Dear Valued Client,

As your insurance agency, Atlantic Benefit Company strives to keep you informed of what to expect when there is a change to the laws regarding employee benefits.

In New Hampshire HB 790 has recently passed, and it will basically expand/ extend coverage for dependents under age 26 even if they are not full-time students. Each insurer is responding to the law and will comply with the NH State Requirement.

This bill expands the definition of dependent to include a subscriber’s child (by blood or law) who:

(a) is less than 26 years of age,

(b) is unmarried,

(c) is a resident of New Hampshire, or is enrolled at a public or private institution of higher education, and

(d) is not provided coverage as a named subscriber under any other group or individual health.

Additional Information:

Attached NH Insurance Department Bulletin

Links:

Copy of Law:

http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2007/HB0790.html


Sheehan, Phinney, Bass and Green, PA, Law Office Article:

Sheehan.com  

What does this mean to you?

This means that any employee who has had a dependent child that in the past has lost coverage because he/she exceeded the current age of eligibility- that dependent child may now be able to re-enroll. There will be a special enrollment time period. If you have any questions about how to handle this enrollment please give us a call at 603-882-2909.

Each insurance carrier will be sending out information in the weeks to come. We have prepared a summary below on how the various NH carriers will handle dependents who are affected. Please feel free to call us to ask for additional clarification.

If requesting any change, an Enrollment Change Form and Standardized Health Form are required.

HOW NH CARRIERS WILL HANDLE HB790:

Harvard Pilgrim:

Special open enrollment period between October 1 and November 30, 2007. This open enrollment period applies to two categories of dependent children as follows:

Dependent children who are not currently enrolled but who are newly eligible under the law. The effective date of coverage for such newly added dependents will be October 1, 2007.

Dependent children who are currently enrolled but who would lose coverage under existing eligibility rules between September 15 and October 1, 2007. These individuals will not be terminated prior to October 1, 2007. However, they must reapply during the special open enrollment and meet the new eligibility rules, described above, to remain covered. If they do not reapply, they will be terminated effective October 1, 2007.

Cigna HealthCare:

Effective September 15, 2007 , dependent children currently covered under your plan will no longer automatically “age-out” under your current plan provisions but will remain covered until they reach their 26th birthday. As a result, please disregard the Student Verification notice that you may have recently received, as your children can continue to be covered until their 26th birthday regardless of student status.

As a requirement of this law, beginning on October 1, 2007 , CIGNA will provide a special open enrollment period which will run through November 30, 2007 . The special open enrollment period is limited to those subscribers who already have family or parent/child(ren) coverage and:

* who have dependents who were previously not eligible for coverage, and who now qualify under the new law, or
* who have dependents who were previously covered and then lost eligibility for coverage and who now qualify under the new law.

Dependents can be enrolled effective any day between October 1 and November 30, 2007, as requested by the employer.

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield:

Anthem is holding a Special Enrollment Period from October 1 through November 30, 2007. Dependent coverage will be effective on the first of the month following Anthem’s receipt of a completed application for members who have either family coverage or subscriber/child coverage. Dependents on either of these types of policies who had outgrown previous eligibility requirements- and can meet the new ones – can re-enroll on their parents’ Anthem policy during this special period. If a dependent has already acquired an individual policy, they can terminate that policy and re-enroll on yours.

Patriot HealthCare:

In order to enroll an eligible dependant during Patriot’s open enrollment period, subscribers must submit a completed and signed enrollment change form to Patriot (along with a completed and signed Standardized Health Form for the dependent). Enrollment will be effective on the first of the month following Patriot’s receipt of the completed forms. The earliest enrollment effective date will be October 1, 2007, and the latest enrollment effective date will be December 1, 2007.

UnitedHealthCare: 

UnitedHealthCare is holding a Special Enrollment Period from October 1 through November 30, 2007.  In order to enroll an eligible dependant during United HealthCare's open enrollment period, subscribers must submit a completed and signed enrollment change form to United.  Enrollment will be effective on October 1, 2007 only.

Northeast Delta Dental: 

Northeast Delta Dental has established its open enrollment period to be November 1 through December 31, 2007.  However, if your medical carrier has established an earlier open enrollment period, we will accept the enrollment of dependents meeting the criteria at the same time they are enrolled in your medical plan.  Important:  The effective date of such reinstated coverage will be the first of the month following receipt of all properly completed enrollment materials during the special open enrollment period.