As the saying goes, I have some good news and some bad news. For the good news, the IRS has extended good faith relief for information-reporting requirements for the Affordable …
2017
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Affordable Care ActIRS
IRS Extends 2018 ACA Deadline for Providing 1095-Cs to Employees
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS has extended the 2018 deadlines to provide 2017 health coverage information forms to individuals as required by Affordable Care Act (ACA). The information was included in a new …
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ACA ComplianceTax Reform
ACA Individual Mandate is Set to be Gone, but Desire for Health Insurance Remains
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenAs part of tax reform legislation passed by Congress, the individual mandate provision in the ACA requiring every American citizen to obtain health insurance or pay an annual financial penalty …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Some Americans Able to Sign Up for Insurance Under the ACA Past December 15 Deadline
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenAs we wait for the latest statistics on the number of Americans who have signed up on government exchanges for healthcare insurance coverage for 2018, experts are predicting that the …
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The late Kenneth J. Arrow, Nobel-winning economist and one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century, would be dismayed at action being taken by Republicans in Congress to …
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Affordable Care ActIRS
The IRS Issues Guidance on the ACA’s Individual Mandate While Congress Looks to Repeal It
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenDuring 2017, the IRS has steadfastly avoided being swayed by the political breezes, even when they seemed to reach hurricane-level velocity. When President Trump and Republicans in Congress were readying …
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Affordable Care ActTax Reform
Tax Reform Bills Keep ACA Employer Mandate Intact
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThrowback Thursday Feature from Wednesday, December 6, 2017. When the U.S. House and Senate Republicans meet in conference to discuss how they will reconcile their two different tax reform legislations, among …
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The IRS has announced the penalty amounts for companies with 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees that do not comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for the …
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Affordable Care Act
Preparing For Affordable Care Act Filings With the IRS? Here’s a Checklist That May Help [Updated]
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenUpdated from original blog post on November 7, 2017. The ACA filing deadlines for the 2017 tax year are fast approaching. With the IRS sending penalty notices for ACA filings …
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Affordable Care ActIRS 226J/226-J
IRS Letter 226J Infographic Details Response Process [Updated]
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenUpdated from original blog post on December 4, 2017. As more organizations start to prepare for the possibility of receiving a holiday greeting from the IRS in the form of …
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Affordable Care ActIRS 226J/226-J
IRS Provides Information on Responding to Letter 226J
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS has posted information on its website regarding Letter 226J, the initial letter issued to Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) – those organizations with 50 or more full-time or full-time …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
The ACA Has Improved Healthcare In the United States
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThere is much political debate about whether the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has improved healthcare for Americans. The Wharton University scholarly podcast Knowledge@Wharton recently featured Wharton health care management professor …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
ACA Enrollment Continues at Faster Pace From Previous Year
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThey say that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone, a theory that may be true for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It was just months ago when …
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Affordable Care ActIRS
Are Your Clients Ready for the IRS’s ACA Penalty Assessments?
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOriginally published on November 21, 2017 in “Accounting Today” The IRS has been sending signals since the summer that it will be enforcing the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate. Those signals …
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As we enter into the annual Thanksgiving break, there is much to be thankful for. Most lists will include giving thanks for family, friends, and employment. And almost 1.5 million …
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Affordable Care ActSmall Business Health Options Program (SHOP)
Free ACA Resources for Small Businesses
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe federal government provides free online resources to help small businesses better understand the requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and how they might be able to offer health …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Why It Matters That More People Signed Up for ACA Health Coverage In 2018
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIt was meant to have the opposite effect. The Trump administration’s decision to undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by shortening the annual open enrollment period to 45-days and cutting …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Insurance Marketplace
The Healthcare Marketplace is Stabilizing Around the ACA
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWe are well into open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Despite significant increases in premium rates for 2018, enrollment for healthcare coverage on HealthCare.gov is higher than …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care ActIRS 226J/226-J
The IRS is Sending Million Dollar ACA Penalty Notices to Employers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe letter no one wants is now in the mail! (click the image for the full letter) Applicable Large Employers (ALEs), employers with 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent …
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Are deadline extensions and reinstatement of penalty relief for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the cards for employers? The IRS Information Reporting Program Advisory Committee (IRPAC) has recommended the …
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Affordable Care ActIRS
How to Respond to IRS Letter 226J About Affordable Care Act Penalties
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIt’s the letter no one wants to receive. However, its coming and you need to be prepared just in case your company or client receives it. It is Letter 226J, …
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As we reported this week, the IRS has issued guidance on its plans to issue penalty notices by the end of this year to Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) it believes …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
New Kaiser Family Foundation Study Shows Number Of Uninsured In 2016
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWhen the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was first enacted in 2010, the mission was clear: provide affordable healthcare to the millions of Americans without it. Depending on who you speak …
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Affordable Care Act
Preparing for Affordable Care Act Filings with the IRS? Here’s a Checklist That May Help
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenNow is the time to be assessing where you stand in gathering the necessary information necessary for filing ACA-mandated information with the IRS. Organizations with more than 50 full-time or …
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ACA ComplianceIRSIRS 226J/226-J
The IRS Will Start Issuing ACA Penalty Notices in 2017
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenAs we reported earlier this year, indications from the IRS pointed to the agency sending enforcement notices by December 2017 to businesses with 50 or more employees – referred to …
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Affordable Care ActIRS
Free Resources from the IRS to Answer Your Questions on the ACA
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS provides a variety of resources to assist organizations in better understanding the requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Here’s are some that we hope you will find …
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Affordable Care ActIRS
Update on IRS Penalties for Employers That Fail to File ACA-Mandated Information
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenYou can expect to see a slight increase in IRS penalties related to the Affordable Care Act for the 2018 and 2019 tax filing seasons, which reflect reporting for the …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Efforts to Undermine the Start of Open Enrollment for 2018 Healthcare Coverage on November 1
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOpen enrollment for individuals to purchase healthcare coverage through government exchanges begins tomorrow and runs through December 15. Both advocates and opponents of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are anxious …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care ReformHealth Insurance ExchangesLegislationPolitical Parties
Bipartisan Senate Bill Quietly Gaining Momentum
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenA bipartisan Senate bill that would continue cost sharing payments to insurance companies and provide states more flexibility in addressing healthcare issues is quietly gaining momentum. The U.S. Senate’s Committee …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoverageHealth Care ReformHealth Insurance MarketplaceLegislation
Americans Don’t Want President Trump to Destroy the Affordable Care Act
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWhile President Trump does his best to undermine the Affordable Care Act, the American public wants it to succeed. Americans don’t want the Affordable Care Act (ACA) destroyed. They want …
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Affordable Care ActHealthcareIRSPenaltiesTax Filings
Has the ACA Bettered the Language Barriers in Forms Reporting? We Asked a Professional
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOver the last few years, pocket neighborhoods of Spanish speaking individuals have produced significant language barriers when it comes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Many whose primary language is …
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Affordable Care ActIRS
IRS Roundup: What You Need to Know About the IRS and the Affordable Care Act
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOver the past few months, the IRS has been moving forward with preparations for the ACA-mandated filings for the 2017 tax reporting year. Here’s what we know so far about …
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Affordable Care Act
With ACA Open Enrollment Weeks Away, Trump Cancellation of CSR Payments Not Deterring Insurers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenPerhaps only time will tell if President Trump can succeed where Republicans in Congress have failed to obliterate the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The President’s ambitious attempts to derail the …
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Affordable Care ActIRS
IRS To Enforce Individual Mandate for 2017 Tax Returns
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIn yet another sign that the IRS will be enforcing the Affordable Care Act, the IRS’s ACA Information Center for Taxpaying Professionals is providing updated guidance that it will require …
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ACA ReformAffordable Care Act
Back to Congress: Changes to Modify the ACA to Continue Subsidy Payments to Insurers to Stabilize Insurance Markets Are Still In Play
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenBipartisan discussions spearheaded by the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions may lead to legislation that will continue cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments to insurance companies providing health …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
In Contrast to Federal Government, California Institutes New Laws to Bolster ACA
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWhile the White House and many Republicans in Washington, D.C., seem intent on undermining the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the statehouse in Sacramento is doing something to bolster it. The …
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Affordable Care Act
New White House Executive Order Doesn’t Change ACA Employer Mandate
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe Executive Order directed at the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that was signed by President Trump last week addresses three areas he claims will expand healthcare choices to Americans. The …
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Health Care CoveragePrescription Drugs
States Are Taking The Lead in Curbing Drug Costs
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenStates are taking more aggressive action to curb drug costs. It’s self-preservation. Prescription drug expenditures are nearly 20 percent of U.S. health care costs. According to the National Academy for …
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The latest news surrounding our nation’s healthcare has kept many on the edges of their seats, but for the moment, those who most benefit from the Affordable Care Act can …
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ACA ReportingIRS
IRS Issues Instructions for Use of New ACA Forms for 2017 Tax Year [NEW REPORT]
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS has followed the release of the 2017 forms for filing Affordable Care Act (ACA)-mandated information with the IRS for the 2017 tax year with the instructions for the …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Temporary Shutdowns of Healthcare.gov Termed ACA Sabotage
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIt’s become a bit of a sport. Websites and media outlets are tracking ways that the Trump administration has been working to undermine the Affordable Care Act. Organizations such as …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
CHIP Reauthorization in Congressional Committees Sees Mixed Results
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThere were mixed results yesterday in Congress as Senate and House committees considered bills reauthorizing funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The program provided healthcare coverage to 8.9 …
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Health Care CoverageHealth Care Reform
Congress Not Delivering Yet on Public Priorities for Healthcare
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenDespite a recent declaration that Congress will focus on tax reform, the need to address critical healthcare issues remains. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) survey found that a large …
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ACA ReportingIRS
IRS Issues New ACA Forms for 2017 Tax Year [NEW REPORT]
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS continues to prepare for employers to file ACA-mandated information with the IRS for the 2017 tax year. The IRS is now making the new Form 1094-C and Form …
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ACA Compliance
The Two C’s of Open Enrollment Season: Communication and Compliance
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe Affordable Care Act raised the ante on providing health insurance to Americans for U. S. businesses. It mandated that applicable large employers (those with 50 or more full-time employees …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care ReformHealth Insurance Marketplace
Trump, McConnell Indicate There May Be Movement Towards Limited Bipartisan ACA Legislation to Stabilize Insurance Markets in 2018 [NEW REPORT]
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWith the GOP’s last-ditch attempt in Congress to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA)done for now, President Trump introduced the idea of working with Democrats to change healthcare …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Insurance Marketplace
Path Now Clear for U.S. Senate Committee to Address Stabilizing Health Insurance Markets
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe on again, off again effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) finally fizzled out yesterday when Republican leadership in the U.S. Senate declined to bring to …
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Affordable Care ActHealthcare
Increases in Employee Healthcare Costs Pushing Businesses to Innovative Solutions to Lower Costs
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe Affordable Care Act (ACA) has helped more Americans obtain health insurance than ever before. Most of the discussion around issues with the ACA has focused on the individual market …
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Affordable Care ActEmployee Misclassification
GrubHub Trial Could Set Precedent for Employee Misclassification Lawsuits
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenGrubHub is on trial for a case of employee misclassification involving its drivers. The drivers allege they were misclassified by the on-demand food delivery app as independent contractors and not …
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ACA ReportingIRS
IRS Extends Voluntary Reporting Of Catastrophic Coverage
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS released Notice 2017-41 last month, informing health insurance issuers of further guidance surrounding the reporting of catastrophic plan coverage acquired through the ACA’s Health Insurance Marketplace. It’s the …