California – Early Retiree Reinsurance Program
Rising health care costs have made it difficult for employers to provide quality, affordable health insurance for workers and retirees while also remaining competitive in the global marketplace. The percentage of large firms providing workers with retiree health coverage has dropped from 66 percent in 1988 to 29 percent in 2009.1 Health insurance premiums for older Americans are over four times more expensive than they are for young adults,2 and the deductible these enrollees pay is, on average, almost four times that for a typical employer-sponsored insurance plan.3
The Affordable Care Act creates a new program called the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program to help address this challenge that employers and older employees are facing. The Early Retiree Reinsurance Program provides $5 billion in financial assistance to employers and unions to help them maintain coverage for early retirees age 55 and older who are not yet eligible for Medicare.
Businesses, other employers, and unions that are accepted into the program will receive reimbursement for medical claims for early retirees and their spouses, surviving spouses, and dependents. Savings can be used to reduce employer health care costs, provide premium relief to workers and families, or both. Applicants who are approved into the program receive reinsurance for the claims of high-cost retirees and their families (80 percent of the costs from $15,000 to $90,000). The program ends on January 1, 2014 when State health insurance Exchanges are up and running.
HHS has approved the following sponsors from California. More applications are being approved each day.
- ABC Unified School District
- ACWA Health Benefits Authority
- Aera Energy Services Company
- Agilent Technologies, Inc.
- Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Industry Health & Welfare Trust
- Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
- Alhambra Unified School District
- Allergan, Inc.
- Alta Vista School
- Alum Rock Union Elementary School District
- Alvord Unified School District
- America Honda Motor Company, Inc.
- American Union Elementary School District
- Anaheim City School District
- Anaheim Union High School District
- Angelus Sanitary Can Machine Company
- Antelope Valley School Transportation Agency
- Applera Corporation
- Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applied Micro Circuits Corporation
- Aromas-San Juan Unified School District
- Arvin Union School District
- Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs
- ATU Local 1277 Health and Welfare Fund, Inc.
- Automobile Club of Southern California
- Avery Dennison Corporation
- BAC Local No. 3 Health & Welfare Trust Fund
- Bakersfield City School District
- Bakery & Confectionery Wrkrs Local No 125 Health & Welfare Tr Fund
- Baldwin Park Unified School District
- Basic American, Inc.
- Bay Area Delivery Drivers Security Fund
- Bay Area Hod Carriers Welfare Trust Fund
- Bd. of Trustees Lithographers & Photoengravers Local 285 Welfare Fund
- Beardsley School District
- Beckman Coulter, Inc.
- Berkeley Unified School District*
- Board of Trustees of IBEW Local 100 Health and Welfare Trust Fund
- Brawley Elementary School District
- Briggs Elementary School District
- Burton School District
- Butte Schools Self-Funded Programs
- CAHP Health Benefits Trust
- Cal Poly Pomona Foundation, Inc.
- Calexico Unified School District*
- California Correctional Peace Officers Association Benefit Trust
- California Institute of Technology
- California Ironworkers Field Welfare Plan
- California Physicians' Service
- California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS or PERS)
- California Service Employees Health and Welfare Trust Fund
- California State Automobile Association Inter-Insurance Bureau
- California's Valued Trust
- CalPortland Company
- Carlsbad Unified School District
- Carpenters Health and Welfare Trust Fund for California
- CB Richard Ellis Services, Inc.
- Cement Masons Health & Welfare Trust Fund for North Carolina
- Cement Masons Southern California Health and Welfare fund
- Central Contra Costa Sanitary District
- Central Unified School District
- Central Union High School District
- Central Union School District
- Century Aluminum Company
- Chabot-Las Positas Community College District
- City & County of San Francisco
- City of Anaheim
- City of Bakersfield
- City of Berkeley*
- City of Cerritos
- City of Chico
- City of Clovis
- City of El Centro
- City of Escondido
- City of Fontana
- City of Gardena*
- City of Glendale Finance Division
- City of Hemet*
- City of Hermosa Beach*
- City of Huntington Beach
- City of Irvine
- City of La Verne
- City of Laguna Beach
- City of Lancaster
- City of Livermore
- City of Long Beach
- City of Los Angeles - Dept of Pensions
- City of Merced
- City of Modesto
- City of Monrovia
- City of Montclair
- City of Monterey Park
- City of Mountain View
- City of Napa
- City of National City
- City of Oceanside*
- City of Pittsburg*
- City of Pleasanton
- City of Redding
- City of Redlands
- City of Redondo Beach
- City of Sacramento
- City of San Diego*
- City of San Jose
- City of Santa Barbara
- City of Santee
- City of Seaside
- City of Simi Valley*
- City of Sonora
- City of South Lake Tahoe
- City of South San Francisco
- City of Stockton
- City of Turlock*
- City of Ventura
- City of Victorville
- City of Visalia
- City of Watsonville*
- CMTA-IAM Joint Retiree Health and Welfare Trust
- Coachella Valley Water Dist
- Coast Community College District
- Coastal Schools Employee Benefits Organization
- Communications & Power Industries Inc.
- Community Development Commission of the County of Los Angeles*
- Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula
- Conejo Valley Unified School District
- Construction Teamsters Security Fund for Southern California
- Contra Costa Community College District*
- Contra Costa County
- Contra Costa Water District
- Con-way Inc.
- Cooperative Personnel Services
- County Deputy Sheriffs Assoc. Inc.
- County of Alameda
- County of Amador
- County of Calaveras
- County of El Dorado
- County of Fresno
- County of Imperial
- County of Kern
- County of Marin
- County of Mendocino
- County of Merced
- County of Orange
- County of Riverside
- County of Sacramento
- County of San Benito
- County of San Bernardino
- County of San Joaquin
- County of San Mateo
- County of Santa Barbara
- County of Santa Clara
- County of Sonoma
- County of Tehama*
- County of Tulare
- County of Ventura*
- County Sanitation Districts of Orange County
- County Schools Service Fund
- CSAC Excess Insurance Authority
- Cutler OROSI Unified School District
- Del Monte Corporation
- Del Norte County *
- Delano Joint Union High School c/o Ruben Hill 6
- Delano Union School District
- Delta Dental of California
- Department of Water and Power, City of Los Angeles
- Dinuba Unified School District
- Directors Guild of America-Producer Health Plan
- District Council 16 Northern California Health & W
- Ducor Union Elementary School District*
- E & J. Gallo Winery
- Earlimart School District
- East Bay Municipal Utility District
- East Bay Regional Park District
- East Whittier City School District
- Eastern Sierra Unified School District
- El Centro School District
- El Monte City School District
- El Nido Elementary School District
- El Tejon Unified School District
- Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.
- Electrical Workers Health & Welfare Trust Fund for Contra Costa County
- Elk Grove Benefits Employee Retirement Trust
- Escalon Unified School District
- Evergreen School District
- Exeter Union High School District
- Fairfax School District
- Farmers Group, Inc.
- Farmersville Unified School District
- Fireman's Fund Insurance Company
- First American Financial Corporation
- Fontana Unified School District
- Foothill-De Anza Community College District
- Fresno City Employees Health and Welfare Trust
- Fresno County Supt. of Schools
- Fresno Deputy Sheriffs & Sheriffs Assoc. Insurance Bene Tr Fund
- Fresno Unified School Dsitrict
- Garden Grove Unified School District
- GenCorp Inc.
- Glaziers, Architectural Metal & Glass Workers Local Union 1399 Health & Welfare Trust
- Glendale Unified School District
- Glendora Unified School District
- Gold Coast Joint Benefits Trust
- Graphic Arts Industry and GCIU Local 404 Health & Welfare Trust Fund
- Greenfield Union School District
- Guadalupe Union School District
- Gustine Unified School District
- Heat & Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Health and Welfare Fund
- Heat and Frost Insulators of Northern California-Local Union No. 16
- Hermosa Beach City School District
- High Desert & Inland Employee Employer Trust FKA-
- Hilmar School District
- Hollister School District
- Huntington Beach Union High School
- I.A.T.S.E. Local #16 Health & Welfare Trust Fund
- IBEW Local 18, Health & Welfare Trust
- IBEW Local 234 Health & Welfare Fund
- IBEW Local 595 Health & Welfare Trust
- ILWU-PMA Welfare Plan
- Imperial Irrigation District
- Industrial Employers and Distributors Assoc
- Inglewood City of
- Inland Empire IBEW-NECA Health Plan
- In-N-Out Burgers, A California Corporation
- Intel Corporation
- International Association of Fire Fighters*
- Inyo County
- Inyo County Superintendent of Schools
- Irvine Unified School District
- Island Union School District
- Jack in the Box Inc.
- Jefferson Elementary School District
- Jefferson School District
- Joint Board of Trustees, Central California Electical Health & Welfare Plan
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.
- Kern County Electrical Health & Welfare Fund
- Kernville Union School District
- Kings Canyon Unified School District
- Kit Carson School District
- Laborers Health & Welfare Trust Fund for Northern California
- Laborers Health and Welfare Trust for Southern California
- Laguna Beach Unified School District
- Lake Elsinore Unified School District
- Lakeside Union School District
- Lammersville Elementary School District
- Lamont Elementary School District
- Lancaster School District
- Latham & Watkins LLP
- Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
- Le Grand Union High School District
- Leland Stanford Junior University
- Lemoore Elementary School District
- Lemoore Union High School District
- Levi Strauss & Co.
- Life Technologies Corporation
- Linden Unified School District
- Lompoc Unified School District
- Long Beach Unified School District
- Los Alamitos Unified School District
- Los Angeles City Employees' Retirement System
- Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA)
- Los Angeles Firemen's Relief Association, Inc.
- Los Angeles Machinist Benefit Trust
- Los Angeles Police Relief Association, inc.
- Los Angeles Unified School District
- Los Rios Community College Dis
- Lynwood Unified School District
- Mammoth Unified School District
- Mariposa County Unified School District
- Mattel, Inc.
- McFarland Unified School District
- McKesson Corporation
- McSwain Union Elementary School
- Media Guild Health and Welfare Trust Fund
- Medical Underwriters of California
- Meggitt-USA, INC.
- Mendocino County Superintendent of Schools
- Merced Community College District
- Mesa Union School District
- Metropolitan Employees Benefits Association And Trust
- MFOW Welfare Fund
- Modesto City School Districts
- Mojave Unified School District
- Mono County Superintendent of Schools
- Monson-Sultana Unified School District
- Monterey Bay Public Employees Benefit Tr
- Monterey County Schools Insurance Group
- Monterey Peninsula Community College District*
- Moreno Valley Unified School District
- Morrison & Foerster LLP
- Motion Picture Industry Health Plan
- Mount Shasta Union School District
- Mupu School District
- National Cement Company of California
- Nestle USA, Inc.
- New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc.
- Newhall School District
- Newport-Mesa Unified School District
- Northern California Bakery & Confectionery Health & Welfare Fund
- Northern California Bakery Drivers Security Fund
- Northern California Pipe Trades Health and Welfare TR
- Northern California Plasterers Health and Welfare Trust Fund
- Northern California Sheet Metal Workers Health Car
- Northern California Tile Industry Health and Welfare Trust Fund
- Northrop Grumman Corporation
- Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District
- Oakland Unified School District
- Occidental Petroleum Corporation
- Oceanside Unified School District
- OCU Health and Welfare Trust
- Office and Professional Employees Insurance Trust Fund of California
- Office and Professional Employees Locals 30 Health and Welfare Trust
- Office and Professionals Employees Welfare Fund
- Ojai Unified School District
- Operating Engineers Health and Welfare Fund
- Operating Engineers Local 501 Security Fund*
- Operating Engineers Public and Miscellaneous Employees Health and Welfare
- Orange Unified School District
- Orcutt Union School District
- Pacific Gas and Electric Company
- Padre Dam Municipal Water District
- Pajaro Valley Unified School District
- Palmdale Elementary School District
- Palo Alto Unified School District
- Palomar Community College District*
- Palomar Pomerado Health
- Panama-Buena Vista Union School District
- Paramount Unified School District (95-6002353)
- Park Water Company
- Pasadena Unified School District
- Paso Robles Joint Unified School District
- Peace Officers Research Association of California
- Pensioned Operating Engineers Health and Welfare Trust Fund
- Peralta Community College District
- Peralta Conmmunity College District
- Permanente Medical Group, Inc
- Piedmont Unified School District
- Pioneer Union Elementary School District Kings County
- Pipe Trades District Council 36 Health & Welfare Fund
- Pixley Union School District
- Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District
- Plastering Industry Welfare Trust Fund
- Pleasant Valley School District
- Pleasant View School District
- Plumbers and Steamfitters Managed Health Care Trust Fund
- Pomona Unified School District
- Porterville Unified School District*
- Poway Unified School District
- Public Transportation Services Corporation
- Qualcomm Incorporated
- Raley's
- Rambus Inc.
- Ramona Unified School District
- Redlands Unified School District
- Redondo Beach Unified School District
- Redwood Empire Electrical Workers Health and Welfare Trust Fund
- Redwood Empire Municipal Insurance Fund (REMIF)
- Redwood Empire Schools' Insurance*
- Rialto Unified School District
- Richland-Lerdo School District
- Ripon Unified School District
- Riverside Community College District
- Riverside County Electrical Workers Health & Welfare Fund
- Riverside Employer/Employee Partnership for Benefi
- Riverside Sheriffs'Association Benefit Trust
- Riverside Transit Agency
- Roofers Health and Welfare Plan
- Rosedale Union School District
- Sacramento City Unified School District
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District
- Saddleback Valley Unified School District
- San Bernardino Community College District
- San Diego County Employees Retirement Association
- San Diego County Schools Voluntary Employees Benefits
- San Diego County Teamsters - Employers Insurance Trust
- San Diego Electrical Health & Welfare Trust
- San Diego Gas & Electric Company
- San Diego State University Foundation
- San Diego Transit IBEW 465 Security Fund Health & Welfare Fund
- San Diego Transit No 1309 Security Fund Health and Welfare Fund
- San Diego, Unified Port District
- San Francisco Culinary, Bartenders & Service Employees Welfare Fund
- San Francisco Electrical Workers Health & Welfare Trust
- San Gabriel Unified School District
- San Joaquin County Office of Education
- San Jose Evergreen Community College District
- San Jose Unified School District
- San Juan Unified School District
- San Luis Coastal Unified School District
- San Luis Obispo County Community College District
- San Mateo Union High School District
- Santa Ana Police Officers Association
- Santa Ana Unified School District
- Santa Barbara Community College District
- Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District
- Santa Clara County Schools Insurance Group
- Santa Clara Unified School District*
- Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
- Santa Cruz City Schools
- Santa Maria-Bonita School District
- Santa Ynez Valley Union High School
- Save Mart Supermarkets
- School Risk & Insurance Management Group
- Screen Actors Guild-Producers Health Plan
- SCRTD BRC Medical Plan Trust Fnd
- Selma Unified School District
- Sempra Energy
- Shandon Joint Unified School District
- Shasta-Trinity Schools Insurance Group
- Sheet Metal Workers' Health Plan of S. California, Arizona, & Nevada
- Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 Health Care Plan
- Sierra Pacific Industries
- Sign, Pictorial and Display Industry Welfare Fund
- Silgan Containers Manufacturing Corporation
- Silgan White Cap Americas
- Silver Valley Unified School District
- SISC III
- Slakey Brothers Inc.
- So. Calif. Soft Drink Industry & Teamsters Health
- Solano Community College
- Solano-Napa Counties Electrical Workers Health & Welfare Trust
- Solar Turbines Incorporated
- Somis Union School District
- Sonoma County Junior College District
- Soquel Union Elementary School District
- South Counties Employer Employee Trust (SCEET)
- South Fork Union School District
- Southem California Pipe Trades (SCPT) Health and Welfare Fund
- Southern CA Pipe Trades Pensioners & Surviving Spouses Health Trust*
- Southern California Bakery & Confectionery Union and Industry Welfare
- Southern California Bakery Drivers' Security Fund
- Southern California Dairy Industry Security Fund
- Southern California Drug Benefit Fund
- Southern California Edison Company
- Southern California Floor Covering Trust
- Southern California Gas Company
- Southern California Glaziers Architectural Metal & Glass Health & Welfare Plan
- Southern California IBEW-NECA Health Trust Fund
- Southern California Local 831 Employer Health Plan
- Southern California Painting and Drywall Industries Health & Welfare
- Southern California Permanente Medical Group
- Southern California Schools Employee Benefits Assoc
- Southern Kern Unified School District
- Southwest Carpenters Health and Welfare Trust Fund
- Southwest Transportation Agency
- Standard School District
- Stanford Hospital & Clinics
- Stanislau County *
- Stationary Engineers Welfare Fund
- Stockton Port District
- Superintendent of Schools
- Superior Court of California County
- Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma
- Superior Court of Contra Costa County State of California
- SureWest Communications
- Taft City School District
- Teamsters and Food Employers Security Trust Fund
- Teamsters Benefit Trust
- Teamsters Local Union No. 856 Health and Welfare Trust Fund
- Teamsters Miscellaneous Security Fund
- Teamsters Retiree Trust
- Tehachapi Unified School District
- Temecula Valley Unified School District
- Templeton Unified School District
- Terra Bella Union School District
- The Capital Group Companies, Inc.
- The City Santa Rosa
- The Clorox Company
- The High Desert "Partnership in Academic Excellence" Foundation, Inc.
- The PMI Group, Inc.
- The Regents of the University of California
- The Walt Disney Company
- Three Rivers Union School District
- Torrance Unified School District
- Traver School District*
- Tri-County Schools Insurance Group
- Tulare City School District
- Tulare County Superior Court*
- Tustin Unified School District
- U.A. LOCAL 38 HEALTH & WELFARE TRUST FM
- U.A. Local 393 Health & welfare Trust Fund
- U.A. Local 447 Pipe Trades Health & Welfare Trust Fund
- U.A. Local 467 Health and Welfare Trust Fund
- UFCW & Employers Benefit Trust
- UFCW N California & Drug Employers Health & Welfare Trust Fund
- UFCW Unions & Food Employers Benefit Fund
- Ukiah Unified School District
- Union Bank, N.A.
- United Association No. 159 Health and Welfare Trust
- United Firefighters of LA City Local 112
- University of the Pacific
- Upland Unified School District
- Upper Lake Union High School District
- URS Corporation
- URS E&C Holdings, Inc.
- USS-POSCO Industries
- UTU-MTA Trust Fund
- Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
- Ventura County Community College District
- Ventura County Schools Business Services Authority
- Victor Valley Union High School District
- Vineland School District
- Vista Del Mar Union School District*
- VISTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
- WEED UNION ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
- Wells Fargo & Company
- West Kern Community College District
- West Valley-Mission Community College District
- Westamerica Bancorporation
- Westminster School District
- WESTSIDE UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT
- Whittier Union High School District
- Woodlake Union Elementary
- Woodlake Union High
- Woodland Joint Unified School District
- Writers' Guild-Industry Health Fund
- Yamaha Motor Corp. USA
- Yokohama Tire Corporation
- YOSEMITE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
- Yosemite Unified School District
- Yreka Union High School District
- Yreka Union School District
- Zoological Society of San Diego
*New program participants as of May 24, 2011. List to be updated monthly.
[1] Kaiser / HRET. Employer Health Benefits: 2009 Survey.
[2] Center for Policy and Research. Individual Health Insurance 2009.
[3] Kaiser Family Foundation. 2010. Survey of People Who Purchase Their Own Insurance.