12 Nov Affordable Care Act Update: IRS Extends ACA Reporting Deadline and Good-Faith Relief from Penalties

Posted at 20:02h in Affordable Care Act, Commercial Insurance, Employee Benefits, Group Benefits, Health Insurance

Setnor Byer Insurance & Risk This seemingly endless year is almost over…finally. That means it’s time for Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) to start focusing on the Affordable Care Act’s annual information-reporting requirements. Fortunately, the Internal Revenue Service extended the deadline for ALEs to furnish 2020 information...

Read More

18 Aug Affordable Care Act: Will Your Group Health Plan be Affordable in 2021?

Posted at 13:42h in Affordable Care Act, Commercial Insurance, Employee Benefits, Group Benefits, Health Insurance, Human Resources

The Affordable Care Act’s affordability threshold for employer-sponsored group health plans will increase to 9.83 percent in 2021. The affordability threshold is currently 9.78 percent. The impending increase primarily affects employers with 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees. The ACA generally requires these...

Read More

30 Mar Supreme Court Requests Compromise Options in ACA Contraception Case

Posted at 16:50h in Affordable Care Act, Group Benefits, Health Insurance

In Zubik v. Burwell, the U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether the rights of religiously affiliated nonprofit organizations are violated by the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive-coverage mandate. Given the sensitive, often contentious issues raised in this case, the public is anxiously awaiting the Court’s decision....

Read More

03 Feb Is Your Group Health Plan Considered ‘Affordable’ under the ACA?

Posted at 14:30h in Affordable Care Act, Group Benefits, Health Insurance

Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) are generally employers that average at least 50 full-time and full-time equivalent employees. Under the Affordable Care Act, ALEs can either provide health insurance coverage to employees or pay a penalty. To avoid a penalty, ALEs must offer health coverage to...

Read More

14 Oct Automatic Deadline Extensions Now Available for Affordable Care Act Information Reports

Posted at 16:35h in Employee Benefits, Group Benefits, Health Insurance

For the first time, all applicable large employers must comply with the Affordable Care Act's annual healthcare reporting requirements. Employers that averaged at least 50 full-time or full-time equivalent employees in 2014 must report specific 2015 healthcare information to the Internal Revenue Service. Reports for...

Read More

12 Jun Is Telemedicine Right For You?

Posted at 14:29h in Employee Benefits, Group Benefits, Health Insurance

Telemedicine generally refers to the practice of using telecommunications technologies (phone, Internet, etc.) to diagnose and treat patients, and in case you haven't noticed, it's come a long way. Consider this: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services describes telemedicine as a cost-effective alternative to...

Read More

08 Apr Small Group Health Premiums under the Affordable Care Act

Posted at 13:28h in Affordable Care Act, Group Benefits, Health Insurance

Controlling health insurance premiums was a primary goal of health care reform. Before the Affordable Care Act (ACA), small group health insurers could vary premiums for a number of reasons, such as a group's overall health status, size, age, gender, history or industry. As a...

Read More

04 Mar Supreme Court to Rule on Fate of the Affordable Care Act…Again

Posted at 14:08h in Health Insurance

Once again, the fate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) rests with the United States Supreme Court. Though the constitutionality of the ACA isn't being challenged in King v. Burwell, the stakes may be just as high. This case involves the interpretation and applicability of...

Read More

28 Jan Are You Ready for the New Affordable Care Act Reporting Requirements?

Posted at 13:44h in Health Insurance, Labor & Employment Law

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) with 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees to file information returns with the Internal Revenue Service and provide statements to their full-time employees about employer-offered health insurance coverage. This information will be used...

Read More

10 Dec Understanding Excepted Benefits Under the Affordable Care Act

Posted at 20:26h in Employee Benefits, Health Insurance

Many employers offer benefits packages that provide employees with more than just health insurance coverage. Though some of these benefits, like pre-paid legal service plans, are clearly not health-related, others may provide employees with some health-related benefits. Does this mean they are subject to the...

Read More