[MyOEBB] “Exchange Notice” templates now available

[MyOEBB system updates]

Dear Business Managers, Superintendents, and Benefits Administrators:


On September 6 we sent a message notifying you that template letters for the federally required “Exchange Notice” for current employees are now available on the Healthcare Reform page of the OEBB website: http://www.oregon.gov/oha/OEBB/Pages/HealthCareReform.aspx.

This web page now also has templates to use for new hires on or after October 1, 2013.

Below is a reminder of the steps you will need to take and instructions on how to use each of templates to comply with the federal requirement for current employees as well as the instructions for using the two new templates for new hires on or after October 1.



1)    Determine which of your employees have already received the required notification from OEBB.

On August 26, 2013, OEBB mailed a notice to all members on your August invoice as well as any new members added to the MyOEBB system between the time the August invoice was generated and the time the mailing data was pulled from the system on August 15. If your entity added any employees to the system during this time, you will find a report in your document management area of the MyOEBB system titled “Exchange Mailing not on August Invoice”. These members were also notified by OEBB along with those listed on your August invoice. If you do not have a report with this title in your document management area, then the August invoice is the complete listing of your members who received the OEBB notification.

(Samples of the notification letters OEBB mailed are available on the Healthcare Reform page of the OEBB website: http://www.oregon.gov/oha/OEBB/Pages/HealthCareReform.aspx.)



2)    No later than September 30, 2013, use the “Benefits Eligible Aug. 15 – Sept. 30” template to notify any employees who were not notified by OEBB as described above, but who gained or will gain eligibility for benefits prior to October 1, 2013.

The “Benefits Eligible Aug. 15 – Sept. 30” template can be found on the Healthcare Reform page of the OEBB website, but we have also provided a direct link here for your convenience:

www.oregon.gov/oha/OEBB/docs/2013/HCR/TEMPLATE-ExchangeNotice-Aug15-Sept30.doc<http://www.oregon.gov/oha/OEBB/docs/2013/HCR/TEMPLATE-ExchangeNotice-Aug15-Sept30.doc>



3)    No later than September 30, 2013, use the “Not Eligible For Benefits” template to notify all individuals who are active employees of your educational entity as of September 30, 2013, but who are not eligible for benefits.

Anyone technically listed as an employee in your records on the date you mail the notification up through September 30, 2013, should be notified, even if they have not been actually reporting hours as “worked” for any period of time. This can include substitutes, student workers, temporary employees, and/or employees on an approved leave of absence. As long as there is an active “employment relationship” in place at this time and/or on or before September 30, you should send them the notice.

The “Not Eligible For Benefits” template can be found on the Healthcare Reform page of the OEBB website, but we have also provided a direct link here for your convenience:

www.oregon.gov/oha/OEBB/docs/2013/HCR/TEMPLATE-ExchangeNotice-NotBenefitsEligible.doc<http://www.oregon.gov/oha/OEBB/docs/2013/HCR/TEMPLATE-ExchangeNotice-NotBenefitsEligible.doc>



4)    Beginning October 1, 2013, notify each new employee within their first 14 days of employment.

Two additional templates are now available on the Healthcare Reform page of the OEBB website which can be used to notify employees hired on or after October 1, 2013. Direct links are also provided here for your convenience:



“Benefits Eligible” New Hires on or after 10/1/2013:

www.oregon.gov/oha/OEBB/docs/2013/HCR/TEMPLATE-ExchangeNotice-OnOrAfterOct2013.doc<http://www.oregon.gov/oha/OEBB/docs/2013/HCR/TEMPLATE-ExchangeNotice-OnOrAfterOct2013.doc>



“Not Eligible for Benefits” New Hires on or after 10/1/2013:

www.oregon.gov/oha/OEBB/docs/2013/HCR/TEMPLATE-ExchangeNotice-NotBenefitsEligible-OnOrAfterOct2013.doc<http://www.oregon.gov/oha/OEBB/docs/2013/HCR/TEMPLATE-ExchangeNotice-NotBenefitsEligible-OnOrAfterOct2013.doc>



This notification may be mailed to the employee’s home, or it may be hand-delivered directly to the employee. It may also be included in a new-hire information packet, but that packet must be hand-delivered directly to the employee or delivered via first-class USPS mail.

Note that sending the notice via email will NOT comply with the federal requirement. In addition, other alternate delivery methods, such as making the notification available online, making multiple copies of the notification generally available in a common area, or providing a link to the notification rather than providing the full notice, will NOT comply with the federal requirement.

Employers must ensure that each new employee receives the proper notification within their first 14 days of employment either by mailing the notice first-class USPS mail or hand-delivering it directly to the employee.


If you have further questions about this federal “Exchange Notice” requirement, please send an email to OEBB Member Services at: oebb.benefits at state.or.us<mailto:oebb.benefits at state.or.us>. Staff will research your question and provide the answer by replying to your email, as well as compile the questions and answers into an FAQ section of the Healthcare Reform page on the OEBB website. This method will help all our educational entities learn from each other’s questions.
Thank you,

Jackie Cowsill
Communications Coordinator
Oregon Educators Benefit Board
Voice: 503-378-5353
Fax: 503-378-5832

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