New York SBDC Research Network

From the IRS : It’s important to know how many full-time employees you have because two provisions of the Affordable Care Act – employer shared responsibility and employer information reporting for offers of minimum essential coverage – apply only to applicable large employers. Employers average the number of their full-time employees, including full-time equivalents, for the months from the previous year to see whether they are considered an applicable large employer. Whether your organization is an Applicable Large Employers (ALE) for a particular calendar year depends on the size of your workforce in the preceding calendar year. To be an ALE, you must have had an average of at least 50 full-time employees – including full-time-equivalent employees – during the preceding calendar year. So, for example, you will use information about the size of your workforce during 2016 to determine if your organization is an ALE for 2017.

From the IRS: Most employers have fewer than 50 full-time employees or full-time equivalent employees and are not subject to the Affordable Care Act’s  employer shared responsibility provision . If an employer has fewer than 50 full-time employees, including full-time equivalent employees, on average during the prior year, the employer is not an ALE for the current calendar year.  Therefore, the employer is not subject to the employer shared responsibility provisions or the employer information reporting provisions for the current year. Calculating the number of employees is especially important for employers that have close to 50 employees or whose workforce fluctuates throughout the year.

Who Must Report? As a governmental, Tribal, tax-exempt or for-profit employer, if you are an  applicable large employer  you are subject to the Affordable Care Act information reporting requirements. These requirements apply to you whether or not you offered health coverage to your employees. You are an  applicable large employer  for 2015 if you had 50 or more full-time employees, including full-time equivalent employees, in 2014. What Must You Report? If you were an applicable large employer in 2015, you must file information returns with the IRS and provide statements to each employee who was a full-time employee for at least one month of the year about health coverage you offered or to show that you did not offer health coverage.

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Find MANY informational links to ACA program , including: Affordable Care Act Legal Guidance and Other Resources Health Care Tax Tips, Flyers, Publications, Trifolds and Additional Materials YouTube Videos, Podcasts and Webinars Social Media News Releases Fact Sheets Legal Guidance – Announcements Legal Guidance – Regulations and Treasury Decisions Legal Guidance – Notices, Revenue Procedures and Revenue Rulings

Now that Open Enrollment under the Affordable Care Act is actually over, the appeal process has started.  Appeals can occur for many reasons, including eligibility, enrollment post-open enrollment,  lowering costs and increasing savings, and more.  The articles below from government agencies can help answer any questions you may have about your right to appeal.  Also provided is detailed information and forms to help you go through the appeal process. Can I appeal a Marketplace decision?  (Healthcare.gov) Appealing Health Plan Decisions  (US Department of Health and Human Services) The Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight - External Appeals  (Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services)

The Affordable Care Act continues to dominate the minds of many Americans as the deadline for registration approaches.  As it stands right now, Monday March 31st is the deadline for registration for the ACA, with unregistered individuals facing fines.  Yesterday, the Obama Administration announced that due to a surge in registrations, the deadline will be extended.  But they did not state exactly when the deadline will now be. Needless to say, people's emotions regarding the Affordable Care Act continue to run high.  Polls indicate that opinions of the ACA are at an all-time low.  With 6 million individuals already registered, and more registering everyday, the news and opinions will continue to pour in, and I will do my best to keep you informed.  While these articles are not specific to Small Business, they will help you know what is currently going on and what is coming next. Obamacare applicants to get more deadline flexibility  (CNN) Poll: Obama's health care  (US Ne

The end of this month brings the deadline for signing up for the Affordable Care ACT.  So how do you face this deadline and what are people doing to face the deadline?  Below are some articles from popular news sources on what the deadline means, whether it affects you, and what people are saying about the deadline. Disclaimer:  News from popular news sources are not always accurate or up-to-date, so it important to read  from multiple sources. Millions May Avoid Obamacare Penalty as Deadline Looms Deadline looming for Affordable Care Act enrollment Obamacare enrollment bests 4.2 million; more young adults signed up Facing Obamacare enrollment deadline, these states are pushing for more time

Different industries are having different reactions to the Affordable Care Act.  Below are some articles on different industries and how they say the ACA will effect them How latest change in health care bill impacts restaurants Manufacturers warn of ObamaCare fallout New Obamacare Regulations Spark Growth in Vending Industry Companies Say Obamacare Is Slamming The Health Care Industry I've tried to provide a mix of industries above.  If you are interested in finding information on an industry that I haven't touched on, please comment below, and I will try to find information for you.  If you would like to search on your own, I advise looking at an association website.  Associations are valuable sources of up-to-date information on specific industries.

Well, the Affordable Care Act has now been up and running for the last month.  So what are the news sources saying?  What are the people saying?  What advice is out there?  Here are a few examples, once again, with a disclaimer that popular news stories are not always accurate and up-to-date, and should always be taken with a grain of salt. In Obamacare, Go For Bronze Health Plans -- Buying Platinum Is Often A Waste Of Money Obamacare and your financial future Dear Young People: Please Sign Up for Health Insurance Obamacare: Uninsured Americans still staying away so far Obamacare deadbeats: Some don't pay up Obamacare open enrollment: Here's everything you need to know Obamacare 2.0: More regulation

There are many key dates to watch for in the Affordable Care Act rollout. To start, here is what happened on January 1st. -Coverage begins. Many low-income Americans who didn't qualify for Medicaid in the past can use it now. People who signed up for private insurance in a state or federal marketplace by Dec. 24 (or later in some states) and have paid their first premium are now covered, too. -Coverage begins for workers at companies that have signed up for new small business plans through the marketplaces, also called health care exchanges. -Coverage lapses for people whose existing plans were canceled, if they haven't signed up for a replacement or received an extension. At least 4.7 million people got cancellation notices, despite Obama's promise that Americans with insurance they like could keep their old plans. Obama recently gave insurance companies the option of extending old plans for existing customers for a year, but only where state insurance commissioners

There is a lot of information and then there are even more questions about doctors who are accepting Affordable Care Act.  There is also plenty of discussion and questions involving how patients can find doctors that do accept Affordable Care Act coverage.  Here are links to article and information provided both by the federal government and the news agencies. I feel I must give a disclaimer regarding information provided from the news agencies.  These articles are to give you an idea of what people are saying and hearing, and there is no guarantee that what is being reported is accurate or current. Factsheet: What You Should Know About Provider Networks What’s a provider network?  A provider network is a list of the doctors, other health care providers, and hospitals that a plan has contracted with to provide medical care to the plan’s members. These providers are called “network providers” or “in-network providers.” A provider that hasn't contracted with the plan is call

Many employers are still unsure as to their obligations under the Affordable Care Act.  The Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace is a new program that simplifies the process of buying health insurance for small businesses. In 2014, SHOP helps employers with 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees shop for, choose, and offer their employees high quality private health plans that fit their needs and budget. Beginning no later than January 1, 2016, SHOP will be available to employers with 100 or fewer full-time equivalent employees. To start coverage on January 1, 2014, you must select a plan to offer your employees and your employees must enroll in the plan by December 15, 2013. We intend to extend this deadline to December 23, so check back here for an update. After this initial enrollment period, you may enroll in SHOP on a rolling monthly basis. The deadline to enroll is always the 15th of the month for coverage to be effective the 1st of the following month

About 1.2 million people have now gotten coverage through “Obamacare” nationwide. As of December 9th, 314.146 New Yorkers have completed applications, with 100,881 enrolled. Coverage starts as soon as January 1, 2014 and can begin any month after that. There has been a lot of speculation as to what obligations small businesses will have when it comes to their their employees and the Affordable Care Act.  Media sources have spread inaccurate and unsubstantiated information regarding the law.  The best place to get non-opinionated information are the government websites at the following links. Federal Affordable Care Act for Small Business Website New York State Affordable Care Act for Small Business Website The Federal Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace makes it possible for small businesses to provide qualified health plans to their employees. For 2014, the SHOP Marketplace is open to employers with 50 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees (F

It's one of the first things people ask you when you tell them about your new job: What are the benefits? Health insurance is such an integral part of life that people take jobs just so they will be guaranteed issuance. Now that the Affordable Care Act application process is up and running, people have been buzzing about how it will affect their lives. Startups and entrepreneurs, though, have the potential to be the biggest winners come January when the Obamacare plans go into effect. Chris Mihm, owner of Medicoverage, believes that for a few different reasons the Affordable Care Act is going to revolutionize startup hubs around the country. "Group insurance offers guaranteed issuance – every single employee will get approved no matter if they have cancer or any pre-existing condition of any type," Mihm said of the way health care traditionally worked. "On January 1, 2014, every single person who signs up for insurance is guaranteed issuance. So even if you have a

From irs.gov/aca : The Affordable Care Act, or health care law, contains new benefits and responsibilities for employers. The size and structure of your workforce – small, large, or part of a group – helps determine what applies to you. Employers with: Fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees may be eligible for a Small Business Health Care Tax Credit to help cover the cost of providing coverage. Generally 50 or fewer employees may be eligible to buy coverage through the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP). Learn more at HealthCare.gov 50 or more full-time equivalent employees will need to file an annual return reporting whether and what health insurance they offered employees. In addition, they are subject to the Employer Shared Responsibility provisions .

Looking for insight about how the Affordable Care Act will affect your small business and your employees? This free webinar series will help you understand key pieces of the law and what you should know about tax credits, the new small employer health insurance Marketplace (SHOP), and more. This week will feature special guest SBA Administrator Karen Mills. The series will run every Thursday through October, and the same webinar will be offered each week. Join us this week and get the facts you need to know. Thursday, August 15 at 2:00 PM ET: Click to Register Tip: Check out Business.usa.gov/healthcare to get customized ACA information for businesses of all sizes

The Forty Hours is Full Time Act of 2013, or H.R. 2988, which was introduced by Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., would expand the definition of a full-time employee from the ACA’s current 30-hour-per-week threshold. The ACA currently establishes that businesses with more than 50 full-time workers must provide health insurance for full-time employees who work either 30 hours a week or 130 hours per month. Many in the foodservice industry have been working to convince policymakers to increase the number of weekly hours worked to 35 or 40 since the ACA was passed in 2010. This newest measure mirrors a similar bipartisan bill that had been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., earlier this year. Like the House bill, the Senate version redefines a full-time employee as one who works 40 hours a week or 174 hours a month based on a 52-week year. More from Nation's Restaurant News .

Looking for insight about how the Affordable Care Act will affect your small business and your employees? This free webinar series will help you understand key pieces of the law and what you should know about tax credits, cost containment and more. Get the facts you need to know. • Thursday, July 25 at 12:00 PM ET • Thursday, August 1 at 2:00 PM ET • Thursday, August 8 at 2:00 PM ET • Thursday, August 15 at 2:00 PM ET

Sole proprietors currently can self-insure through regular health insurance companies, through Healthy New York , through organizations like the local Chamber of Commerce or another business association, or through groups like SSA ( Support Services Alliance ). Theoretically, all states will be setting up health care exchanges by 2014 to offer a variety of options, though some may opt for the federal exchange. Here’s the link to the Affordable Health Care Act as it relates to a sole proprietor with no employees . Here’s an article from the Wall Street Journal online : Q. What if I am a one-person business? A. The impact for sole-proprietors and others with no employees will be much like the impact on individuals. For people in this group, the crux of the 2014 rollout is the individual mandate, which requires all U.S. citizens and legal residents to have health coverage or pay a penalty. You, as a one-person business, would buy insurance through your state's benefits exch