ATLANTA — State Representative Shaw Blackmon (R-Bonaire) today announced that House Bill 866 was signed into law by Gov. Nathan Deal and became effective on Tuesday, May 3, 2016. Sponsored by Rep. Blackmon, HB 866 will exempt multiple employer self-insured health plans from premium taxes in Georgia.
“I would like to thank Gov. Deal for signing this legislation and for understanding the important role small business plays in our state,” said Rep. Blackmon. “Providing healthcare benefits has proven to be one of the largest financial burdens our small business owners face, but with this exemption, we hope to alleviate that strain for the employer and their employees.”
HB 866 will exempt multiple employer self-insured health plans from paying premium taxes on the plan’s net premium. This legislation specifically targets multiple employer welfare agreements (MEWAs) which are 100% private benefits plans that provide health and welfare benefits to employees of two or more unrelated employers in an effort to provide smaller employers with access to low cost health coverage on terms similar to those available to large employers. Members of MEWAs are often non-profit organizations.
For more information about HB 866, please click here.
Representative Shaw Blackmon represents the citizens of District 146, which includes portions of Houston County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2015, and currently serves on the Economic Development & Tourism, Insurance, and Special Rules committees.
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