New in 2007, the state of Vermont is offering premium assistance to eligible employees to help them enroll in their employer-sponsored health insurance plan.

Here’s how it works:

The state will provide financial assistance to help pay for the employee’s portion of monthly premiums associated with an employer’s health insurance plan if ALL of the following conditions are met:

• The employee meets the eligibility criteria to enroll in Catamount Health or the Vermont Health Access Plan (VHAP);
• The employee's household income is under $2,613 a month for one person (higher for larger households).*
• The employer’s plan has comprehensive benefits (physician visits, inpatient care, outpatient services, prescription drugs, emergency room services, ambulance services, mental health and substance abuse treatment, medical equipment and supplies, and maternity care) and the deductible is $500 or less; and
• The cost of providing premium assistance to enroll in an employer’s plan is less than the cost of providing premium assistance to enroll in Catamount Health or the Vermont Health Access Plan (VHAP).

* Employees may still qualify if their monthly income is up to $200 per month higher if they have earned income and/or child care expenses (higher for larger households).