SHOP

Small businesses avoiding year-end stress and delays by switching open enrollment to summer time

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.

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Guest post: Is your business required to offer insurance this year?

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.

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Small business tax credits – unmined nuggets

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.

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Covered California for Small Business boosts coverage for small companies

This is an important year for small businesses looking to gain an edge on the competition by offering group health insurance to its employees through Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

In 2016, businesses with up to 100 employees can apply for coverage for their workers. That is an increase from 2015, when only businesses with fewer than 50 workers could apply for coverage through the Covered California exchange.

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Enrollment season is here: LGBT small businesses get covered under health reform

It’s open enrollment season once again – and that means that employers and employees all across the country are considering their new health insurance options! Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, there are many new options available, particularly for small businesses and their employees.

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Another SHOP delay could hurt small firms looking for affordable insurance

There could be bad news on the horizon for small business owners looking forward to joining the new small business marketplaces next year: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is considering yet another delay in expanding the small group market and the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) to small firms with 50-99 employees. This would be disappointing news because expanding the small group market next year will increase the size of the insurance pool, which benefits the healthcare system overall.

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What Small Business Owners Should Know About Healthcare Reform

There are many complex policy issues that have a major impact on the small business community. Each week, we’re going to help break one of those issues down so small business owners can stay in the know and remain aware of their stake in these national issues. This week’s Issue Q&A is on healthcare reform.

Q: How has the Affordable Care Act impacted small business access to healthcare?

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