Striving Towards Health Coverage: Adjunct Faculty and the Affordable Care Act
According to the most recent Cabrillo Fact Book, adjunct faculty comprise some 42% of the workforce at Cabrillo (Source: 2012 Fact Book). While the numbers have changed slightly since then (most likely the percentage of adjuncts has increased), adjunct faculty undoubtedly represent the largest category of employees at the college.
Source: Cabrillo Fact Book, 2012
At the same time, this group will be most impacted by implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Currently, under a third of our adjuncts qualify for a health benefits stipend paid through the District. In order to establish initial eligibility for a District-paid benefits stipend, an adjunct faculty must work a fifty percent load for two consecutive years; once this has been done the adjunct qualifies for a stipend for the next academic year. To maintain eligibility an adjunct unit member must work at least 12 units in the academic year (view details about eligibility in section 14.4 of the Contract: http://ccftcabrillo.org/contract/current/articles/art_14.php).
A breakdown of coverage for 2013-14: Of some 385 adjunct faculty currently employed, 123 (32%) are eligible for a District-paid stipend. Of the 32% eligible, 19% utilize the stipend for medical and/or dental coverage; 13% do not (see chart below).
The next chart, from an extensive adjunct survey last spring, provides a sketch of sources of health insurance for Cabrillo’s adjuncts (note that the dental only from above is not included in the chart below).
Over a quarter of our adjunct faculty, who currently have no insurance coverage or pay for coverage out of pocket, will likely be looking into plans through the CA health exchange under the Affordable Care Act.
CCFT has hosted a two workshops for adjunct faculty regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Preliminary information from these workshops and other adjunct faculty members lead us to believe that many will benefit from financial assistance provided under the ACA and have access to lower cost plans. Some faculty members with pre-existing conditions will finally have access to plans after many years with no access. Other faculty members that currently receive coverage for themselves through the District will see improved access and benefits for their spouse/domestic partner and/or dependents (the adjunct stipend does not cover dependents). And then there are some—particularly those in the 55-64 range with more expensive plans that do not qualify for financial assistance—that will most unfortunately see significant increases in cost (this relates to the essential benefits/minimum coverage that must be provided under the ACA).
As we move forward, CCFT will strive to help inform faculty about health coverage options and to expand coverage options for our adjunct employees, particularly those form whom Cabrillo is a main source of employment. Stay tuned, and keep us informed about your situation and circumstances so we can best represent you.
If you would like to attend a workshop on the Affordable Care Act contact Maya Bendotoff (ccft@ccftcabrillo.org or 464-2238).
by Maya Bendotoff