Affordable Care Act

With the open enrollment period for health insurance rapidly approaching, many small business owners are probably starting to think about their plans for next year – and with lots of recent rumblings about the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) success, some small business owners may be worried about their options. But for California’s small business owners, there’s actually plenty of good news about the ACA.

Scheduling open enrollment for health insurance at the end of the year is akin to driving on the Bay Bridge during rush hour. The journey could be long, slow and more than a little frustrating.

Unfortunately, November and December are exactly the times that many small businesses schedule open enrollment for their employees. Chris Patton, vice president of sales at Covered California for Small Business says open enrollment at the end of the year is a tradition that like many other end-of-year activities can be stressful.

Health Insurance Rules Changing In 2016 for Businesses Considered Large; Those With 100 or Fewer Employees Could Still See Big Advantages Through Covered California for Small Business

When it comes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, many employers have to determine if their business is required to offer health insurance to their employees under the law. This requirement varies based on size, and it broadened its scope in 2016.

With tax season in full bloom small business owners have an opportunity to not only reduce their tax liability, but also help their employees receive a coveted benefit – health insurance.

Through Covered California for Small Business (CCSB), employers may qualify for a federal tax credit to help offset the cost of providing health insurance to employees by purchasing coverage.

The health care law includes the employer shared responsibility provisions, which require applicable large employers to offer health coverage to full-time employees and their dependents. Those that do not offer coverage might be subject to the employer shared responsibility payment.

Here are six facts about these provisions.

Lorenzo Harris makes a living sweeping away the dirt. But he certainly wasn’t swept away by the political rhetoric surrounding the Affordable Care Act. In fact, Harris ended up saving a sizable chunk of money and qualifying for a tax credit after enrolling in Covered California’s SHOP marketplace.