MEMORANDUM
TO: Councilors DATE: January 9, 2014
FROM: Teresa Tomlinson, Mayor
CC: Isaiah Hugley, City Manager
Councilors: Please see Reather's response below.
Liz - Put this item in Councilor's packs, as well.
Teresa Pike Tomlinson
Mayor
Columbus Consolidated Government
Post Office Box 1340
Columbus, Georgia 31902-1340
(706) 225-3164 (Office)
(706) 905-9570 (Cell)
ttomlinson@columbusga.org
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----- Forwarded by Teresa Tomlinson/Columbusga on 01/09/2014 01:02 PM -----
From: Isaiah Hugley/Columbusga
To: "Teresa Tomlinson"
, "Pamela Hodge"
, "Reather Hollowell" ,
Date: 01/09/2014 09:16 AM
Subject: Fwd: Smoker Premium
From: "Reather Hollowell"
Date: January 9, 2014, 8:10:04 AM EST
To: "Isaiah Hugley"
Subject: Re: Fw: Smoker Premium
Isaiah,
In order to satisfy the 2014 healthcare requirement, under the Affordable Care
Act, the CCG must provide a reasonable alternative standard for tobacco users
paying the tobacco surcharge. This healthcare reform requirement provides an
opportunity for tobacco users to pay the same health care preferred premium
rates as non-tobacco users. The goal of this new requirement is to ensure that
tobacco users are not discriminated against and are treated similarly as
non-tobacco users regarding their healthcare.
In order to keep the tobacco surcharge in place, the City would be required to
offer alternatives, i.e. smoking cessation programs, to allow employees to
access the lower premium rate. If the City offered alternatives, and the
employee completes the alternative, regardless of their tobacco use status at
the end of the program, they are eligible for the lower premium and must be
?made-whole.? The employee must be retroactively paid for the difference in the
premium back to January 1, 2014. The City would have to pay for and
administratively manage any alternatives offered. It should be noted that the
City offers tobacco cessation programs outside of the healthcare requirement.
At the September 17th City Council Meeting, our benefits consultant provided a
detail overview of the Affordable Healthcare Care changes, some of which would
become effective on January 1, 2014. The tobacco rate as it relates to
compliance with the new healthcare requirements was presented at several City
Council meetings along with the discussions on the proposed healthcare changes.
After consultation with our Benefits Manager and Finance Director, I
recommended to you that we do away with the tobacco surcharge effective January
1, 2014.
Reather D. Hollowell, IPMA-CP
Human Resources Director
Columbus Consolidated Government
Post Office Box 1340
Columbus, Georgia 31902
Direct: 706-225-3631, Main: 706-653-4059
Fax: 706-653-4066
Website: http://www.columbusga.org
From: Gary Allen
To: Isaiah Hugley , Teresa Tomlinson
, Cc: "Evelyn Pugh " , Skip
Henderson , "mwoodson@columbusga.org"
, Glenn Davis , "Pop Barnes "
, 'Mike Baker ' , Bruce Huff
, 'Judy Thomas ' , 'Clifton Fay '
Date: 01/08/2014 11:30 AM
Subject: Smoker Premium
I heard we are considering removing the additional Smokers fee. If that is true
it seems that it would add addition stress to the City Healthcare System.
Please clarify.
Thanks.
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