What are some examples of Health Care Expenditures that meet the requirements of the HCSO?

1. Payments to a third party to provide health care services for the Covered Employee, such as payments for medical, dental, or vision insurance, or payments to a health care provider;
2. Payments on behalf of the Covered Employee to the City Option;
3. Contributions on behalf of the Covered Employee to a reimbursement program (subject to certain limitations regarding irrevocable expenditures);
4. Payments to the Covered Employee to reimburse the employee for costs incurred in the purchase of Health Care Services (subject to certain ACA limitations);
5. Costs incurred by the employer in the direct delivery of health care services for the Covered Employee.
6. Any of the above made on behalf of a Covered Employee’s spouse, domestic partners, children, or other dependents.

Payments made directly or indirectly for workers’ compensation or Medicare benefits do not qualify as Health Care Expenditures. Increasing hourly wages, or otherwise giving employees extra money in their paychecks, also do not qualify as a Health Care Expenditure.

An employer may choose more than one option to satisfy its obligations. An employer may, for example, pay for health insurance for its full-time employees while making contributions to the City Option for its part-time employees.