What People Need To Know About ACA Employer Mandate

By Alta Alexander


Countless of US residents may have already heard about Affordable Care Act. Obamacare is another term for it. Nevertheless, numerous employees do not have a clear idea how this can affect their health benefits.

Companies may now begin to offer healthcare insurance to employees especially those that have previously not. Coverage may no longer be offered by other firms. However, Americans will most likely not notice any changes when it comes to the health benefits offered by their employers. Health insurance providers compete in federal or state operated arenas known as public insurance marketplaces which provide access to health insurance following the ACA employer mandate for small groups and individuals. This means comparing health insurance products will be made easier.

Under this act, it is the responsibility of employers to provide health benefits to their employees. Majority of the time, organizations that do not offer heallth benefits to their employees are affected. New requirements on businesses are imposed. The rules took effect last January 1, 2015 for those businesses with fifty or more full-time equivalent and full-time employees. On the other hand, businesses with fifty to one hundred full-time equivalent and full-time employees that meet specific requirement will start following this on January 1, 2016.

It is necessary for employers to provide group health insurance coverage to full time employees, at least 95% of them. If they will not do so, penalty will be applied. This will also happen if businesses will not provide adequate coverage. The rates are lessened in order for the small agency owners to be encouraged to grant health benefits.

If a worker has a private insurance that he or she bought for him or herself or if he or she is equipped with insurance offered by his or her company, he or she will not be required to do anything. On the contrary, an uninsured worker will be required to settle penalty when he or she files taxes.

The employers should provide coverage if employees work more than thirty hours a week. This is applicable to employees with a part-time job at a business with fifty or more full-time equivalent and full-time employees. If not, then this is optional. It may be cheaper for employees to buy a plan through the marketplace even if their company chooses to offer employee health benefits.

For legal business functions, third-party staffing agency may retain temporary including contract employees. The reason behind this is that these employees are technically employees of the agency. The mandates of Affordable Care Act must be followed by the staffing agency especially if there are eligible employees working full time. Qualified candidates will be given access by excellent agencies to take advantage of employee health benefits regardless if they are temporary, consultant or contract employees.

It cannot be denied that a lot of employers are confused because of the complexity and sheer size of this act. In addition, majority of them do not know when to follow the requirements, which ones they need to follow and are confused with various deadlines which may be considered disadvantages.




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