I have attended quite a few webinars and meetings about Health Care Reform. If you want ALL the information as it is updated, etc. go to this website http://larrygrudzien.com/ and sign up for the enews and updates. Once I determined that we were a small group (a HUGE sigh of relief), the part-time problem became a non-issue. Priority Health had some of the most clear webinars on healthcare reform http://www.understandinghealthreform.com/wordpress/?page_id=260 These can be viewed by anyone - not just priority health customers. Diane McKee Howell Carnegie Library 517-546-0720, ext. 114 www.howelllibrary.org<http://www.howelllibrary.org> From: michlib-l-bounces@mail.mcls.org [mailto:michlib-l-bounces@mail.mcls.org] On Behalf Of Ann Perrigo Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 9:39 AM To: Andrea Estelle Cc: MichLibList Serve Subject: Re: [Michlib-l] Obamacare and Small Libraries The gentleman who has been overseeing our insurance gave me some very clear information about the Affordable Care Act--except for this one question! He told me he would let me know when a clear guideline was established (about the 30 hour a week issue) and I haven't heard from him yet. Maybe I'll shoot him another message today!! Ann @ Allegan On Wed, Jul 31, 2013 at 8:43 AM, Andrea Estelle <aestelle@otsegolibrary.org<mailto:aestelle@otsegolibrary.org>> wrote: Hi Again Everyone - I agree with Donna completely. I would just like to be able to plan ahead and would love it if the MLA or ALA could help small and medium libraries understand what it means for our staffing. Just from yesterday's replies I got a wide range of conflicting responses... I have been told: It doesn't apply to groups of less than 50 It does apply to groups of less than 50 if you are offering some staff insurance then you need to offer it to all staff working more than 30 hours or you will be fined $3000-$5000 for every person on staff Part-time Hours don't need to be cut at all Part-time Hours need to be cut now Part-time Hours don't need to be cut until January 2014 The attorneys we have asked tell us to call the insurance companies. Our insurance company said that nobody is an expert on this topic and it is very unclear as to how this will work out for employers and give other such vague responses. So when Donna says this topic is time-consuming and frustrating I agree completely. That is why I posted hoping someone out there had a clear answer with a valid source. Thanks, Andrea Andrea Estelle Library Director "Brighten The Corner Where You Are" 401 Dix Street, Otsego, MI 49078 (269) 694-9690<tel:%28269%29%20694-9690> http://www.otsegolibrary.org/ -----Original Message----- From: Donna Alward [mailto:dalward@hlpl.lib.mi.us<mailto:dalward@hlpl.lib.mi.us>] Sent: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 10:18 PM To: Andrea Estelle Cc: 'MichLibList Serve' Subject: Re: [Michlib-l] Obamacare and Small Libraries Brings to mind when what became PA152 was progressing through the Michigan legislature... I was given various opinions as to whether libraries were included or intended to be included in what was to become a limit on expenditures for medical health care benefits. Seeking a definitive answer was time consuming and frustrating. Wonder if the Michigan Library Association (even though Obamacare is a federal law) might, in its role as an an advocate for its members, inquire and work with the American Library Association to get some concrete answers. If like PA152, details and procedures are not exactly clear, action by both the state and national organizations may bring results in a more timely way, which would allow individual libraries time to plan. Donna J. Alward, Library Director Houghton Lake Public Library 4431 W. Houghton Lake Dr. Houghton Lake, MI 48629 Phone: 989.366.9230<tel:989.366.9230> Fax: 989.366.0063<tel:989.366.0063> URL: www.hlpl.org<http://www.hlpl.org> ----- Original Message ----- From: Andrea Estelle <aestelle@otsegolibrary.org<mailto:aestelle@otsegolibrary.org>> To: 'MichLibList Serve' <michlib-l@mail.mcls.org<mailto:michlib-l@mail.mcls.org>> Sent: Tue, 30 Jul 2013 17:01:06 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Michlib-l] Obamacare and Small Libraries Hi Everyone, Does anyone have a clear, valid source that explains how the upcoming rules for Obamacare relate to a small library? We have 13 staff and 2 are full time with insurance. My question in regards to it is: Do the staff working over 30 hours need to be working less than 30 hours so that we don't get fined for not offering them insurance? And if so, when does the reduced hours take effect: now or in 2014? I have gotten a lot of conflicting feedback on this topic and insurance companies are calling it a "grey area" so I wondered if there is any source out there with a clear explanation. Thank you for your help! Andrea Andrea Estelle Library Director "Brighten The Corner Where You Are" <http://www.otsegolibrary.org/> Home 401 Dix Street, Otsego, MI 49078 (269) 694-9690<tel:%28269%29%20694-9690> http://www.otsegolibrary.org/ _______________________________________________ Michlib-l mailing list Michlib-l@lists.mcls.org<mailto:Michlib-l@lists.mcls.org> http://lists.mlcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l -- Ann Perrigo, Director Allegan District Library 331 Hubbard Street Allegan, MI 49010 269 673-4625 aperrigo@alleganlibrary.org<mailto:aperrigo@alleganlibrary.org> Good times or bad--your library is here for you!