Important Dependent Coverage Changes for Employers
As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), plans that offer coverage to dependents are required to extend coverage to age 26, regardless of the dependent's IRS tax qualification status, marital status, or student status. To fulfill this requirement, employers must provide a mandated 30-day enrollment period to eligible dependents.
To make employers aware of this change and assist them in communicating this information to their employees, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts sent the following letters and model language insert to self-insured and fully insured accounts with renewal dates through October 31, 2010:
In addition, we created a customizable model language document that employers can use to notify their employees of this enrollment opportunity.
For more information on this topic, please see the Dependent Coverage—Extension to Age 26 provision.
This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult your legal counsel regarding your specific situation.
Please note that this content is only intended to describe national health care reform requirements under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). It does not address Massachusetts law requirements or the potential impact of Massachusetts law on federal PPACA requirements.
For purposes of PPACA implementation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts assumes the plan year is the policy year, unless an account notifies us otherwise.
