RUMFORD — Chiefs of local volunteer fire departments in the River Valley region said they were either unaware of the Affordable Care Act ambiguity that affects volunteer firefighters or not concerned with it.
According to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare), employers with more than 50 full-time employees (or their equivalents) must provide health insurance to employees that work more than 30 hours per week, a Dec. 11 news release from the International Association of Fire Chiefs stated.
Unfortunately, the Internal Revenue Service has ruled that volunteer firefighters who receive nominal benefits from their fire departments (including stipends, end-of-the-year banquets and awards) count as “employees” of fire departments, the document states. The unintended consequence of this IRS ruling is that fire departments may have to provide health insurance to volunteers who serve more than 30 hours per week at their local fire department, according to the IAFC.
Legislation has been introduced in Congress to ensure volunteer firefighters are excluded from the insurance mandate.
Peru Chief William Hussey said he was unaware of the issue.
But Rumford fire Chief Bob Chase and Dixfield fire Chief Scott Dennett said Thursday afternoon that they’ve been following it. However, they’re not too concerned with the ambiguity. They don’t believe their departments qualify.
“I’ve been following the emails and waiting for a ruling, but I’m not as concerned about it,” Chase said. “We don’t have anybody able to give us 35 hours a week, which is the (ACA) threshold.”
He said fire departments in some bigger cities have full-time volunteer firefighters that work 40 or more hours and would be affected.
“I’ve got guys who are nowhere near 35 hours a week,” Chase said.
Counting junior firefighters, Chase said his department has 22 volunteer firefighters.
“We’re not an employer of 50 full-time employees, but the town of Rumford is,” he said.
Dennett agreed with Chase. He said his department, the Dixfield Fire Company, has less than 20 volunteers.
“We have not addressed it,” Dennett said. “Those who have per diems on the payroll like Farmington, their full-time volunteers are per diem. They’re paid on a day-to-day basis. We don’t fit into that category. We have 16 volunteer firefighters — including myself — and we’re all just paid on a call basis.”
He said the Peru Fire Department is an all-volunteer department that doesn’t have any set pay, but they do get a stipend that is based on a point system.
“So I’m not sure how it might affect us, but we’re not set on enough numbers and hours to have it be a concern,” Dennett said.
We break down the ACA, what it does and what it requires you to do.
- Just the FAQs ma’am: Frequently asked questions and helpful answers
- An ACA Timeline: How health care coverage has evolved.
- Where to get assistance and more info: There are more sources of information and help understanding how the Affordable Care Act affects you.
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