HB 596 (2015)

Prohibits public employers from offering employees any health care plan subject to the excise under the federal Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare"), unless the employee pays the cost arising from such tax. The Department of Administrative Services says that should the terms of the bill take effect while the current collective bargaining agreements are in place, the result will be a violation of those agreements. The federal excise tax is scheduled to take effect in calendar year 2018, and is a tax on "high-end" health plans that may insulate workers from the high cost of care and encourage the overuse of care.