saintrick
Well-Known Member
This is from a 2013 Teamcare mailing.
Thoughts on whether this has any affect on the negotiations.
Question 1
:
What waiting periods are allowed under the ACA?
Answer
:
Beginning in 2014, the ACA requires that a plan not impose a waiting period of
more than 90 days for an eligible employee. This rule applies to all plans regardless if the coverage is provided to the employees by a large or small employer. Eligibility conditions based solely on the lapse of time cannot exceed 90 days. The obligation to provide coverage to an otherwise eligible employee within 90 days is imposed on the plan, not the employer.
.
Under the Central States’ Plan, there is an “establishing period” consisting of 8 weeks of consecutive contributions before coverage is provided to the employee. Therefore, to comply with the requirement that the waiting period be no more than 90 days, Central States will no longer accept a collective bargaining agreement which was ratified on or after July 1, 2013, unless the waiting period under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement is no more than 30 calendar days unless the Board of Trustees explicitly consents in writing to a longer period. For collective bargaining agreements that have already been accepted by Central States (as well as collective bargaining agreements accepted in the future), Central States will require a participating employer to make contributions on any person for any time period for which Central States is required to provide health coverage notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the collective bargaining agreement. The Central States’ Trust Agreement has been amended to include this requirement.
Thoughts on whether this has any affect on the negotiations.
Question 1
:
What waiting periods are allowed under the ACA?
Answer
:
Beginning in 2014, the ACA requires that a plan not impose a waiting period of
more than 90 days for an eligible employee. This rule applies to all plans regardless if the coverage is provided to the employees by a large or small employer. Eligibility conditions based solely on the lapse of time cannot exceed 90 days. The obligation to provide coverage to an otherwise eligible employee within 90 days is imposed on the plan, not the employer.
.
Under the Central States’ Plan, there is an “establishing period” consisting of 8 weeks of consecutive contributions before coverage is provided to the employee. Therefore, to comply with the requirement that the waiting period be no more than 90 days, Central States will no longer accept a collective bargaining agreement which was ratified on or after July 1, 2013, unless the waiting period under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement is no more than 30 calendar days unless the Board of Trustees explicitly consents in writing to a longer period. For collective bargaining agreements that have already been accepted by Central States (as well as collective bargaining agreements accepted in the future), Central States will require a participating employer to make contributions on any person for any time period for which Central States is required to provide health coverage notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the collective bargaining agreement. The Central States’ Trust Agreement has been amended to include this requirement.