Earlier today, the Massachusetts Division of Health Care Finance and Policy announced the preliminary data on the Employer Fair Share component of the new Massachusetts health insurance law.

The Chamber is pleased with the data, which indicates very strong participation by employers required to provide employee health contributions under the new law. 

To date, 97% of companies that have filed appropriate documentation with the state – nearly 20,000 firms - are complying with the law’s fair share assessment provision, which requires employers with 11 or more full time equivalent employees to make a fair and reasonable contribution to employee health insurance or face a $295 per employee assessment. 

The large number of complying employers also means that fewer employees are utilizing free care services, thereby improving overall health outcomes and reducing burdens on state finances – a key provision of the health reform effort. 

Massachusetts has long been a leader in the high percentage of employers providing employee health insurance coverage, and this data confirms that the vast majority of employers are committed to their employees and the success of health care reform in Massachusetts.