What should employers be thinking about now that the US Supreme Court has upheld the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) premium assistance structure in King v. Burwell? Because the ACA, as we know it today, will remain in place for the foreseeable future, employers should continue to plan for and react to the numerous and detailed ACA requirements, including the following:
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Determining their ACA full-time employee population—including whether contingent workers or independent contractors may be deemed to be common-law employees for ACA purposes.
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Analyzing whether all ACA full-time employees and their dependents are being offered affordable ACA-compliant coverage at the right time.
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Preparing for the exceedingly complicated 2015 ACA employer Shared Responsibility and individual mandate reporting due in early 2016 on Forms 1095-B and 1095-C and the associated transmittal forms.
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Capturing ACA health plan design changes in plan documents, summary plan descriptions, open enrollment material, and required notices to respond to participant needs, lawsuits, and growing federal agency audits.
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Paying the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute fee in July.
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Conducting the necessary plan design analysis and preparing for any changes necessary to avoid the Cadillac Tax in 2018.
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