New York State Health Care Reform Act (HCRA)

March 7, 2005

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ANNUAL PUBLIC GOODS POOL REPORT FILERS AND MONTHLY FILERS WHOSE ELECTION EFFECTIVE DATES ARE JANUARY 1, 2004, AND SUBSEQUENT

This is to advise the above mentioned payors that in accordance with Sections 2807(j) and (t) of the Public Health Law, electronic submission of Public Goods Pool reports will soon become mandatory.

Payors who have been deemed annual filers for report year 2005 will be required to submit reports electronically for reporting periods ending December 31, 2005, and subsequent.

Payors whose election is effective January 1, 2004, and subsequent and whose filing status for report year 2005 is monthly will be required to submit reports electronically for reporting periods commencing July 1, 2005, and subsequent.

To facilitate this process, a website has been established at www.hcrapools.org. If you plan on filing these reports on your own behalf rather than having your third party administrator (TPA) file for you, you must first establish an electronic filing account with the Office of Pool Administration and be assigned a secure password. It is highly recommended that you establish your account well in advance of the mandatory electronic filing due date.

Those payors whose TPA's file on their behalf are encouraged to contact the TPA directly with any questions concerning this mandate.

It should be noted that once electronic filing becomes mandatory, hard copy reports will no longer be accepted.

To learn more about electronic filing, click on "Frequently Asked Questions" from the Homepage of the website or call the electronic filing help desk at (315) 671-3800 or contact them through e-mail at webpools@hcrapools.org.