August 2, 2023
HR, Law & Policy, Workplace
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employer cancels health benefits without informing_

When Employer Cancels Health Benefits Without Informing

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(Last Updated On: August 2, 2023)

Your health insurance right depends on how big your employer is. It can happen when the employer cancels your health benefits without informing you. Is it right? Under the Affordable Care Act, large employers are obliged to provide health insurance to employees. If your employer is a small business, it has the freedom to cancel your health insurance. The minimum law is whether you are entitled to any advance warning.

What if the employer cancels health benefits without informing?

Requirements and Pertinent Considerations

For those employers with pre-existing employee health insurance plans, a pertinent question arises: What are the obligations surrounding the modification or rescission of coverage? Recent court cases have served as beacons of illumination, casting light on the responsibilities of employers under the all-encompassing and formidable umbrella of the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which sets forth the stipulations for providing notice of all benefits coverage and any alterations to covered employees.

The Imperative of Notice and Material Modification

Under the unwavering dominion of ERISA, employers bear the responsibility of delivering a minimum of 60 days notice prior to implementing any material modifications to benefits coverage. Now, what precisely constitutes a material modification? It encompasses a plethora of changes, including any diminution or eradication of benefits, revisions to the responsibilities of enrolled individuals, and alterations to plan eligibility criteria.

Moreover, in the event of a substantial reduction in benefits, employees must be duly notified no later than 60 days following the date of adoption of the modification or change. As ordained by federal law, a “material reduction” extends its broad arms to encompass any modification to the plan that the average plan participant would unequivocally perceive as a pivotal diminution in covered services or benefits.

This comprehensive definition incorporates changes such as the outright elimination of benefits payable under the plan, reductions in benefits payable, escalating premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, or other financial contributions imposed on participants or beneficiaries, curtailment of the service area covered by a health maintenance organization, and the introduction of novel conditions or requirements (such as preauthorization prerequisites) for obtaining services or benefits under the plan.

The Invaluable Notice for Temporary Extension of Group Health Coverage

Enlightening employees about their rights to avail themselves of a temporary extension of group health coverage, more commonly known as COBRA, represents a quintessential notice requirement. This provision comes into play when an employee’s work coverage is lost due to a “qualifying event.” The responsibility of providing this notice serves as an indispensable aspect of an employer’s duty to safeguard the best interests of their esteemed workforce.

Navigating Notice Requirements

Now, a pertinent inquiry surfaces: Are employers obligated to disseminate a comprehensive array of information concerning their employees’ coverage and plan contributions? The answer, as with many intricate matters, is multifaceted. Recently, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals rendered a clarifying verdict, decreeing that a mere switch in the source of an employee’s contributions does not set in motion the employer’s notice requirements.

This judicial elucidation came about in response to a legal battle initiated by a Steak ‘n Shake employee who alleged that the employer failed to apprise her of her right to continue health coverage under COBRA subsequent to the termination of her insurance.

Unraveling the Intricacies: The Steak ‘n Shake Case

The predicament of the aggrieved employee came to the fore after she experienced a workplace injury, leading her to receive workers’ compensation benefits. During her leave, her health insurance contributions were offset against her workers’ compensation payments, rather than her regular paycheck.

However, when her workers’ compensation benefits ceased, the unaffordability of premiums culminated in the termination of her health insurance and her subsequent termination from employment. In the wake of this tumultuous ordeal, the Sixth Circuit concluded that the change in contribution method did not amount to a loss of coverage under the same terms and conditions, thereby obviating the need for a mandatory COBRA notice.

The GM Strike Saga: Health Care Coverage Amidst Turmoil

The resounding echoes of the General Motors (GM) auto workers’ strike reverberated widely, particularly when GM ceased paying for health care coverage for striking employees. A pertinent query arose: Is this a legally sound course of action, even when the workers are members of a union? The unequivocal answer is affirmative, given that GM’s health care plan falls under the purview of ERISA.

In strict compliance with the notice requirement, striking workers would be necessitated to transition to union-paid COBRA plans to ensure the continuation of their health care benefits. GM, in recognition of the adversities faced by striking families, stated that certain benefits were funded by the union’s strike fund, and hourly employees were eligible for union-paid COBRA to secure their health care benefits.

Consulting an Employment Attorney

Should one find themselves embroiled in the labyrinthine complexities of coverage requirements under the Affordable Care Act or notice requirements under ERISA, or if one harbors inquiries concerning the prospect of altering or canceling healthcare coverage for their valued employees, it would be judicious to seek guidance from an astute and experienced employment attorney. Their acumen and expertise will undoubtedly illuminate the path, offering clarity and sagacious counsel on these intricately interwoven matters.

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ACA requirements

The ACA was implemented to reduce the number of uninsured Americans. One rule is that “applicable large employers” must provide group insurance to full-time employees. Defining an ALE is complicated but the rule of thumb is that if companies have 50 full-time employees, they qualify. Removing your insurance away without saying you or not violates the law.

Small companies are not obligated to provide you insurance unless you are in a contract or union agreement. If you work more than 30 hours per week on your workday, the ACA treats you full-time. If your average hour is less then the law does not require your employer to provide insurance. Any coverage the company provides is free to cancel. If you are full-time, it may cut your hours until you qualify.

ERISA

One of the many federal laws covering workers’ benefits, the Employee Retirement Income Protection Act states that your employer must notify you of any major changes to the plan, such as deductions for benefits.

Surprisingly, some courts have said that canceling the plan directly is not a change, so the company does not have to notify anyone. Nevertheless, many companies and business organizations advise employees to be on the safe side of the law.

State Law

Federal law isn’t the only game in town. Some benefits have been added to the law to notify coverage and employees of any material changes to your benefits. Your state’s labor department or insurance commissioner’s department will be able to tell you the law.

If you lose coverage

If you find that your employer has closed your health insurance in secret, contact your boss or human resources and ask why. This could have been a valid reason for them but made a mistake in the notification process. Suppose your health benefits are covered by your unemployed husband, who is now back at work. Many companies will not cover a spouse who can take out insurance through their own employer.

If the company does not have a valid reason, you may have grounds for litigation. To sue someone under ERISA, you must first take administrative steps, such as filing a complaint with the Federal Labor Department. If you end the process without getting a trial, you can go to court.

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