I see OPERS, I see SERS, why don't I see STRS on this list?

From John Curry, August 31, 2010

STRS where are you? I was under the impression that you were one of the first applicants.

John

http://www.healthcare.gov/law/provisions/retirement/states/oh.html

Early Retiree Reinsurance Program: Ohio

Rising health care costs have made it difficult for employers to provide quality, affordable health insurance for workers and retirees while also remaining competitive in the global marketplace. The percentage of large firms providing workers with retiree health coverage has dropped from 66 percent in 1988 to 29 percent in 2009.1 Health insurance premiums for older Americans are over four times more expensive than they are for young adults,2 and the deductible these enrollees pay is, on average, almost four times that for a typical employer-sponsored insurance plan.3

The Affordable Care Act creates a new program called the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program to help address this challenge that employers and older employees are facing. The Early Retiree Reinsurance Program provides $5 billion in financial assistance to employers and unions to help them maintain coverage for early retirees age 55 and older who are not yet eligible for Medicare.

Businesses, other employers, and unions that are accepted into the program will receive reimbursement for medical claims for early retirees and their spouses, surviving spouses, and dependents. Savings can be used to reduce employer health care costs, provide premium relief to workers and families, or both. Applicants who are approved into the program receive reinsurance for the claims of high-cost retirees and their families (80 percent of the costs from $15,000 to $90,000). The program ends on January 1, 2014 when State health insurance Exchanges are up and running.

HHS has approved the following sponsors from Ohio. More applications are being approved each day.

•4th District IBEW Health Fund
•A. Schulman, Inc.,
•ABX Air, Inc.
•AK Steel Corporation
•American Electric Power Service Corporation
•American Financial Group, Inc.
•American Greetings Corporation
•Battelle Memorial Institute
•Board of Trustees Canton Electrical Welfare Fund
•Board of Trustees for the Building Laborers Local
•Board of Trustees for the Iron Workers Local 17 Insurance Fund
•Board of Trustees Insulators Local B4 Health Care Fund
•Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
•Carpenters Health Fund of West Virginia
•Chart Industries, Inc.
•Cincinnati Bell Inc.
•Cleveland Clinic Foundation
•Cognis Corporation
•Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc.
•Convergys Corporation
•Dana Non-Union Retiree VEBA Trust
•Dealer Computer Services, Inc.
•East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church
•Faurecia Exhaust Systems, Inc.
•First Citizens Banc Corp
•FirstEnergy Corp
•International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 129 Health and Welfare Fund
•International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 38 Health and Welfare Fund
•Iron Workers District Council of Southern Ohio & Vicinity Benefit Trust
•John Maneely Company
•Jones Day
•Kao America Inc.
•KeyCorp
•Macy's, Inc.
•Marathon Oil Company
•Marietta Memorial Hospital
•Marlite Inc.
•Medical Mutual of Ohio
•Moen Incorporated
•Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company
•NewPage Corporation
•NewPage Wisconsin System, Inc.
•Nordson Corporation
•Nordson Corporation
•Novelis Corporation
•Ohio Laborers' District Council - Ohio Contractors
•Ohio Operating Engineers Health & Welfare Plan
•Owens Corning
•Parker Hannifin Corp
•PCC Airfoils, LLC
•Pilkington North America, Inc.
•Pipefitters #120 Insurance Fund
•Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 189 Health & Welfare Fund
•Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 219
•Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 94 Health & Welfare Plan
•Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 42 Health & Welfare Fund
•Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union No. 396
•Plumbers Union Local 55 Health & Welfare
•Plumbers, Pipefitters & Mechanical Equipment Service Local 392
•Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio
•Robbins & Myers, Inc.
•School Employees Retirement System of Ohio
•Sheet Metal Workers Local 33 Youngstown District Health and Welfare Fund
•Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 110 Health Fund
•Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 33 Cleveland District
•State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company
•Teamsters Health & Welfare Fund Local 377
•Teamsters Local Union #348 Health & Welfare Fund
•Teamsters Union Local No. 52 Health & Welfare Fund
•The Lubrizol Corporation
•The Procter & Gamble Company
•The Sherwin-Williams Company
•The Timken Company
•The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company
•UFCW Unions' and Employers' Health and Welfare Plan
•Union Construction Workers Health Plan
•Union of Roofers Waterproofers & Allied Workers
•Youngstown Area Electrical Welfare Fund Trustees

[1] Kaiser / HRET. Employer Health Benefits: 2009 Survey.
[2] Center for Policy and Research. Individual Health Insurance 2009.
[3] Kaiser Family Foundation. 2010. Survey of People Who Purchase Their Own Insurance.