Legislation

Important Maryland News...

Maryland’s Small Employer Subsidy Program
Enrollment began September 2008!

Governor O’Malley proposed and signed into law a program to reduce the number of uninsured Marylanders.  The Working Families & Small Business Health Coverage Act, approved during the Special Session of 2007 establishes the Small Employer Health Benefit Plan Premium Subsidy Program for small employers not currently offering health insurance to their employees.

The Small Employer Subsidy Program will

• provide an incentive for employers with 2-9 employees to offer health insurance for their employees;
• assist low and moderate income employees of these small employers in obtaining health insurance; and
• promote access to health care services and reward participating individuals for efforts to improve their health and/or manage chronic disease.

Under the Small Employer Subsidy Program, a small business that has 2 to 9 full-time employees, has not offered health insurance to its employees during the previous 12 months, and meets wage and salary requirements established by the Commission, is eligible to receive a subsidy of up to 50% of the premium.  Family coverage can also be subsidized.  Once enrolled in the Program, the business is likely to continue to be eligible for the subsidy in following years.  To receive the premium subsidy, the employer must establish a Section 125 premium conversion plan and must also purchase a wellness benefit as part of the health plan. The subsidy goes both to the employer and to the employee.  Enrollment will be capped to stay within the Small Employer Subsidy Program’s approved annual budget.

Click here to see the full PDF with all of the details.

For additional information visit
the Maryland Healthcare Commission government website
http://mhcc.maryland.gov/partnership/Index.aspx

NAHU Legislative Advocacy (http://www.nahu.org/legislative/index.cfm)