Attention Small Business Owners Do you employ fewer than 25 full-time employees (or full-time equivalents/FTEs)? Do you provide your employees with health coverage? If you answered YES to both of these questions, you may be eligible for a federal income tax credit on your annual federal tax return! Most people know that under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), small employers (those with fewer than 50 FTEs) are not required to
Employers Must Notify Employees About Health Insurance Information by October 1
Last month, we wrote about the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) requirement that every employer provide written notice by October 1, 2013 to every employee about options for health insurance. In addition, after October 1, 2013, employers must provide the exchange notice to new hires within 14 days of the employee’s start date. We also posted a link to the Department of Labor’s (DOL) model notices that employers can use as
What is the Future of COBRA?
COBRA stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, which is the federal law that allows many workers to be able to continue their group health insurance coverage, at least temporarily, through a continuation of coverage program. Although COBRA does not apply to all employers, there are other state and federal laws which make it possible for most employees who lose their employment due to a qualified event
Helping Businesses Navigate Health Care Reform
If you are a business owner or manager involved in your company’s group insurance process, check out a terrific new resource that we think will really help you understand and navigate the Affordable Care Act. We’ve added the document to our Resources page which you may want to bookmark so you can refer back often! As always, give us a call if you have any questions. We will be happy
What is an Employer’s Obligation to Notify Employees about Affordable Care Act?
The Affordable Care Act adds a new provision to the Fair Labor Standards Act, mandating that employers provide notification — in writing — to their employees: Informing the employee of the existence of the Marketplace (referred to in the statute as the Exchange) including a description of the services provided by the Marketplace, and the manner in which the employee may contact the Marketplace to request assistance; If the employer
Define “Adequate” and “Affordable” Insurance
Individuals whose employer does not offer adequate and affordable employer-sponsored group coverage will be able to purchase individual health insurance in the exchange. What exactly is adequate and affordable insurance? Adequate Coverage The employer-sponsored plan must cover at least 60% of a person’s medical costs on average Affordable Coverage Insurance premiums can be no more than 9.5% of an employee’s household income Not sure if the health plan offered through
Will Employers Really Drop Health Insurance Coverage?
In an earlier post, we discussed the possibility that employers, in the face of increasing insurance premiums, are likely to discontinue offering health insurance coverage for their employees when the next phase of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) goes into effect in January. There are many reasons to believe that this will happen. However, the only absolute certainty when it comes to the future of health insurance in the U.S.
What Should I do if my Employer Stops Providing Health Care Coverage?
With health insurance premiums on the rise and companies struggling to survive tough economic times, more and more employers have stopped offering health insurance coverage for their employees. According to a recent study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the number of Americans who got their health coverage through their employer fell by 11.5 million between 2000 and 2011. Although many of these workers may have been able to get