10 Questions Every Small Business Owner Should Ask about Health Care Reform - 2014. Small businesses (employers with fewer than 50 employees) are largely unaffected by the Affordable Care Act (aka Health Care Reform or "ObamaCare").
In this article, we will answer the 10 most frequently asked questions (FAQs) from small businesses about health care reform. 1. Am I required to offer health insurance? No. Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees are not required to offer health insurance under the new legislation. 2. No. See this FAQ: Does My Small Business Have to Provide Health Insurance? 3. Yes. Most employees will be eligible for health insurance tax subsidies. Download this PDF Guide for an overview of the Health Insurance Tax Subsidies 4. Here's the calculation to determine how many FTE employees you have. A full-time employee is defined as working on average at least 30 hours of service per week in a given month. Coming soon: more ways to get to know your doctor. This week, the federal government is planning to release a massive database capable of providing patients with much more information about their doctors.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the government agency that runs Medicare, plans to post on its website detailed information about how many visits and procedures individual health professionals billed the program for in 2012, and how much they were paid. This new trove of data, which covers 880,000 health professionals, adds to a growing body of information available to patients who don't want to leave picking a doctor to chance. But to put that information to good use, consumers need to be aware of what is available, what's missing and how to interpret it. So, what's out there? As it stands, patients can go to websites such as Yelp or Healthgrades to read reviews of their doctors submitted by other patients.
It's important to remember, though, that data can sometimes be misleading. White House Extends Insurance Enrollment Deadline for Second Time. Karen Pallarito HealthDay Reporter Posted: Thursday, December 26, 2013, 7:00 AM TUESDAY, Dec. 24, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- The Obama Administration on Tuesday once again extended the deadline for people to register for health insurance coverage on Healthcare.gov.
The new extension follows a 24-hour "grace period" that was granted on Monday -- beyond the original deadline of Monday 11:59 pm --for benefits that would kick in on Jan. 1. In an blog Tuesday on the HealthCare.gov website, the Obama Administration said that people who could prove that trouble on the Healthcare.gov website had hindered them from signing up would be granted an extension. "Even though we have passed the Dec. 23 enrollment deadline for coverage starting Jan. 1, we don't want you to miss out if you've been trying to enroll," the administration said in the blog. The blog advised visitors: "Contact the Marketplace call center at 1-800-318-2596 (available 24/7; closed December 25).
Low Income. How the Health Care Law is Making a Difference for the People of Vermont. Because of the Affordable Care Act, the 92% of Vermonters who have insurance have more choices and stronger coverage than ever before.
And for the 8% of Vermonters who don’t have insurance, or Vermont families and small businesses who buy their coverage but aren’t happy with it, a new day is just around the corner. Soon, the new online Health Insurance Marketplace will provide families and small businesses who currently don’t have insurance, or are looking for a better deal, a new way to find health coverage that fits their needs and their budgets. Open enrollment in the Marketplace starts Oct 1, with coverage starting as soon as Jan 1, 2014. But Vermont families and small business can visit HealthCare.gov right now to find the information they need prepare for open enrollment.
The health care law is already providing better options, better value, better health and a stronger Medicare program to the people of Vermont by: Better Options The Health Insurance Marketplace. Key Features of the Affordable Care Act. Under Health Care Act, Millions Eligible for Free Policies.