Report Title:
EUTF; Buy-In Program; Part-Time Employees; Sole Proprietors
Description:
Requires the EUTF board of trustees to allow part-time employees and sole proprietors with incomes between 101-300% of the federal poverty guidelines to purchase health insurance through the EUTF.
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
1054 |
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TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to the employer-union health benefits trust fund.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Chapter 87A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§87A- Buy-in coverage for sole proprietors and part-time employees in the private sector. (a) The board shall offer health care coverage to uninsured individuals in the private sector who are sole proprietors or part-time employees through health benefits plans administered in connection with the employer-union health benefits plan. For purposes of this section, "part-time employee" means a person in the employment of any one private employer for fewer than twenty hours per week or eighty or more hours in a consecutive four-week period, regardless of the number of hours worked in any one week of that period.
(b) The board shall establish eligibility criteria for enrollment in the health benefits plans that includes:
(1) For sole proprietors:
(A) The sole proprietor must be doing business in the State;
(B) The sole proprietor must have no full-time or part-time employees; and
(C) The sole proprietor must have a household income between one hundred and one and three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level; and
(2) For part-time employees:
(A) The part-time employee must be a resident of the State;
(B) The part-time employee must be eighteen years or older;
(C) The part-time employee must demonstrate that the part-time employee is without health insurance coverage and is ineligible to obtain health insurance coverage through the part-time employee's current employer; and
(D) The part-time employee must have a household income between one hundred and one and three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level.
(c) The board shall establish health benefits plan rates for coverage under this section that shall provide for state subsidization on a sliding scale basis, dependent upon household income levels.
(d) Eligibility for coverage under this section shall be contingent upon payment by the beneficiary of any rates, premiums, fees, or other financial obligations required by the plans.
(e) The board shall establish an annual enrollment period for applications for coverage by individuals under this section."
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of budget and finance for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that sections 2 and 3 of this Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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