Minnesota Schools: Are you ready for HITA?

If you’re a school district in Minnesota, you might be getting ready to fulfill your Health Insurance Transparency and Accountability (HITA) statutory requirement. Not sure where to begin? Here’s a timeline count down to help you meet all your HITA requirements and deadlines. For more detail, check out our Ultimate HITA Survival Guide.

180 Days Prior to Renewal

Request Claims Data

• Request claims data from your health insurance carrier for the past 24 months.
• Carriers must complete this request within 30 days.

150 Days Prior to Renewal

Send Requests for Proposals (RFP)

• Request health insurance proposals directly from insurance carriers, PEIP, and service cooperatives (also referred to as entities) at least 150 days prior to renewal but not more than once every 24 months.
• The RFP must include the selection criteria (proposal requirements) you will use to determine the winner (in writing).
• The proposals must be sealed in an envelope.
• All entities will have the opportunity to provide a best and final proposal after their initial proposal.

118 Days Prior to Renewal

Place a Public Notice

• Place a public notice in a newspaper or trade journal stating that your organization is requesting group health insurance proposals. Include submittal information (submission deadline, where to send proposals to, etc.)
• The notice must appear in the publication at least 21 days before the submission deadline.
• Note: When selecting a deadline, make sure to allow one week for proposal delivery.

90 Days Prior to Renewal

Open Initial Proposals

• Open initial sealed proposals in the presence of district representatives and up to three exclusive representatives of the largest union members.
• Using your written criteria for evaluation, make benefit and cost comparisons between all initial proposals received.
• All proposal information is kept confidential (except for the names of the bidders).
• Note that initial proposals are due one week prior to the proposal opening date. This allows time for proposals to be delivered before the deadline.

75 Days Prior to Renewal

Open Final Proposals

• Open the sealed, final proposals in the presence of district representatives and up to three exclusive representatives of the largest union members.
• Using your written criteria for evaluation, make benefit and cost comparisons between all final proposals received.
• Note that final proposals are due one week prior to the proposal opening date. This allows time for proposals to be delivered before the deadline.
• All opened proposals (initial and final) and any other data included are considered public data.

60 Days Prior to Renewal

Make a Decision

• The earliest you can make a final decision is 15 days after receiving the final proposals.
• Prepare a written rational for your final decision in writing and retain for your records.
• Notify the ‘winning’ entity.

This blog is intended to be a compilation of information and resources pulled from federal, state, and local agencies. This is not intended to be legal advice. For up to the minute information and guidance on COVID-19, please follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and your local health organizations.

National Insurance Services is not a law firm and no opinion, suggestion, or recommendation of the firm or its employees shall constitute legal advice. Readers are advised to consult with their own attorney for a determination of their legal rights, responsibilities and liabilities, including the interpretation of any statute or regulation, or its application to the readers’ business activities.

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Steve Smith

Steve Smith, Employee Benefits Consultant for National Insurance Services, has his energy level permanently set at “high.” His maxim is “work hard, play hard.” Steve’s an expert in getting groups of people working together for a higher cause. Minnesota schools, cities, and counties rely on Steve’s unique and creative ideas of engaging employees in their own health and wellness to lower utilization trends. He has 20+ years in the health insurance field doing compliance, cost mitigation, utilization, analytics, wellness plans, and strategic planning. Steve is a licensed insurance agent and holds the designations for Managed Healthcare Professional (The Health Insurance Association of America), Certified Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Professional (National Association of Health Underwriters), and Group Benefits Disability Specialist (Hartford School of Insurance). He specializes in Employee Benefits Consulting for Minnesota schools, cities, and counties including fully insured, self-insured, and stop-loss plans.