On February 4, 2010, the Department of Labor ("DOL") published a model notice ("CHIP Notice") for use by employers to comply with certain notice requirements under the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 ("CHIPRA").
CHIPRA requires the CHIP Notice to be provided to employees eligible for coverage under an insured or self-insured group health plan in any of the 40 states that provide group health plan premium assistance under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program ("CHIP"). The CHIP Notice informs an employee of the opportunities currently available in the state in which the employee resides, for assistance with group health plan premium payments. Employers with employees in any one of the 40 states are required to comply with the notice requirement, regardless of the employer's location or principal place of business.
Employers are required to provide the CHIP Notice annually, with initial notification required by the later of the first day of the plan year after February 4, 2010, or May 1, 2010. Employers may provide the CHIP Notice concurrently with other materials, such as enrollment packets or the Plan's Summary Plan Description, so long as notification is timely and the employee can appreciate the independent significance of the CHIP Notice.
The CHIP Notice is available on the DOL's website:
- In PDF format at www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/chipmodelnotice.pdf (http://tinyurl.com/yl98eog)
- In modifiable electronic form at www.dol.gov/ebsa/chipmodelnotice.doc (http://tinyurl.com/yjzcuhs)
This article is presented for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice.
