Oregon – 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 Pennsylvania. More applications are being approved each day.

• Utz Quality Foods, Inc.*
• Abington Heights School District
• Abington Memorial Hospital
• Accuride Erie L.P.
• Adams Electric Cooperative, Inc.
• Adhesives Research, Inc.*
• Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts
• Air Products and Chemicals, inc.
• Alcoa Inc.
• Allegheny Clarion Valley School*
• Allegheny College
• Allegheny County Schools Health Insurance Consortium
• Allegheny Energy Service Corporation
• Allegheny Technologies Incorporated
• Altoona Area School District
• American Federation of State, County and Municiple Employees, District Council 47
• American Friends Service Committee
• American Workers Master Benefit Plan Inc*
• American Workers Master Benefit Plan, Inc.
• Ameriserv Financial
• AmerisourceBergen Corporation
• Arin Intermediate Unit 28*
• Arkema Inc.
• Armstrong World Industries, Inc.
• Asbestos Workers Philadelphia Welfare Fund
• Aston Township*
• Bangor Area School District*
• Bayer Corporation
• Beaver Area Schools*
• Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation
• Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc.
• Bedford County Commissioners*
• Belle Vernon Area School District*
• Bellefonte Borough
• Beneficial Bank
• Bensalem Township School District
• Berks County School Districts Health Trust
• Bermudian Springs School District
• BERWIND CORPORATION
• Big Beaver Falls Area School District*
• Big Spring School District*
• Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc.
• Blair Strip Steel Company
• Blue Mountain School District
• Board of Trustees Operating Engineers Local 66 Welfare Fund
• Board of Trustees Southeastern Ironworker Health Care
• Bradford Area School District
• BRADFORD WHITE CORPORATION
• Brookville Area School District
• Brotherhood's Relief and Compensation Fund
• Buckeye Pipe Line Services Company
• Bucknell University
• Bucks County Community College
• Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22*
• Bucks County Technical High School
• BUCKS COUNTY WATER & SEWER AUTHORITY
• BUILDING TRADES HEALTH & WELFARE FUND
• Burnham Holdings, Inc.
• Butler Healthcare Providers d/b/a Butler Memorial
• Buzzi Unicem USA Inc.
• C&D Technologies, Inc.
• C&T Enterprises, Inc.
• Cameron County School District*
• Camp Hill School District
• Capital BlueCross
• Carmeuse Lime, Inc.
• Carpenter Technology Corporation
• Carpenters Health & Welfare Fund of Philadelphia & Vicinity
• CEMENT MASONS UNION LOCAL 592
• Centennial School District*
• Central Bucks School District
• Central Columbia School District
• Central Dauphin School District*
• Central Pennsylvania Teamsters Health and Welfare
• Central Susquehanna Region School Employees' Health & Welfare Trust
• Central York School District
• CENTRIA
• Ceratizit USA, Inc.
• Chambersburg Area School District
• Chichester School District
• CIGNA Corporation
• Citizens & Northern Corporation
• CITY OF ALLENTOWN
• City of Bethlehem
• City of Chester
• City of Harrisburg*
• City of Hermitage
• City of Johnstown*
• City of Lancaster
• City of Lebanon Authority*
• City of Philadelphia
• City of Pittsburgh
• City Of Reading
• City of Sharon
• City of Wilkes-Barre
• City of York School District
• Clarion Area School District*
• Claysburg Kimmel School District*
• Cocalico School District
• Colonial School District
• Columbia Borough School District
• Comcast Corporation
• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• Conestoga Valley S D
• Conewago Valley School Dist
• Conneaut School District
• CONSOL Energy, Inc.
• Continental Cooperative Services*
• Corry Area School District
• Coudersport Area School District*
• County of Allegheny
• County of Berks
• County of Blair
• COUNTY OF CAMBRIA
• County of Dauphin Payroll Dept
• County of Delaware
• County of Erie
• County Of Franklin
• COUNTY OF LANCASTER
• County of Lehigh
• County of Lycoming
• County of Northhampton
• County of Schuylkill
• County of Washington
• County of York
• Cranberry Area School District
• Crawford Career and Technical Center
• Crayola LLC
• Crestwood School District*
• Crown Cork & Seal USA, inc.
• Crozer-Keystone Health System
• Cumberland County
• Cumberland Valley School District
• Cumberland-Perry Area Vocational Technical School
• Cumru Township Commissioners*
• Dallas School District
• Dallastown Area School District
• Dauphin County Technical School
• Delaware Valley Health Insurance Trust
• Delaware Valley School District
• DENTSPLY International Inc.
• Derry Area School District*
• Dickinson College
• District Council 33 Health and Welfare Fund
• DONEGAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
• Dover Area School District
• Downingtown Area School District
• DuBois Area School District*
• Duquesne Light Company, Inc.
• Duquesne Light Holdings, Inc.
• East Lampeter Township
• East Penn Mfg. Co., Inc.
• East Pennsboro Area School District*
• Eastern Lancaster County School
• Eastern York School District
• Easton Area School District
• Elizabethtown Area School District
• Elizabethtown Borough Office
• ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE
• Elk Lake School District
• Elkem Metals, Inc.
• Elliott Company
• Ellwood City Area School District*
• Employee Benefit Trust of Eastern Pennsylvania
• Ephrata Area School Employee Benefit Trust
• EQT Corporation
• Erie Co Technical School
• Evonik Rohmax USA, Inc.
• EW Bowman, Inc
• EXETER TOWNSHIP
• Fairfield Area School District Office Of Secy
• Fairview School District
• FCI USA LLC
• FMC Corporation
• Fort LeBoeuf School District
• Franklin County Career and Technology Center
• Freddom Area School District*
• Fulton Financial Corporation
• Geisinger System Services
• General McLane School District
• Gettysburg Area School District
• Gettysburg College
• Giant Eagle, Inc.
• Girard School District
• GlaxoSmithKIine LLC
• Graphic Communications National Health and Welfare Fund
• GREAT VALLEY SCHOOL DIST
• Greater Johnstown Area Vocational-Technical School*
• Greater Latrobe School District*
• Greater Pennsylvania Carpenters Medical Plan
• Greencastle-Antrim School District
• Greensburg Salem School District*
• Greenville Area School District*
• Grove City Area School District*
• H.J. Heinz Company
• Hamot Health Foundation
• Hampden Township
• Hanover Public School District
• Harbor Creek School District
• Harrisburg School District*
• Hazleton Area School District*
• Hempfield Area School District
• Hempfield School District
• Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company
• Highmark Inc.
• Homer-Center School District*
• Hospital Service Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania
• I.B.E.W. Local Union No. 98 Health and Welfare Fund
• IAFF, Local 22, Joint Health Benefit Trust
• IBEW Local Union No. 375 Electrician's Healthcare
• Independence Blue Cross
• Interface Solutions, Inc*
• Intermediate Unit 1
• International Brotherhood of Elect No 743 & Nation
• International Union of Operating Engineers Welfare
• Iron Workers District Council Philadelphia & Vicinity Welfare P
• Iron Workers Welfare Plan of Western Pennsylvania
• IUPAT District Council NO. 21 Welfare Fund
• IUPAT of Western Pennsylvania Welfare Fund
• Jamestown Area School District
• Jefferson County-DuBois AVTS
• JOHNSONBURG AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
• Juniata College
• Juniata County School District*
• Karns City Area School District*
• KEYSTONE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
• Keystone Foods LLC
• Keystone Powdered Metal Company
• Kiski Area School District*
• Knoll, Inc.*
• Kunzler and Company, Inc.
• Laborers' District Council of W.Pa.Welfare Fund
• Lampeter-Strasburg School District
• Lancaster Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13
• LANXESS Corporation
• Laurel School District*
• Law Enforcement Health Benefits (LEHB) Medical Ret
• Leechburg Area School District*
• Lehigh University
• Lincoln Intermediate Unit Number 12
• LINE MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT
• Local 6 BC&T Workers International Union AFL-CIO Health Welfare Fun
• Longwood Gardens, Inc.
• Lower Paxton Township
• Lycoming County Insurance
• Magnesita Refractories Company
• Manheim Central School District*
• Manheim Township School District*
• Marple Newtown School District*
• Mars Area School District*
• Matthews International Corporation
• Mechanicsburg Area School Dist
• Millcreek Township School District
• Millcreek Township Supervisors
• Mine Safety Appliances Company
• Moniteau School District*
• Monongahela Valley Hospital, Inc.
• Montgomery County Community College
• Mount Pleasant Area School District*
• MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY
• Municipality of Kingston*
• Municipality of Monroeville*
• National Book Co Inc.
• NATIONAL ELEVATOR INDUSTRY HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN
• Neshaminy School District
• Neshannock Township School Accounting MRG Carol A Robinson
• Neville Chemical Company
• New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co., Inc.
• North Allegheny School District
• North Schuylkill School District
• Northampton Boro Municipal Authy
• Northeast Pennsylvania School Districts Health Trust
• Northeastern School District
• Northern Tier Insurance Consortium
• Northern York County Regional Police Dept
• Northern York County School District
• Northwest Tri-County IU5
• NOVA Chemicals Inc.
• Octorara Area School Board*
• Office of Borough of Folcroft*
• Office of Borough of Penbrook*
• Office of Catholic Education*
• Office of The Borough Of Waynesboro
• Office of the Commissioner of Lower Merion TWP
• Office of the Controller County of Bucks
• Oglebay Norton Company
• Ohio State Plumbers & Pipefitters Health & Welfare Fund
• Oil City Area School District
• P. H. Glatfelter Company
• Painters District Council No. 71 Health & Welfare Fund
• Palisades School Board
• Palmer Township Board of Supervisors
• Palmerton Borough
• Penn Cambria School District*
• Penn Detroit Diesel Allison LLC*
• Penn Engineering & Manufacturing Corp.
• Penn Manor School District
• Penncrest School District
• Pennridge School District
• Penns Manor Area School District*
• Pennsbury Joint School Board Office of The Secy
• Pennsylvania National Mutual Casualty Insurance Company
• Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA)
• Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
• Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
• Penske Truck Leasing, Co. LP
• Pequea Valley School District
• PG Publishing Company
• PHILADELPHIA GAS WORKS
• Philadelphia Newspapers Inc Pressmen's Loc 16 Health Welfare Fd
• PIPEFITTERS LU#524 HEALTH & WELFARE FD
• Pittsburgh Corning Corporation
• Pittsburgh Public Schools
• Pittston Area School District
• Pleasant Ridge Manor
• Plumbers & Pipe Fitters Local 354 Health & Welfare
• Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 47 of Northwest PA W
• Plumbers Local 27 Welfare Fund*
• Plumbers Local Union No. 690 Health Plan
• Port Authority of Allegheny County
• Portage Area School District*
• Pottsgrove School District
• Pottsville Area School District
• PPG Industries, Inc.
• PPL Services Corporation
• Precision Kidd Steel Co., Inc. 25-1677730
• Public School Employees' Retirement System
• Punxsutawney Area School District
• Purchase Line School District*
• Quaker Chemical Corporation*
• Red Lion Area School District
• Redbank Valley Joint Schools*
• Republic Retiree VEBA Benefit Trust
• Retirees of CTNA Health Care Trust
• Retirees of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Health Care Trust
• Reynolds School District*
• Ridley Township
• Riverside Beaver County Sc Dis*
• Riverside School District*
• Safe Harbor Water Power Corporation
• Saint-Gobain Corporation
• School District of Borough of Morrisville
• School District of the City of Erie
• SEIU District 1201 Health & Welfare Fund
• Senate of Pennsylvania
• Sharpsville Area School District*
• Sheet Metal Workers Health Fund of Local Union No. 19
• Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 12 Welfare Fund
• Shippensburg Area School District*
• SKF USA Inc.
• Slippery Rock Area School District*
• Solanco School District
• Somerset Area School District*
• South Middleton School District*
• South Western School District
• Southco, Inc.
• Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
• Southern York County School District
• Spang & Company
• Special Metal Corporation Hourly
• Springettsbury Township
• State College Area District*
• Steamfitters Local 449 Medical & Benefit Fund*
• Steamfitters Local Union No. 420 Welfare Plan
• Steelworkers Health and Welfare Fund
• Stroud Area Regional Police Department
• Student Services, Inc.
• STV Group
• Sunbury Generation, LP
• Sunoco, Inc
• Susquenita School District
• Swarthmore College*
• Tamaqua Area School District
• Teachers Protective Mutual Life Insurance Company
• Teamsters #261 & Employers Welfare Fund
• Teamsters Local 491 Health & Welfare Fund
• Teamsters Local 830 Welfare Plan
• Teamsters Local No. 401 Health & Welfare Fund
• Teleflex Incorporated
• Temple University
• The American Law Institute
• The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation
• The Beistle Company
• The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church
• The First National Bank and Trust Company
• The Florence Mining Company
• The Health and Welfare Benefits Trust for Certain Retired Employees of Kennecott Utah Copper Corpora
• The Hershey Company
• The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
• The New Castle Area School District*
• The Pennsylvania House of Representatives
• The Pennsylvania State University
• The PNC Financial Services Group
• The School District of Philadelphia
• Times Publishing Company
• Topflight Corporation
• Township of Haverford
• Township of Marple
• Tri-Valley School District*
• Trustees of IBEW Local Union No. 126 Health & Welfare
• Trustees of the IBEW Local Union No. 380 Health & Welfare Plan
• Trustees of the UFCW Local 23 and Employers Health Fund
• Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
• TSK Partners, Inc.
• Tuscarora School District
• Twin Valley School District
• TWU Westchester Private Bus Lines Health Benefit Trust
• UFCW Local 1776 & Participating  Employers Health & Welfare Fund
• Union Area School District Secy Isabelle Bartley*
• United Refining Company
• UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION
• University of Pennsylvania Health System
• University of Pittsburgh
• Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania
• Upper Adams School District*
• Upper Darby School District
• Upper Darby Township
• Upper Moreland Township School District
• USW Retirees of the Dana Corporation Health Care Trust
• Utility Workers Union of America, System Local 102
• Victaulic Company
• Villanova University
• Wabtec Corporation
• Warren County Courthouse
• Warren School District*
• Wattsburg Area School District
• West Chester Area School District*
• West Perry School District
• West York Area School District*
• Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
• Westmoreland County
• Westmoreland Intermediate Unit*
• Wilmington Area School District*
• Wilson School District
• Windsor Township
• York County School of Technology
• York Suburban School District*

*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.

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