[Michlib-l] Obamacare and Small Libraries

[McKee, Diane]

I have attended quite a few webinars and meetings about Health Care Reform.  If you want ALL the information as it is updated, etc. go to this website http://larrygrudzien.com/ and sign up for the enews and updates.

Once I determined that we were a small group (a HUGE sigh of relief), the part-time problem became a non-issue.

Priority Health had some of the most clear webinars on healthcare reform http://www.understandinghealthreform.com/wordpress/?page_id=260

These can be viewed by anyone - not just priority health customers.



Diane McKee
Howell Carnegie Library
517-546-0720, ext. 114
www.howelllibrary.org<http://www.howelllibrary.org>





From: michlib-l-bounces at mail.mcls.org [mailto:michlib-l-bounces at mail.mcls.org] On Behalf Of Ann Perrigo
Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 9:39 AM
To: Andrea Estelle
Cc: MichLibList Serve
Subject: Re: [Michlib-l] Obamacare and Small Libraries

The gentleman who has been overseeing our insurance gave me some very clear information about the Affordable Care Act--except for this one question!  He told me he would let me know when a clear guideline was established (about the 30 hour a week issue) and I haven't heard from him yet.  Maybe I'll shoot him another message today!!

Ann @ Allegan

On Wed, Jul 31, 2013 at 8:43 AM, Andrea Estelle <aestelle at otsegolibrary.org<mailto:aestelle at otsegolibrary.org>> wrote:
Hi Again Everyone -
I agree with Donna completely. I would just like to be able to plan ahead and would love it if the MLA or ALA could help small and medium libraries understand what it means for our staffing.

Just from yesterday's replies I got a wide range of conflicting responses...

I have been told:
It doesn't apply to groups of less than 50
It does apply to groups of less than 50 if you are offering some staff insurance then you need to offer it to all staff working more than 30 hours or you will be fined $3000-$5000 for every person on staff
Part-time Hours don't need to be cut at all
Part-time Hours need to be cut now
Part-time Hours don't need to be cut until January 2014

The attorneys we have asked tell us to call the insurance companies. Our insurance company said that nobody is an expert on this topic and it is very unclear as to how this will work out for employers and give other such vague responses. So when Donna says this topic is time-consuming and frustrating I agree completely. That is why I posted hoping someone out there had a clear answer with a valid source.
Thanks,
Andrea

Andrea Estelle
Library Director
"Brighten The Corner Where You Are"


        401 Dix Street, Otsego, MI 49078
                    (269) 694-9690<tel:%28269%29%20694-9690>
           http://www.otsegolibrary.org/

-----Original Message-----
From: Donna Alward [mailto:dalward at hlpl.lib.mi.us<mailto:dalward at hlpl.lib.mi.us>]
Sent: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 10:18 PM
To: Andrea Estelle
Cc: 'MichLibList Serve'
Subject: Re: [Michlib-l] Obamacare and Small Libraries

Brings to mind when what became PA152 was progressing through the Michigan legislature...

I was given various opinions as to whether libraries were included or intended to be included in what was to become a limit on expenditures for medical health care benefits. Seeking a definitive answer was time consuming and frustrating.

Wonder if the Michigan Library Association (even though Obamacare is a federal law) might, in its role as an an advocate for its members, inquire and work with the American Library Association to get some concrete answers. If like PA152, details and procedures are not exactly clear, action by both the state and national organizations may bring results in a more timely way, which would allow individual libraries time to plan.

Donna J. Alward, Library Director
Houghton Lake Public Library
4431 W. Houghton Lake Dr.
Houghton Lake, MI 48629
Phone: 989.366.9230<tel:989.366.9230>
Fax: 989.366.0063<tel:989.366.0063>
URL: www.hlpl.org<http://www.hlpl.org>

----- Original Message -----
From: Andrea Estelle <aestelle at otsegolibrary.org<mailto:aestelle at otsegolibrary.org>>
To: 'MichLibList Serve' <michlib-l at mail.mcls.org<mailto:michlib-l at mail.mcls.org>>
Sent: Tue, 30 Jul 2013 17:01:06 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [Michlib-l] Obamacare and Small Libraries

Hi Everyone,

Does anyone have a clear, valid source that explains how the upcoming rules for Obamacare relate to a small library? We have 13 staff and 2 are full time with insurance.

My question in regards to it is: Do the staff working over 30 hours need to be working less than 30 hours so that we don't get fined for not offering them insurance? And if so, when does the reduced hours take effect: now or in 2014?

I have gotten a lot of conflicting feedback on this topic and insurance companies are calling it a "grey area" so I wondered if there is any source out there with a clear explanation.


Thank you for your help!

Andrea



Andrea Estelle

Library Director

"Brighten The Corner Where You Are"





 <http://www.otsegolibrary.org/> Home

 401 Dix Street, Otsego, MI 49078

 (269) 694-9690<tel:%28269%29%20694-9690>

 http://www.otsegolibrary.org/






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--
Ann Perrigo, Director
Allegan District Library
331 Hubbard Street
Allegan, MI 49010                               269 673-4625

aperrigo at alleganlibrary.org<mailto:aperrigo at alleganlibrary.org>



Good times or bad--your library is here for you!
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