When a small business owner considers group coverage for employees, their search starts with the Big Question: How do I pay for my employees’ health insurance? The Big Answer is a bit complicated, but we’ll cover the bases in this post. To pay for employees’ health insurance, you can structure group coverage in one of two ways: through a (1)
Are you a small-business owner with fewer than 25 full-time employees? You could be eligible for a small business tax credit! This federal subsidy is targeted to businesses with low to moderate-income employees, and it offsets the cost of paying for employees’ health insurance premiums. To qualify for the small business tax credit, your firm must meet the following requirements:
On January 1, 2015, the Employer Shared Responsibility provision went into effect. As of 2017, the provision — and possible penalty for non-compliance — applies to “large” small businesses in California. In this post, we’ll discuss who falls under the shared responsibility provision (SRP) and how the penalty is calculated. Who Is Subject To The Shared Responsibility Provision? The Affordable Care Act’s employer SRP
After the 2016 election, pundits on all sides swore, “We’re out of the prediction business.” The same declaration should be made for anyone involved in healthcare policy — because while commentary abounds on the future of health insurance under President Trump, nothing has been confirmed. In March, Republicans put together a bill to “repeal and replace” Obamacare. However, until actual legislation gets
Employee retention is a crucial part of reducing company costs. And a key part of employee retention is that your business offers access to quality healthcare coverage. But you’re not a health insurance expert. You’re a small business owner with a small HR department and limited resources to navigate the health insurance industry. How do you offer comprehensive coverage and keep
Under the original provisions of the Affordable Care Act, the term “small business” applied to companies with no more than 50 employees. As of January 2016, that definition has changed. If your firm has 1 to 100 full-time equivalent employees, you are now eligible to purchase healthcare coverage through Covered California. Known as the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP),
Almost two-thirds of insured Americans receive health insurance through their employers. But plenty of Americans — specifically, Americans who work for small businesses — don’t receive health insurance through work. If you’re a small business owner with fewer than 50 full-time employees, you aren’t legally obligated to provide group coverage. Still, could employee benefits give your firm a competitive advantage? One
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) made sweeping changes to America’s healthcare system. And for small businesses, those changes have a big impact. If your firm has 50 or more employees, the ACA requires that you provide affordable coverage to your employees. If your firm has fewer than 50 employees, you don’t have to offer health insurance — but you do
It’s that time of year again! Open Enrollment, the annual period in which you can sign up for a health insurance plan for 2018, runs Nov. 1, 2017 to Jan. 31, 2018 in California. This window is your only chance to sign up for 2018 healthcare coverage. (Exceptions will be made, however, for those who qualify for Special Enrollment). So now’s the time
Health insurance in California saw three major changes in 2017. First, PPO plans were phased out in favor of HMO and EPO plans. Second, all Obamacare enrollees had to choose or be recommended to a PCP. Third, most plan premiums increased in price. Because California has the nation’s largest state-run health insurance exchange, its pool of about 1.4 million enrollees helped insurance companies
