Posted on 08/22/2013 5:43:21 PM PDT by randita
UVa eliminates health insurance for working spouses of employees
Coverage will end Jan. 1 in a move that officials hope will save “millions of dollars.” by DEREK QUIZON |
The (Charlottesville) Daily Progress
Thursday, August 22, 2013
CHARLOTTESVILLE — The University of Virginia will no longer provide insurance coverage to the working spouses of its employees, a move university officials hope will save “millions of dollars.”
Starting Jan. 1, employee spouses who have health insurance coverage under their employers cannot get coverage under UVa’s plan. If the spouse is covered under a plan defined by the Affordable Care Act as “minimum value” and “affordable,” he or she will no longer be eligible.
Cutting off working spouses with access to health insurance is part of the university’s plan to save money in the long-term, said UVa spokesman McGregor McCance. If employees wish to keep their spouses enrolled, they must certify their spouses do not have access to health care coverage with their current employer during open enrollment, between Oct. 7 and Oct. 25. If both spouses are employed with the university, they both keep their coverage.
Coverage for children and stepchildren will not change. How many employees and spouses will be affected by the change will not be certain until after the open enrollment procedure, McCance said.
Officials said the move is necessary to rein in growing medical costs and allow the university to focus on preventive care for its employees.
Total medical claims grew 28 percent, from $99 million to $127 million, between 2008 and 2012. This year, administrators expect costs to rise about 6.8 percent. The implementation of the Affordable Care Act will cost the university about $7 million in 2014, and by 2018, the university will have to pay a 40 percent tax on its individual premium plans, officials said in a news release.
The university is also requiring employees to complete an online health survey and sign up for a health screening by Oct. 31 to avoid an increase in premiums.
Employees can submit lab results from their doctors, taken anytime between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31 of this year, in lieu of the screening, according to the release. Susan Carkeek , the university’s chief human resources officer, said the assessment is to identify long-term trends and common health risks. The university, she said, “will only use aggregated data with no employee names. These data help us identify trends and guide our wellness efforts.”
My bet is that 75%+ of UVa employees voted for Obama so I'm sure they'll be absolutely DELIGHTED with the changes wrought by Obamacare.
VA ping
How's that hopey changey stuff working for ya?
Sarah Palin
“My bet is that 75%+ of UVa employees voted for Obama so I’m sure they’ll be absolutely DELIGHTED with the changes wrought by Obamacare.”
The only thing “conservative” about the above statement is the number - I’d put it at 90%.
So all employees there are paid by the government of Virginia and now they are going to be screwed by Federal Gov't employees just a few miles away in Washington DC
Righttttttttt!
WE TOLD YOU SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
99%
another way libs wage war on married couples.
“”If the spouse is covered under a plan defined by the Affordable Care Act as “minimum value” and “affordable,” he or she will no longer be eligible.””
And just how many people and how many man hours will it take to determine that? May have to hire a bunch of new employees that will cost more in salary than the insurance premium for the spouse. Great thinking!
When spouses have to go out and buy their own insurance it may be better to just quit and become a House wife.
Delta Airlines has been mentioned as likely
A thought just crossed my mind. All the homosexual spouses who have fought for a long time so they can be put on their fruit partners insurance just got screwed.
I don’t see the problem here. If an employee’s spouse gets health insurance from her job, why should her hubby’s insurance provide redundent coverage?
Hee hee....unintended consequence...0bammy's policies produce more stay at home moms. Tables turned...we should never let an "0" crisis go to waste.
A blind follower cousin of mine worked there a few years ago. The wun can do no wrong in his eyes.
Pretty easy to implement I'd think.
You cancel all the spousal coverage.
And put the burden of proof on the employee to bring in tax returns showing no W-2s for the spouse.
If there are W-2s, employee must produce an affadavit from that employer verifying no coverage available.
ping
WoW!!! Do you ever have a way with words!!! (grin)
U.Va. will use the savings to post more signs in Spanish in it’s hospital complex!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.