Smart Benefits: Pay or Play Delay Could Bode Well for Employers
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Monday, February 17, 2014
Amy Gallagher, GoLocalWorcester Business/Health Expert
The Affordable Care Act’s “Pay or Play” penalty that requires employers to pay penalties for full-time employees to whom they don’t provide affordable, minimum value health insurance is delayed once again. But this time, employers with 50-100 employees will benefit, getting to wait until 2016 before paying the penalty.
Delay Benefits Some Smaller Companies As Well
Some employers with fewer than 50 employees may also benefit. While not subject to the “Pay or Play” provisions of the Affordable Care Act, some smaller companies are on the cusp of having more than 50 employees because of full-time employer determination formulas. Now, even if they cross the “over 50” threshold, they’ll have an extra year before they have to offer insurance.
And Relief for Large Employers, Too
While larger employers must pay the penalty in 2015 (originally delayed from 2014), these groups will get some relief. Next year, they will have to offer insurance to 70% of their full-time employees compared to the 95% required in 2016. And they won’t have to start paying the “Pay or Play” penalties until the start of their plan year in 2015 rather than January 1st.
New Clarification of Full-Time Employees
To help clarify full-time employees for purposes of the “Pay or Play” penalty, the definition has been explained further. Volunteers, seasonal workers who typically work six months or less and students who participate in federal or state work study programs will not be considered full-time. However, educational employees, like teachers, will be considered full-time, despite time off during the summer.
Amy Gallagher has over 21 years of healthcare industry experience guiding employers and employees. As Vice President at Cornerstone Group, she advises large employers on all aspects of healthcare reform, benefit solutions, cost-containment strategies and results-driven wellness programs. Amy speaks regularly on a variety of healthcare-related topics, and is often quoted by national publications on the subject matter. Locally, Amy is a member of SHRM-RI, the Rhode Island Business Group on Health, and the Rhode Island Business Healthcare Advisory Council.
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11 Famous Twins Thriving
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8 MA Sexual Health
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2 Nurses Fight at UMass
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The timeline:
November 15, 2012: UMass Memorial and Nurses Union Clash Over “Dangerous Mismangement”
December 13, 2012: Nurses Picket UMass Memorial Over Staffing + Pension Cuts
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April 11, 2013: UMass Memorial Nurses Prepared to Strike
April 12, 2013: UMass Memorial Nurses Vote to Strike
May 10, 2013: UMass Memorial Nurses to Hold One-Day Strike
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May 20, 2013: UMass Memorial Univ. Campus Nurses Strike Still Looming
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GoLocal consulted with patients, experts, and hospital administrators for their take to contextualize the rankings- click here to read the story.
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