As per the Affordable Care Act, which was enacted into federal law in March 2010, employers engaged in interstate commerce with annual revenue of $500,000 or more must notify employees in writing (either by first class mail or electronically) of their healthcare options by Oct. 1, the day the new Health Insurance Marketplace (Exchange) opens. This applies to all employers whether they offer healthcare coverage to some or all of their employees or not, and it applies to all employees whether they participate in the employer's health plan or not.
As per the Affordable Care Act, which was enacted into federal law in March 2010, employers engaged in interstate commerce with annual revenue of $500,000 or more must notify employees in writing (either by first class mail or electronically) of their healthcare options by Oct. 1, the day the new Health Insurance Marketplace (Exchange) opens. This applies to all employers whether they offer healthcare coverage to some or all of their employees or not, and it applies to all employees whether they participate in the employer's health plan or not.
The U.S. Department of Labor has published Technical Release 2013-02, which provides temporary guidance and model notices that may be used to fulfill the employer's reporting obligation. The Department of Labor has provided model notices for both employers that do and do not offer health coverage plans.
Notices must alert employees to the existence of, services provided by, and how to contact the Exchange; that the employee may be eligible for a premium tax credit for the purchase of a qualified health plan through the Exchange; and that the employee's purchase of a qualified health plan through the Exchange may cause the employee to lose the employer contribution (if any) to any employer-sponsored health benefits plan and have certain implications for the employee's tax obligations.
