As 2024 approaches, now is the time to begin preparing for the 2023 ACA reporting requirements. To assist you with your ACA responsibilities, we’ve curated a list of some of …
Health Care Coverage
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ACA Compliance
IRS Limited Non-Assessment Periods Help Avoid ACA Penalties
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe responsibilities under the ACA’s Employer Mandate may seem straightforward, but, in reality, complying with them can be challenging and time-consuming. An area that many Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) struggle …
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ACA Compliance
The Look-Back Measurement Method Can Prevent ACA Penalties
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenDetermining the accurate full-time employee count during a calendar year is important for ACA compliance. Getting it wrong can lead to inaccurate annual information filings with the IRS and subsequently …
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The words “summer” and “vacation” often go together. Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) should note that even though their ACA filing responsibilities have likely been satisfied due to the deadlines in …
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ACA Penalties
These Industries are Most at Risk for ACA Penalties From the IRS
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe home healthcare, staffing, restaurant, and construction industries are under fire from the IRS for failing to comply with the ACA. Organizations within these industries have been shocked to receive …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care Act
5 Common ACA Compliance Mistakes Restaurants Make
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOver 10 years after the ACA was first signed into law, the reporting requirements under the ACA’s Employer Mandate have proven challenging and time-consuming for most. But quick-service restaurants have …
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ACA DeadlineAffordable Care Act
March 31 is the Deadline for E-Filing ACA Returns With the IRS
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenToday, March 31, 2021, is the e-filing deadline for submitting ACA Forms 1094-C and 1095-C to the IRS for the 2022 tax year, as required by the ACA’s Employer Mandate. …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care Act
Data Quality Management Is Key to ACA Compliance
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenMany of the challenges posed by the Affordable Care Act’s Employer Mandate are inherently data problems. Data quality management is not just an issue for larger employers with multiple HR …
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Affordable Care Act
ACA Reporting to Grow in Complexity Due to State Individual Mandates
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenACA reporting is complex and the process has only grown more challenging as states continue to enact additional state-level ACA reporting requirements as a function of their Individual Mandates. But …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care ActLegislation
Calculating FT and FTE Employees [UPDATED]
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenAs part of their annual filing of healthcare coverage information with the IRS, organizations must determine if they are Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) for purposes of the Affordable Care Act …
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ACA ReportingAffordable Care Act
The IRS’s Forms 1095 For the ACA Explained
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenA number of changes were introduced to the health insurance marketplace with the passage of the ACA in 2010. From different reporting forms and health insurance plan requirements to the …
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ACA ReportingAffordable Care Act
Understanding ACA Forms 1094-C/1095-C
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenEmployers required to comply with the ACA’s Employer Mandate must report their full-time employee’s healthcare information to the IRS annually via forms 1094-C and 1095-C, but what exactly are these …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care Act
ACA Affordability for the 2021 Tax Year
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: For the 2021 tax year, the ACA affordability threshold will increase to 9.83%. That means employees will likely have to contribute more towards their employer-sponsored healthcare. IRS …
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Affordable Care Act
March 31 is the Deadline for E-Filing ACA Returns With the IRS
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenToday, March 31, 2022, is the e-filing deadline for submitting ACA Forms 1094-C and 1095-C to the IRS for the 2022 tax year, as required by the ACA’s Employer Mandate. …
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Affordable Care Act
CA AB2257 and Its Impact on ACA and Pay Equity Compliance
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: California’s AB 5 has forever changed how employers work with freelance workers; that much is certain. A new bill, however, may provide relief for employers that work …
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Affordable Care Act
What California Residents Need to Know About the Individual Mandate
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: This year will mark the first year that California residents will face a new reality of the Individual Mandate. While 2019 was a year of reprieve from …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
ACA to Aid Millions in Obtaining Healthcare, KFF Report Finds
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: The data is in: at least 27 million Americans have lost employer-sponsored health coverage as a result of COVID-19. The Kaiser Family Foundation issued a report in …
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Affordable Care Act
Covered California Introduces New Special Enrollment Period
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen1 minute read: Covered California, the state health insurance marketplace established by the Affordable Care Act, has introduced a new special enrollment period to benefit victims of the 500+ wildfires …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care Act
New Jersey Adopts ACA Provision to Lower Healthcare Costs
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: Earlier this month, New Jersey signed into law a state version of an Affordable Care Act provision, the Health Insurance Assessment (HIA) program. New Jersey is the …
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2 minute read: In another court victory for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a federal appellate court ruled in Texas v. Rettig that a provision of the ACA that imposes …
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Affordable Care Act
ACA Compliance Responsibilities Could Increase if the Federal Government Adopts the ABC Test for Employee Misclassification
3 minute read: A tsunami for the gig economy may be coming on the horizon. We have written recently about the ongoing issues that gig economy employers, such as Uber …
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3 minute read: In yet another triumphant win for the Affordable Care Act, the state of Missouri approved and passed the expansion of Medicaid. The expansion comes after nearly 53% …
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2 minute read: The convergence of insurance regulation at the federal and state levels keeps getting more complex. In July, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Trump administration …
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Affordable Care Act
New Senate Bill Seeks to Enhance the Employee Retention Credit Under the CARES Act
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: The Senate recently introduced new legislation to further assist in the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, including the American Workers, Families and Employer Assistance Act. Under this Senate Bill, …
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Affordable Care Act
Gig-Economy Worker Benefits Will Affect ACA Compliance
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: It’s no mystery that both companies and consumers benefit from the gig-economy, but what about the workers? Sure, it provides a means to an end, but workers …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care Act
Employee Misclassification Laws Add Headache to Employer ACA Compliance
3 minute read: In the past year three states have implemented laws that broaden the definition of “employee” and include penalties or additional liability exposure for employers who misclassify their …
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Affordable Care Act
More ACA Complexity: California Releases Draft Instructions Diverge From ACA Employer Reporting
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: With the zeroing out of the ACA’s “Individual Mandate,” which required individuals to have minimum essential health coverage through the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs …
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2 minute read: House of Representative Democrats have unveiled a bill that would enhance many of the ACA’s components while reversing much of the Trump administration’s onslaught to the healthcare …
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2 minute read: On July 8, 2020 the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania, upholding the new Trump Administration rule regarding contraceptive …
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Affordable Care Act
IRS Release Drafts of 2020 IRS Forms 1094-C and 1095-C
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: The IRS released its draft 2020 IRS Forms 1094-C and 1095-C, dated as draft as of July 13, 2020. There are no changes to the Form 1094-C …
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Affordable Care Act
ACA’s Expansion of Medicaid Takes Hold in Oklahoma
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: In late June, Oklahoma joined 37 other states and the District of Columbia in expanding Medicaid under the ACA. Better late than never and in good timing …
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Affordable Care Act
Proposed Rules allow for More Flexibility to Grandfathered Group Health Plans
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: The Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services have jointly released a notice of proposed rulemaking to …
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Affordable Care Act
Californians Beware, The Individual ACA Penalty Has Increased
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: California residents that fail to obtain qualified health coverage this year will receive a penalty from the state for an amount larger than first projected. Per California’s …
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2 minute read: Employers should start gearing up for IRS penalty letters issued under the Affordable Care Act. According to an announcement posted on the IRS website, the IRS has …
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2 minute read: Virginia has decided to get into the worker misclassification game with the passage and implementation of HB 984 on July 1, 2020. Unlike states such as California …
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2 minute read: This time last year was presumed to be the last time health insurers and employers offering self-funded health insurance plans would have to pay PCORI fees, but …
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2 minute read: Washington DC is one of several jurisdictions to have implemented an individual mandate in the wake of Congress zeroing out the federal ACA penalty for individuals who …
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2 minute read: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the single most important piece of health care legislation in generations. One major reason for the ACA’s significant impact on the …
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Affordable Care Act
Protect App-Based Drivers Act Would Create Further Employee Classification and ACA Reporting Issues
3 minute read: As part of their campaign against the requirements of California Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), which went into effect January 2020 and requires employers to treat contract workers …
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Affordable Care Act
Proposed IRS Regs Will Not Affect How Individuals Receive PTCs
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: The IRS recently issued proposed regulations on how the personal tax exemption reduction to “0” will affect qualifications for recipients of Premium Tax Credits (PTCs). Regulation 124810-19, …
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Affordable Care Act
AB5 Targets Multi-Level Marketing Companies – See How this Could Affect Your ACA Compliance
3 minute read: Multi-level marketing giant Amway was sued in a proposed class action earlier this year for misclassifying its Independent Business Owners (IBOs) as independent contractors instead of employees. …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
ACA’s Expansion of Medicaid Key Player for Providing Health Coverage Amid COVID-19
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: By now it’s become abundantly clear how important it is for individuals to have health coverage. COVID-19 or not, healthcare is saving lives and the ACA has …
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Affordable Care Act
Why CMS’s 2021 Payment Notice May Lead to More PTC Allocations
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: Back in March, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2021 (2021 Payment Notice). The rule includes …
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2 minute read: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has instituted a number of important adjustments to employee benefits plan compliance rules. Recently, the …
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Affordable Care Act
Employers May See More ACA Penalties As a Result of COVID-19
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: A new data analysis report from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) finds the vast majority of Americans who lost their job amid COVID-19will be eligible for government …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care Act
Uber and Lyft sued by California for Misclassifying Gig Workers. How Misclassification can Impact ACA Compliance
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: Gig Economy giants Uber and Lyft are being sued by the state of California for allegedly failing to meet the requirements of California Assembly Bill 5 (AB …
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ACA ComplianceACA ReportingAffordable Care Act
Workforce Changes Now Will Affect ACA Reporting Later
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: Several weeks into quarantine and social distancing, many are wondering when the country will reopen. As of April 20, 42 states had placed shelter in place orders. …
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Affordable Care Act
TIGTA Reports 27.4% of Premium Tax Credits Are Improper Payments
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: On April 30, 2020, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) issued a new report entitled, “Improper Payment Reporting Has Improved; However, There Have Been No …
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Affordable Care Act
Returning to Work: Rehiring Employees After COVID-19 and the Impact on ACA Compliance
4 minute read: As states begin to relax their stay at home orders and businesses look to reopen post COVID-19 Pandemic, Employers should start thinking about how bringing back furloughed …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care Act
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of ACA Risk Corridors
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: The Affordable Care Act chalked up a win in late April when the Supreme Court ordered the federal government to pay insurance companies funding it’s been entitled …