The Dept. of Treasury and the IRS issued final regulations implementing the employer responsibility provisions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that take effect in 2015. In addition, the Administration will issue final regulations shortly that aim to streamline employer-reporting requirements for employers that offer highly affordable coverage to all or virtually all full-time employees.
This is how the policy affects employers:
• Small Businesses with fewer than 50 employees (about 96% of all employers): Under the Affordable Care Act, companies with fewer than 50 employees are not required to provide coverage or fill out any forms under the Affordable Care Act.
• Larger employers with 100 or more employees (about 2% of employers): The overwhelming majority of these companies with 100 or more employees already offer quality coverage. The rules phase in the percentage of full-time workers that employers need to offer coverage to from 70% in 2015 to 95% in 2016 and beyond. Employers in this category that do not meet these standards will make an employer responsibility payment for 2015.
• Employers with 50 to 99 employees (about 2% of employers): Companies with 50 to 99 employees that do not yet provide quality, affordable health insurance to their full-time workers will report on their workers and coverage in 2015, but have until 2016 before any employer responsibility payments could apply.
