UPDATE FROM ODI: Health Insurance Coverage Flexibility for Ohio Employees
The Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) released a Bulletin on Friday with orders regarding insurers’ response to the COVID-19 threat.
The Bulletin outlines the following requirements for insurers:
- Insurers must continue to permit employers to provide coverage for employees under group policies, regardless of reduced hours.
- Insurers are prohibited from increasing premium rates due to changes in a group’s enrollment.
- Insureds will have the option to defer premium payments, interest free, for up to 60 calendar days from each original premium due date.
- For groups of 20 or more employees, as long as one person is actively employed, eligible employees may elect to continue their health insurance coverage under COBRA.
- Groups with fewer than 20 people with one person actively employed and enrolled in a plan may allow eligible employees to elect state continuation coverage for up to 12 months. If a group has no active employees covered under a plan, employees will be eligible for a special enrollment period.
- Employees who lose coverage will be eligible for a special enrollment period to enroll in new health insurance coverage.
Click here to read the full bulletin.
Cornerstone is checking in with our carrier partners to see how they will handle the deferred premium payments, especially as it relates to EFT. We will report all information as it becomes available.
For the most recent carrier and legislative guidance that we currently have available, visit our COVID-19 update pages on the Cornerstone website. Check out the links are below!
Contact your Cornerstone representative with any questions or concerns.