The Smart Business Guide to Health Care Reform Including the Impact of the Employer Mandate Delay

Even with the delay of the Employer Mandate, Health Care Reform is radically changing the health insurance environment for employers. The Smart Business Guide to Health Care Reform is your plain-language, yet detail-rich, ticket to understanding the impact of the law on employers (and everyone else). It will help your company navigate the new challenges presented by the law to reduce costs and keep employees happy. The law is complicated, and if you are responsible for making insurance decisions for your company, it is causing stress and anxiety that impacts your work life, and likely your personal well-being, as well. Like all laws, however, it is manageable when you are able to determine what portions impact you and concentrate on those issues. This book is your short cut to understanding what PPACA says, what it doesn't say, and how both will impact your business. The purpose is not to tell you everything about the law; but rather to inform you of the relevant provisions and translate those provisions from bureaucrat-speak to plain English. So while you may not fully understand every obscure provision, you hopefully will have the tools you need to assess your organization's exposure to key aspects of PPACA. This book is NOT a legal treatise, a magic bullet in the form of legal/accounting/insurance advice, or an op-ed piece telling you how wonderful or horrible the law is. It is information presented in a manner intelligent people can understand and apply. Bureaucrat-speak is translated, and the interaction between various provisions is discussed. Some issues addressed are: How do we know if the Employer Mandate applies to us? What about part-time and seasonal workers? What are the advantages and disadvantages of dropping coverage? Should we consider exchanges as the answer to our health insurance issues? Other than complying with the Employer Mandate, what else do businesses need to do to be in compliance with PPACA? What about FSAs, HSAs, and HRAs? Are defined contribution or self-insured plans options? What role does the Coast Guard have in implementation of Health Care Reform? This practical, easy to navigate, and easily understood discussion of the law will demystify topics that have been built up as unsolvable, and put you in the best position possible to analyze your company's health insurance responsibilities and opportunities.