Health Care Reform
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), officially called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), and often referred to as Health Care Reform, was enacted in March 2010, with the overall intention of having consumers take charge of their health care. The ACA significantly changed the landscape of health care in the US by implementing reforms designed to expand health care coverage, control health care costs and improve how health care services are delivered.
A number of ACA requirements apply to employer-sponsored group health plans, such as the employer mandate and the annual information reporting requirements. Using XpertHR's tools and resources can help an employer better understand and comply with the complex and ever-changing requirements of the ACA.
Interactive Flowcharts
- Determine Responsibility for Information Reporting Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
- Determine If a Penalty Is Owed Under the Affordable Care Act
Tasks
Quick Reference
50-State Charts
Policies and Procedures
- Form 1094-B, Transmittal of Health Coverage Information Returns
- Form 1095-B, Health Coverage Information Return
- Form 1094-C, Transmittal of Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Information Returns
- Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Information Return
- EBSA Form 700
- Model Notice of Objection
Employment Law Guide
- Health Care Benefits > The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
- Taxation of Employee Benefits > Health Care Reform Legislation
How To
- How to Complete and File Forms 1094-B and 1095-B for ACA Information-Reporting Purposes
- How to Complete and File Forms 1094-C and 1095-C for ACA Information-Reporting Purposes
- How to Determine Full-Time Employee Status Using the Look-Back Measurement Method and Evaluate Pay or Play Penalties
- How to Determine If Coverage an Employer Offers Is Sufficient to Avoid Pay or Play Penalty Under the Affordable Care Act
- How to Determine Applicable Large Employer Status Under the Affordable Care Act
FAQs
Annual Information Reporting
- What are the two annual information-reporting requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)?
- When do the information-reporting requirements under Sections 6055 and 6056 go into effect?
- May an employer combine reporting for Sections 6055 and 6056?
- Is an employer required to file Section 6055 or Section 6056 information returns electronically?
- What steps should an employer take in order to electronically file Section 6055 or Section 6056 information returns?
- In what format must Sections 6055 and 6056 information returns be filed electronically?
- What penalties apply if an employer fails to timely file required information under Sections 6055 and 6056?
- How is an offer of COBRA continuation coverage reported under Sections 6055 and 6056?
- What should a reporting entity do if, after making a reasonable effort, it is unable to obtain the Social Security Number (SSN) of an employee's dependent who is covered under a health policy or plan?
- Must a reporting entity make a written request to obtain the Social Security Number (SSN) of an employee's dependent?
- Why does the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) require reporting under Section 6055?
- Who is required to file the annual information return reporting minimum essential coverage (MEC) under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 6055?
- What forms should be used to file the annual return reporting minimum essential coverage?
- What information is required to be included on the information return reporting minimum essential coverage (MEC) under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 6055?
- What information does the entity filing the annual return reporting minimum essential coverage have to provide to employees?
- What is the deadline for filing the annual return reporting minimum essential coverage (MEC)?
- If an employer maintains an insured health plan, who is responsible for filing the annual information return reporting minimum essential coverage?
- By when does the entity filing the annual return reporting minimum essential coverage have to provide a written statement to employees?
- If an employer is not subject to the employer mandate (i.e., an employer with fewer than 50 full-time and full-time equivalent employees), is it still required to report minimum essential coverage under Section 6055?
- Are all employers required to comply with the minimum essential coverage (MEC) reporting requirements under Section 6055?
- What steps should a reporting entity take if it does not have an employee's dependent's Social Security Number (SSN) for Section 6055 reporting purposes?
- Does an employer have to report minimum essential coverage (MEC) under Section 6055 for all employees or only for full-time employees?
- Must an employer report under Section 6055 if some or all of its covered employees are exempt from the individual mandate?
- To whom must an employer provide the statement required to be provided to individuals under Section 6055?
- Does an employer have to provide individual Section 6055 statements to each dependent covered under a health plan?
- How must an employer provide the Section 6055 statement to the responsible individual?
- How should an employer go about obtaining an individual's consent to send Section 6055 statements electronically?
- May an employer hire a third party to handle Section 6055 reporting requirements?
- Who is required to file the annual information return reporting the terms and conditions of health care coverage provided to full-time employees under Internal Revenue Code Section 6056?
- What forms should be used to file the annual return reporting the terms and conditions of health care coverage provided to full-time employees under Internal Revenue Code Section 6056?
- What information must be included on the information return reporting the terms and conditions of health care coverage provided to full-time employees under Internal Revenue Code Section 6056?
- What information must be provided to employees in relation to the annual return reporting the terms and conditions of health care coverage provided to full-time employees under Internal Revenue Code Section 6056?
- What is the deadline for filing the annual return reporting the terms and conditions of health care coverage provided to full-time employees under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 6056?
- By when does the entity filing the annual return reporting the terms and conditions of health care coverage provided to full-time employees under Internal Revenue Code Section 6056 have to provide a written statement to employees?
- Do the reporting requirements under Section 6056 apply to nonprofit and government employers?
- Are there alternative methods of reporting available to employers under Section 6056?
- Is an employer required to provide the Section 6056 employee statements electronically?
- Do Section 6056 reporting requirements apply to full-time employees who are not offered coverage?
- May an employer hire a third-party administrator to handle Section 6056 reporting requirements?
Employer Mandate
- When do the employer shared responsibility requirements go into effect?
- What is the employer shared responsibility requirement under the Affordable Care Act?
- What employers are subject to the employer shared responsibility requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)?
- Are there any employers that are not subject to the employer shared responsibility requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)?
- What is an applicable large employer under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)?
- Is a subsidiary company with fewer than 50 full-time employees exempt from the employer shared responsibility requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)?
- Are companies that are related or that have a common owner combined for the purpose of determining large employer status under the Affordable Care Act?
- How are full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) calculated under the Affordable Care Act?
