new Health Care Exchange: Vermont Health Connect. No appointment is necessary during open office hours and there is no charge for this service. All “open office hours” will run from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
See the VRA EVENTS PAGE that lists locations, dates and more details. Also, visit VRA’s health exchange webpage to get more information.
Oct 2- St. Johnsbury
Oct 3- Waitsfield
Oct 8- Bennington
Oct 9- Manchester
Oct 10-White River Jct
Oct 15- St. Albans
Oct 16- Lyndonville
Oct 18- Montpelier
Oct 22- Swanton
Oct 23- Woodstock
Oct 30- Randolph
Required Employer Notices
As you may know, all employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must provide a written notice to all current employees (regardless of part-time or full-time status) by October 1, 2013. For employees hired after October 1, 2013, the information must be provided at the time of hire.
The notice needs to include certain pieces of information, including:
* A description of the health insurance marketplace including a description of the services provided by the Marketplace, and how employees may contact the Marketplace for assistance.
* Notification that if their company’s health insurance plan does not offer affordable, minimum essential coverage, that the employee may be eligible for a premium tax subsidy through the Marketplace.
* If the employee purchases a qualified health plan through the Marketplace, the employee may lose the employer contribution (if any) to any health insurance plan offered by the employer and that all or a portion of such contribution may be excludable from income for Federal income tax purposes.
Employer notices are posted on the Vermont Health Connect website at http://healthconnect.vermont.gov/notices.
Other Key Points
* Starting January 1, 2014, all Vermonters will be required to have health insurance. On October 1, 2013, marks the start of a six month open enrollment period when Vermonters will be able to enroll in that health insurance. Starting October 1, Vermonters can go to www.VermontHealthConnect.gov where they will:
* View available health plan options
* Find out if they qualify for federal and state subsidies that make healthcare more affordable
Small Business Guide to New Health Care Market Now Available
The Vermont Retail Association in conjunction with the Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility and Vermont Medical Society, have put together a comprehensive guide to Vermont Health Connect and information for small businesses. A copy of the guide is available here.