Part A: General Information

When key parts of the health care law took effect in 2014, there were new ways to buy private individual health insurance: the Health Insurance Marketplace. To assist you as you evaluate options for you and your family, this notice provides some basic information about the Marketplace and employment-based health coverage we offer to you. Please note that this notice is informational only.

What is the Health Insurance Marketplace?

The Marketplace is designed to help you find private individual health insurance that meets your needs and fits your budget. The Marketplace offers "one-stop shopping" to find and compare private health insurance options. You may also be eligible for a new kind of tax credit that lowers your monthly premium right away. Open enrollment for health insurance coverage through the Marketplace begins in October for coverage starting as early as the following January 1.

Can I Save Money on my Health Insurance Premiums in the Marketplace?

You may qualify to save money and lower your monthly premium, but only if your employer does not offer coverage, or offers coverage that doesn't meet certain standards. The savings on your premium that you're eligible for depends on your household income.

Does the Employment-Based Health Coverage SDSU Research Foundation Offers Affect My Eligibility for Premium Savings through the Marketplace?

Yes. If SDSU Research Foundation offers you health coverage that meets certain standards, you will not be eligible for a tax credit through the Marketplace and you may wish to enroll in an SDSU Research Foundation health plan, if you are eligible. (Just because you received this Marketplace notice does not mean you are eligible.) However, you may be eligible for a tax credit that lowers your monthly premium, or a reduction in certain cost-sharing if SDSU Research Foundation does not offer coverage to you at all or does not offer coverage that meets certain standards. If the cost of self-only coverage under the SDSU Research Foundation health plan is more than 9.5% of your household income for the year, or if the research foundation health plan does not meet the "minimum value"^[1] standard set by the Affordable Care Act, you may be eligible for a tax credit.

Note: If you purchase a health plan through the Marketplace instead of accepting the research foundation’s health plan coverage, then you may lose our contribution (if any) to your coverage under the research foundation’s health plan. Also, the research foundation’s contribution—as well as your employee contribution—is often excluded from income for Federal and State income tax purposes. Your payments for coverage through the Marketplace are made on an after-tax basis.

How Can I Get More Information About the Health Insurance Marketplace?

The Marketplace can help you evaluate your coverage options, including your eligibility for coverage through the Marketplace and its cost. Please visit HealthCare.gov for more information, which includes an online application for health insurance coverage and contact information for a Health Insurance Marketplace in your area.

Part B: Information About Employer-Provided Health Plan Coverage

If you decide to complete an application for coverage in the Marketplace, you will be asked for information about your employer’s health plan coverage. The information below can help you complete your application for coverage in the Marketplace.

General Employer Information.
Employer name: SDSU Research Foundation
Employer Identification Number (EIN): 95-6042721
Employer street address: 5250 Campanile Drive
Employer phone number: 619-594-4139
Employer city: San Diego
Employer state: CA
Employer ZIP code: 92182-1945
Who can we contact about employee health coverage at this job?: Human Resources/Benefits
Phone number (if different from above):
Email address: sdsurfbenefits@sdsu.edu

Eligibility. You may be asked whether or not you are currently eligible for our health plan coverage or whether you will become eligible for coverage within the next three months. In addition, if you are or will become eligible, you may be required to list the names of your dependents that are eligible for coverage under our health plan.

If you would like information about the eligibility requirements for our health plan, please read the SDSURF Health & Welfare Summary Plan Description . You can view a copy of the SDSURF Health & Welfare Summary Plan Description at https://www.foundation.sdsu.edu/hr_benefits_required_notices.html, in Bswift's Content Library or by contacting Human Resources/Benefits at 619-594-4139, or sdsurfbenefits@sdsu.edu.

Minimum Value. If you are eligible for coverage under our health plan, you may be required to check a box indicating whether or not our health plan meets the minimum value standard. Our health plan coverage meets the minimum value standard.

Premium Cost. If you are eligible for coverage under our health plan, you may be asked to provide the amount of premiums you must pay for self-only coverage under the lowest-cost health plan that meets the minimum value standard. The employee cost for self-only coverage under our lowest-cost health plan is $55 monthly. If you had the opportunity to receive a premium discount for any tobacco cessation program, you must enter the premium you would pay if you received the maximum discount possible for a tobacco cessation program.

Future Changes. You may also be asked whether or not we will be making certain changes to our health plan coverage for the new plan year. As usual, you will be provided with information about any changes to our health plan coverage during the next Open Enrollment period. If you are not sure how to answer this question on your Marketplace application, please contact the Marketplace.

^[1] An employer-sponsored health plan meets the "minimum value standard" if the plan's share of the total allowed benefit costs covered by the plan is no less than 60 percent of such costs.