Information on health care reform and your benefits
Following the passage of the Health Care Reform Bill in March, we anticipate some changes over the next several years, many of which remain to be seen. One change that is supposed to be effective this first year is the extension of coverage to adult “dependent” children up to age 26, regardless of marital status. Several employees have already asked about this, but it is not yet clear when this provision takes effect.
We are working with our broker, USI, to get clarification about the next steps with regard to a timeline and requirements for implementation. The law specifies that it takes effect not sooner than six months from March 23, 2010 (the date the law was signed), but it may not be effective until the new plan year following that date (April 1, 2011).
We are also waiting to hear exactly what the definition of “dependent” will be as it relates to eligibility for medical coverage through a parent. It may be different than the usual IRS definition to determine if a child can be claimed as a dependent. Additionally, it’s possible there may be litigation attempting to delay implementation of the law, which creates even more uncertainty.
We will let you know the answers to these questions as soon as they become available.
– Human Resources