Health Insurance Partnership

Dear Editor,

On Wednesday, August 27 at 6:30 PM, The Maryland Health Care Commission will be holding a meeting to provide information about the Health Insurance Partnership to small business owners that have been unable to provide health coverage to their employees due to high premiums. Small businesses may be eligible for a health insurance premium subsidy of up to 50 percent if they have 9 or fewer employees, their employees have an average annual wage under $50,000, and they have not offered group health insurance to them in the last 12 months. The meeting for Baltimore County Area Businesses will be held at the Maryland Health Care Commission, 4160 Patterson Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215.

The partnership is a result of the “Working Families and Small Business Health Coverage Act” that passed during the 2007 General Assembly Special Session. As a supporter of this legislation, I believe this innovative partnership will provide much needed solutions for small businesses that wish to provide health insurance but cannot afford to.

The meetings will also offer information on the benefits of and steps to establish a Section 125 premium conversion plan. These plans allow employee premium contributions to be made on a pre-tax basis and are required to participate in the Health Insurance Partnership.

Registration for this meeting is free, but space is limited. For more information contact my office at 410-841-3620 or visit the partnership’s webpage at http://mhcc.maryland.gov/partnership.

Senator Katherine Klausmeier
8th Legislative District