Feb 13, 2018
Issue Date: February 2018 Background As healthcare costs continue to rise, more and more employers are considering implementing eligibility carve-outs and premium surcharges as a strategy to reduce costs. Some employers may choose to completely exclude spouses or dependents from being eligible for coverage, but others take a less aggressive approach, excluding only certain spouses or dependents (e.g. those who are eligible for or enrolled in other group health coverage). Another option, rather than excluding such individuals from being eligible for benefits, is to impose a surcharge for those who choose to enroll. Although spousal carve-outs and surcharges are generally allowed, carve-outs and surcharges for dependent coverage will often violate requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). For those considering making changes to spousal and/or dependent coverage, the design and administration of those changes should be considered carefully. Read more.
