U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: More Wisconsin employers and unions will receive help providing health coverage to early retirees and their families

Contact: HHS Press Office

(202) 690-6343

Nearly 1,000 additional employers and unions have been approved to participate in the Affordable Care Act’s Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, bringing total participants to 3,000 to date; applications still being accepted

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced additional employers and unions accepted into the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, including a number of applicants in Wisconsin. Nearly 1,000 large and small businesses, state and local governments, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and unions have been accepted into the program and will begin to receive reimbursements for their early retirees’ medical claims this fall. The approvals announced today bring the total number of approvals to nearly 3,000 organizations. HHS announced the first round of nearly 2,000 approvals in August.

“I am incredibly pleased to see so many employers embrace this important new program to maintain coverage for people who often have a difficult time finding affordable coverage,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “The Affordable Care Act helps large and small businesses to provide security to early retirees and their families.”

Secretary Sebelius made the announcement from the Mine Safety Appliances Company (MSA) manufacturing plant in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania – one of the now nearly 3,000 organizations participating in the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program.

Created by the Affordable Care Act as another bridge to the new health insurance Exchanges in 2014, the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program provides $5 billion in financial assistance to employers and unions to help them maintain coverage for early retirees ages 55 and older who are not yet eligible for Medicare. Businesses and other employers and unions that are accepted into the program will receive reimbursement for medical claims of their early retirees and their spouses, surviving spouses, and dependents. Savings may be used to reduce employer or union health care costs, provide premium or out-of-pocket relief to workers, retirees, and their families, or both. The program ends on January 1, 2014, when the State-based health insurance Exchanges will be up and running.

HHS’ Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight has approved nearly 3,000 employer and union plans, representing a broad range of employers and unions from all 50 States and the District of Columbia, for participation in the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, with more applications being reviewed every day. In Wisconsin, the following 92 organizations have been approved to date, including 39 new organizations.

1. Alaska Carpenters Health & Welfare Trust Fund
2. Appleton Papers Inc.
3. Bay Area Medical Center*
4. Board of School Directors – Milwaukee Public Schools
5. Board of Trustees – Milwaukee Painters Local Union
6. Board of Trustees – Wisconsin Laborers Health Fund
7. Board of Trustees of Plumbers Local 75 Health Fund
8. Local Unions Nos. 19 & 27 Health & Welfare Fund*
9. Wisconsin Pipe Trades Health Fund*
10. Briggs & Stratton Power Products Group, LLC
11. Brillion Iron Works, Inc
12. Calumet County*
13. Case New Holland Inc.
14. City of Antigo*
15. City of DePere*
16. City of Green Bay*
17. City of Neenah*
18. City of Platteville *
19. City of Waukesha
20. City of Wauwatosa
21. City of West Allis
22. City of Wisconsin Rapids
23. County of Adams
24. County of Dane*
25. County of Marinette*
26. County of Milwaukee
27. County of Outagamie*
28. CUNA Mutual Insurance Society
29. D.C. Everest Area School District*
30. Foley & Lardner, LLP
31. Fox Valley Sheet Metal Health Plan*
32. Gehl Company
33. Great Northern Corporation
34. Green Bay Area Public School District*
35. H G Weber and Company, Inc. *
36. Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, LLC*
37. InSinkErator Division Emerson Electric Co
38. Iron Workers Local No 8 Welfare Fund*
39. Ironworkers Local 383 Health Care Plan
40. Johnson Controls, Inc.
41. Johnson Controls, Inc.*
42. Jones Dairy Farm*
43. Journal Communications, Inc.*
44. Kenosha Building & Construction Trades Welfare Fund*
45. Kimberly Area School District*
46. Kimberly-Clark Corporation*
47. Local Unions No. 19 & 127 Health & Welfare *
48. Madison Area Technical College
49. Madison Gas and Electric Company
50. Manitowoc County*
51. Manpower Inc
52. Marshall & llsley Corporation
53. Master Lock Company
54. Meriter Health Services*
55. Middletown Works Hourly and Salaried Union Retiree
56. Mid-State Technical College District*
57. Milwaukee Area Technical College*
58. Milwaukee Carpenters District Council Health Fund
59. Milwaukee Drivers Health & Welfare Trust Fund
60. Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage-District
61. Milwaukee Roofers Health Fund
62. North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters
63. Northcentral Technical College*
64. Northwestern Mutual Life Ins Co
65. Operating Engineers Local 169 Health Benefit Fund
66. Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 400
67. Portage Community Schools*
68. ProHealth Care, Inc.
69. Racine County
70. Racine Unified School District*
71. Rexnord LLC
72. Richardson Industries, Inc.*
73. Rockwell Automation, Inc.
74. Rockwell Automation, Inc.*
75. S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc*
76. School District of Poynette*
77. Sentry Insurance, a Mutual Company
78. Snap-on Incorporated*
79. Strattec SecurityCorporation
80. ThyssenKrupp Waupaca, Inc.
81. Unified School District of Antigo
82. Washington County
83. Waukesha County Area Technical College District*
84. Wausau Paper Corp.
85. Webcrafters, Inc.
86. WELS Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association
87. Wipfli LLP
88. Wisconsin Education Association Insurance Trust
89. Wisconsin Electric Power Company
90. Wisconsin Health Fund
91. Wisconsin Pipe Trades Health Fund*
92. Wisconsin Sheet Metal Health & Welfare

*Indicates newly approved applicant.

HHS has set up a website, http://www.ERRP.gov, where sponsors can begin submitting information today to qualify early retirees, spouses, surviving spouses, and dependents for claims reimbursements. Starting in October, sponsors with approved applications who submit funding requests will begin to receive reimbursement for eligible claims. Employers and unions interested in the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program should visit http://www.ERRP.gov or call 1-877-574-3777 or 877-574-ERRP. Employers and unions can find the application form and application instructions, as well as other relevant guidance and regulations from HHS, online.

More information about the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, a full alphabetical list of participants, and an interactive map displaying participants by state is available online. Going forward, this list will be updated regularly. To find this information, please visit:

http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/early_retiree_reinsurance_program.html.