[SchoolFinance] Fwd: IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM MSMA: Private Maine PFML Plan Offering from the MSMA Group Insurance Trust (GIT) (OTHER DISTRICTS WHO SUBMITTED CENSUS)

Thu Apr 10 10:58:58 EDT 2025

we are as well.

*Heather A. Reale, MBA, Finance*
Director of Finance
Wells-Ogunquit Community School District
hreale at wocsd.org
207-641-6909

On Wed, Apr 2, 2025 at 1:26 PM Wendy Bradstreet <wendy.bradstreet at rsu29.org>
wrote:

> We are considering all options at this point.
> *Wendy Bradstreet*
> *RSU29 Business Manager*
> *PO Box 190*
> *Houlton ME 04730*
> *(207)538-3137*
> *wendy.bradstreet at rsu29.org <wendy.bradstreet at rsu29.org>*
>
>
>
> On Wed, Apr 2, 2025 at 1:00 PM Field, Stacie <sfield at rsu16.org> wrote:
>
>> Yes, we are.  I am bringing options to the Board on 4/14.
>>
>> Stacie Field
>> Business Manager
>> RSU 16 - Poland, Mechanic Falls, Minot
>> 207.998.2727 ext 102
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Apr 2, 2025 at 11:50 AM Ida Simmons <isimmons at winthropschools.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Is anyone considering this plan?
>>>
>>> ---------- Forwarded message ---------
>>> From: MSMA <MSMA at msmaweb.com>
>>> Date: Tue, Apr 1, 2025 at 4:00 PM
>>> Subject: IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM MSMA: Private Maine PFML Plan Offering
>>> from the MSMA Group Insurance Trust (GIT) (OTHER DISTRICTS WHO SUBMITTED
>>> CENSUS)
>>> To:
>>>
>>>
>>> *Maine School Management Association*
>>>
>>> *49 Community Drive*
>>>
>>> *Augusta, ME  04330*
>>>
>>> *800-660-8484*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *TO:                        Superintendents of Schools and Business
>>> Managers*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *FROM:                 Steven Bailey, Executive Director*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *DATE:                  April 1, 2025*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *RE:                        IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM MSMA:  Private Maine
>>> PFML Plan Offering from the MSMA Group Insurance Trust (GIT)   (OTHER
>>> DISTRICTS WHO SUBMITTED CENSUS)*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *As the MSMA Group Insurance Trust (GIT) communicated in the fall of
>>> 2024, MSMA GIT launched a project to sponsor a private Paid Family and
>>> Medical Leave (PFML) plan to be made available to Maine public school
>>> districts.   Unfortunately, the project was delayed for almost two months
>>> due to restrictions imposed on the insurance carriers by the Maine Bureau
>>> of Insurance.*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *After undergoing a full RFP process including finalist interviews, the
>>> trustees for the MSMA GIT have selected the Guardian as the carrier to
>>> offer a private Maine PFML plan to Maine’s public school districts
>>> sponsored by MSMA GIT.   *
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Due to the PFML regulations released by the Maine DOL, MSMA GIT is
>>> unable to be named the policyholder of a private Maine PFML plan but is
>>> able to secure competitive pricing based on a block purchase.   As a
>>> result, each school district would have their own private PFML policy with
>>> the Guardian but still receive all of the advantages of being affiliated
>>> with the MSMA GIT.*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *The advantages of a private PFML plan through the MSMA GIT include:*
>>>
>>>    - *Rate below the State rate**
>>>    - *No requirement to have another line of insurance coverage with
>>>    MSMA GIT  *
>>>    - *Guardian national account team for all MSMA participating
>>>    districts*
>>>    - *Access to resources at MSMA including the superb support of Wendy
>>>    Douglas, Client Services Manager at MSMA, to help with any issues that
>>>    arise.   Wendy will be supporting the new PFML plan as she does now for the
>>>    current GIT dental, life, and disability plans.*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *This is in addition to the potential for savings of 13 months of
>>> contributions to the State plan**.   Here is a **link*
>>> <https://5il.co/3c8kc>* to a calculator to estimate the potential
>>> savings, assuming an exemption from contributions to the State is effective
>>> April 1, 2025.*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *After receiving your census in November, MSMA was informed that school
>>> districts who share an FEIN with a municipality cannot separately choose to
>>> participate in a private PFML plan as all employees under the same FEIN
>>> must be covered under the same plan, either the State plan or a private
>>> PFML plan.   Since municipalities are not eligible to participate in MSMA’s
>>> GIT plans and we didn’t know if your district had a separate FEIN, your
>>> census was not included with the RFP sent in November to the insurance
>>> carriers.*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Assuming there is no Material and Substantial differences in the risk
>>> from other districts as represented by your district’s census, the Guardian
>>> is offering a rate of .88% or .98% for* *a private PFML plan through
>>> MSMA GIT for Maine’s public school districts.   *
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *If your district has a separate FEIN from your municipality and you
>>> would like to know if your district is eligible for the .88% or .98% rate**,
>>> please contact Wendy Douglas at **WDouglas at msmaweb.com*
>>> <WDouglas at msmaweb.com>*.   The rate will be guaranteed until April 1,
>>> 2028, assuming no Material and Substantial change in the risk, which is
>>> standard language in insurance proposals.*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Additional information:*
>>>
>>>    - *MSMA will be offering a webinar at 9 am on April 9, 2025** to
>>>    provide additional information about the plan, its implementation, and
>>>    answer participants’ questions.    A separate communication with webinar
>>>    details will be forthcoming.*
>>>    - *May 31, 2025 is the deadline for filing an application online
>>>    with the DOL for a private plan substitution in order to be exempted from
>>>    paying into the State program effective April 1, 2025.*
>>>    - *The Guardian has a very simple process for providing the
>>>    documentation needed to submit an application for a private plan
>>>    substitution with the DOL.*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ** Please note, for districts with less than 15 employees under one
>>> FEIN, the Guardian rate will be higher than the State rate so the State
>>> plan will likely be a preferable option.*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Maine School Management Association
>>> 49 Community Drive
>>> Augusta, ME 04330
>>> Direct Line 207-622-3473
>>> Fax 207-626-2968
>>> www.msmaweb.com
>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Ida Simmons
>>> Finance Specialist
>>> Winthrop Public Schools
>>> 207-377-2296 x 2003
>>>
>>> *Please note my new work schedule effective September 6, 2024:*
>>> *Monday - Thursday Office Hours 6am - 2pm*
>>> *Friday - Remote 6am - 2pm*
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>>
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