Md. Studies Health Care For Part-Time Workers
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Maryland has no plans to move its 75,000 active full-time state government employees into the state's new insurance exchange, but the state is studying how to address health coverage for some contractual employees and part-time workers, a state official said.
The state's benefits consultant is currently working on analysis of how many of each kind of contractual or part-time employees work for the state, said Carolyn Quattrocki, executive director of the Governor's Office of Health Care Reform.
"No decision has been made at all," Quattrocki said. "We're really just at the analysis stage."
Quattrocki said a decision is not expected until fall.
"We have to get a handle on what the picture is," she said.
Maryland has a total of about 230,000 people enrolled in the state health plan, including active full-time workers, retirees and dependents. Active full-time state employees work at least 20 hours a week.
Maryland was an early supporter of President Barack Obama's health care reform law. Earlier this month, the state Legislature passed a measure to further implement federal health care reform in Maryland. It creates a dedicated funding stream for the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, which is a new insurance market that will offer residents a choice of private health plans.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
