The Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) mandate that employers with 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees must offer health insurance coverage to their full-time employees has come with added …
2017
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Reform
Possible Extension Of Cost-Sharing Reduction Payments, More Flexibility for States May Face A Challenge
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearings on the Affordable Care Act could lead to bipartisan legislation for Congressional approval to continue cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
U.S. Senate Health Committee Works to Reach Consensus With Healthcare Hearings Over
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenCan they reach a bipartisan consensus on fixing healthcare? That’s the question now that the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions has completed its hearings on stabilizing …
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The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has made significant strides in making healthcare affordable thanks to subsidies like Premium Tax Credits (PTCs), but that assistance can ultimately affect tax liability. At …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Reform
U.S. Senate Committee Hears More Support for CSR Payments and Flexibility for States
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions continued its hearings on healthcare policy yesterday. The hearing brought testimony in support of providing states more flexibility in addressing …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Reform
U.S. Senate Committee Continues Healthcare Hearings Today After Hearing From Governors Last Week
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions continues its hearings on healthcare policy today. The committee will hear testimony today on providing states greater flexibility in managing …
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ACA CompliancePremium Tax Credit
Incorrect PTC Calculations Show that Technology Is A Gift and a Curse
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOver the last two years, the IRS has made some strides in ensuring that certain ACA-mandated processes are as seamless as possible for taxpayers and employers, from streamlining electronic form …
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Affordable Care Act
State Insurance Commissioners Ask Senators to Continue Subsidy Payments to Insurers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIt was a positive start to what the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hopes will be the start of a successful bipartisan effort to draft legislation …
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ACA ReformHealthcare
U.S. Senate Committee Starts Hearings Today on Bipartisan Approach to Fixing the ACA
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will start deliberations on a bipartisan bill to address issues with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) aimed at shoring up …
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Affordable Care ActHealthcare
How Will a New Era of Healthcare Entrepreneurs Be Impacted by the ACA?
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenAt some point, the gig economy was bound to expand into industries most never imagined. With the growing rate of Americans taking on some form of a job within the …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
MassHealth Changes Come With A Hefty Price Tag For Employers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWhile healthcare is expected to continue to be discussed when Congress reconvenes in September, some state governments are taking steps of their own to shore up the Affordable Care Act …
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ACA ReportingIRS
IRS Reveals 2017 Average National Monthly Premium Needed to Calculate Individual Taxpayer Penalties for ACA
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS has issued the 2017 Average National Monthly Premium of bronze-level qualified health plans for both individuals and shared responsibility families of five or more. That figure is the …
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Affordable Care Act
Surveys Show Public Support for ACA Continues to Grow
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIt’s become clear that the American public is not so down on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), at least not anymore. The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) has been conducting regular …
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Affordable Care ActIRS
Everything You Want To Know About Virtual IRS Appeals and the ACA
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenFor many Americans, tax appeals are a daunting process. Every year, the IRS Office of Appeals sees over 100,000 tax appeals travel across their desks from those taxpayers challenging the …
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ACA ReportingIRS
Independent of the Bipartisan Effort to Reform Healthcare, the IRS Continues to Enforce the ACA
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIn the wake of Congress being unable to pass ACA repeal and replace legislation, a bipartisan effort seems to be growing around improving the ACA. Indeed, a majority of Americans …
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HealthcareLegislation
New Ambitious Bill Proposes to Legalize Marijuana Across The Nation
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOne of the long running controversies in America is whether marijuana should be legalized. A new bill introduced by New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker proposes to legalize marijuana on …
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ACA Compliance
Tracking Time and Attendance: A Business Intelligence and Regulatory Imperative
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenAs misclassification suits arise from ill-defined job descriptions in the gig economy, how employees utilize their workdays is also becoming an issue. Who is managing and tracking how workers spend …
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ACA ComplianceIRS
Another Sign That the IRS is Moving Forward with Enforcing ACA Compliance
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenLetters released this month by the IRS continue to point to the agency moving forward with its plans to enforce the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The IRS has indicated it …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Congressional Budget Office Expects Health Insurance Premiums to Increase
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenGross premiums for silver-level health insurance plans purchased through the healthcare marketplace would be 20 percent higher in 2018 and 25 percent higher by 2020 if cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) payments …
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Affordable Care ActEmployee Misclassification
New Developments Continue to Dog Uber About Worker Misclassification
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIn the United States alone, Uber has over 600,000 drivers, some of whom over the course of the last two years have been entangled in numerous lawsuits surrounding their rights …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Insurance Exchanges
Ohio Residents Rest Easier as New Insurance Providers Bring ACA Exchange Plans To Counties
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenPockets of counties across the nation have endured some scares as insurance providers began withdrawing from ACA exchanges, creating limited competition and limited options for coverage. Twenty Ohio counties faced …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Americans Want a Bipartisan Approach to Healthcare, According to a New KFF Poll
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenNow that the great Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal and replace debate has seemingly ended in Congress, we’ve seen movement by members of Congress towards a bipartisan approach to healthcare …
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HealthcareLegislation
Congress Moves Toward Bipartisan Approaches to Address Healthcare Issues
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenA spirit of bipartisanship in Congress seems to be rising from the rubble of the failed Republican efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The first test of …
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IRSTIGTA
2 Reasons Why Employers Should Care About the IRS Individual Mandate Report
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenA recently released report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) on IRS notifications in regards to the ACA’s individual mandate has potential implications for employers. TIGTA, at …
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Department of Labor (DOL)Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
The DOL, HSAs and the New Fiduciary Rule
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenAfter numerous delays, the Department of Labor put its final fiduciary rule, which was issued on April 8, 2016, into partial effect on June 9 this year, but with enforcement …
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ACA ReportingIRS
Draft IRS ACA Reporting Forms for 2017 Are Out, Transition Relief for Companies Is Over
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS has released drafts of forms 1094-C and 1095-C for use in reporting ACA-mandated information for the 2017 tax year. You can view the draft forms at these links: …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Health Insurance Brokers Help Employers Lower Healthcare Costs
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWhen it comes to providing healthcare as an employer, cost is a major concern. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), applicable large employers – organizations with 50 or more full-time …
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HealthcareLawsuits
Latest Developments In Discrimination Suit Prove The Rules May Be Changing For Medical Marijuana
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenMassachusetts may be setting a new standard for employer tolerance of medical marijuana use by employees across the nation. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled that an employee could …
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At times, companies may feel like they are swimming in data. It’s an information overload, and a lack of organization can lead to many mistakes in consolidating, validating and analyzing …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care Act
ACA Remains in Place, and a Study Highlights Potential Lack of Company Compliance
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe recent failure in the U.S. Senate vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) leaves in place the ACA’s employer mandate. The employer mandate applies to businesses with 50 …
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Affordable Care ActMedicaid
Medicaid Receives Praise From Its Recipients
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThere’s a fallacy amongst some people that suggests Medicaid recipients are receiving less than stellar healthcare. That couldn’t be further from the truth according to a new study from Harvard’s …
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IRSPremium Tax Credit
The IRS Finalizes Regulations for ACA Premium Tax Credits
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS on July 24 finalized regulations for the use of premium tax credits. These are the tax credits provided by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to help lower income …
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The Congressional Budget Office previously forewarned that a post-ACA world would lead to some financial troubles, and that those effects could trickle down significantly into the pockets of the American …
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ACA ReportingAIR
New IRS Memo Sheds Light On AIR Updates for ACA Information Reports
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe upcoming reporting year deadlines for Affordable Care Act information returns for the 2017 tax year are: January 31, 2018: deadline to furnish 1095-C schedules February 28, 2018: deadline to …
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ACA ComplianceACA Reporting
ACA Filing Deadlines Still Loom Amid Reform Debate
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOriginally published on July 18, 2017 in “Compliance Week” As healthcare reform sputters along in Congress, companies still face filing deadlines under the Affordable Care Act, and the Internal Revenue Service …
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ACA ComplianceEmployee Misclassification
New Developments In Uber Misclassification Suits Prove The Complexities of Potential ACA Liability
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenAt the close of June, a shocking new development arose from Uber’s employee misclassification suits. The drivers who asserted they were actual Uber employees and not independent contractors had their …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoverageLawsuits
ACA Discrimination Suit Sheds Light On Transgender Child Rights
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOver the last few years, the rights of transgender workers within organizations have continued to fall under the microscope. From anti-discrimination rules surrounding hiring to adequately reporting the gender of …
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ACA Compliance
EEO-1 Reporting Complications Creates ACA Reporting Efficiencies
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenAt first glance, it’s a nice reprieve that EEO-1 reports for the 2017 tax year have been postponed. Reports were slated for a September 30, 2017 due date for all …
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Affordable Care ActLegislation
Updated Better Care Reconciliation Act Released
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe U.S. Senate has released a new, updated draft of the Republican-proposed Better Care Reconciliation Act aimed at winning over Republican Senators who were not enamored of the initially proposed …
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Health Care CoverageIRS
IRS Memorandum Sheds Light on Taxability Of Benefits Paid by Self-Funded Health Plans
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenMany employers which provide self-funded healthcare for their employees have taken to covering the cost of employee participation in associated wellness plans. It’s a practice the IRS is well aware …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
As Trump Seeks To Change Birth Control Rights, States Provide Aid For Women
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIt’s far from coincidental that timed with Donald Trump’s move into the White House as President of the United States, women marched for reproductive rights. Trump made it part of …
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Affordable Care Act
Pressure Mounts for Congressional Action on Healthcare as Congress Returns to Washington
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenAs Congress returns to Washington, D.C. from a quick Independence Day break, the question of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) remains top of mind. Job one for …
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ACA ComplianceIRS
IRS Still Moving Forward with ACA Compliance Enforcement for Employers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS recently issued Notice 2017-38, which revealed the results of the Treasury Department’s review of all “significant tax regulations” per President Trump’s Executive Order 13789 issued in April 2017. …
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Health Care CoverageHealth Insurance Marketplace
Iowa Seeks Help From ACA During Healthcare Crisis
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenCome 2018, Iowa has the potential threat of losing health care provider options within their exchange for a significant number of residents. Now, the Iowa insurance commission is requesting a …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Texas And Other States Await Possible Return Of Blue Cross-Blue Shield Insurer
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOver the last few years, we’ve witnessed major health insurers withdrawing from offering coverage on various states’ exchanges under the Affordable Care Act. Companies like UnitedHealth and Aetna arguably led …
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Health Care CoverageHealth Insurance Marketplace
Deadline Nearing to Provide HHS Comments On How To Improve Health Insurance Markets
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWhile Congress has been discussing new directions for healthcare reform from the Affordable Care Act, President Trump has been talking about the death of that current healthcare law. However, as …
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Affordable Care Act
New ACA-Related FAQ Arrives From Various Government Agencies
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe U.S. Treasury Department, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL), has released new FAQs pertaining to mental health. …
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Affordable Care ActLegislation
Case of Whistleblower Demonstrates ACA Protections for Healthcare Workers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenA recent ruling by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Administrative Review Board (ARB) upheld the anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation provisions contained in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). These “whistleblower provisions,” among …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Reform
Americans Dissatisfied With Senate ACA Replacement, Per KFF Study; Senate Vote is Delayed Until After July 4
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe fate of Obamacare will not be determined this week. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told Senate Republicans that a vote on the Senate replacement plan called “Better Care Reconciliation …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Reform
Complexities Await Should ACA Be Amended Prior To Repeal
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOn June 26, President Trump tweeted, “Republican Senators are working very hard to get there, with no help from the Democrats. Not easy! Perhaps just let OCare crash & burn!” …