Subject: Federal Health Care Legislation Required Notice - FYI Only
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is the name of the new federal health care legislation which was signed into law on March 23, 2010. The scope of the legislation is very broad, containing numerous provisions, some of which involve a notification to plan participants.
The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) has recently informed us that they will soon be sending you one of these federally mandated PPACA announcements. The announcement is a requirement related to the PPACA provision called the "Early Retiree Reinsurance Program" (ERRP) provision.
It is a "for your information" announcement only. It does not require you to take any action. Its purpose is simply to inform you about some aspects of the ERRP. Briefly, the ERRP applies to early retirees (retirees at least age 55 and not Medicare eligible) and it is designed as an incentive for employers (and plan sponsors such as CMS) to continue offering retiree coverage. Employers can complete an ERRP application and then qualify to receive partial reimbursement for certain valid retiree medical claims between $15,000 and $90,000.
If you are interested in reading more about the ERRP provision or any other of the many provisions of the PPACA, the following is a link to a website that provides a wealth of information about the PPACA - http://www.hhs.gov/ociio/. From this page, click on the "Regulations and Guidance" tab on the left, then the "Early Retiree Reinsurance Program" tab.
It is very likely that in the months ahead, CMS will be sending additional communications to you regarding issues related to the PPACA. If you have questions about the announcement you will receive from CMS, you may contact CMS at 800-442-1300.
If you have questions about any other benefits-related issues, you can contact your campus UPB Benefits Services office at one of the numbers listed below or via email to benefits@uillinois.edu.
Chicago 312-996-6471
Springfield 217-206-7144
Urbana 217-333-3111
Toll-Free: 866-669-4772, Option 1
