There is a reprieve for employers everywhere today with the news of the delay! You can check out the Administration's statement about it here: http://www.treasury.gov/connect/blog/Pages/Continuing-to-Implement-the-ACA-in-a-Careful-Thoughtful-Manner-.aspx
While more guidelines, rules and provisions are sure to stem from this, essentially, they are delaying the reporting and penalty rules until 2015 to give employers more time to find solutions, determine their plans and hopefully simplify the reporting requirements. It's important to note though, that the exchanges will still go on. So while the employer mandate is postponed, the individual mandate presses on.
You may have noticed the recent surge in TV, radio and internet ads full of Obamacare facts and information for free resources and phone numbers, emails and informational websites galore. On 6/24/13, the HHS launched their enhanced website and revealed a 24 hour call center that will provide assistance and resources in multiple languages. Insurers competing in the exchanges plan on heavy direct mailing schedules and TV ads as well. Your employees and clients are about to know more about ACA than you might. It is tempting to ignore ACA for another year and hope that it will never go through, but in the end if it does, will you be ready? The individual mandate is still set to kick off with the Exchanges opening for business on 10/1/13. As of today, the Notice of Exchange rule for employers is still in effect. If your employees head to the exchange, are you going to be able to get them interested in a plan you might want to offer in 2015? Higher participation can mean a better deal for you.
Make sure that you are the one conversing with your employees on this issue. Empower them to make their personal health care choices through information, communication, education and the details of your health and wellness plans. Materials and methods for communicating your plans in 2014 and 2015 will need to be more engaging and more creative than ever before to compete with all of the other “noise” out there.
Many of your employees may not be eligible for your plan in 2014 or even once it goes into effect in 2015, but it still will help you to communicate with them what their options are and continue to look for ways to keep them engaged as well. Competition for quality employees will only be heightened by what’s available and perceived as a benefit. Also, don’t forget to remind employees that YOU are sponsoring these plans, don’t let the exchanges or your carrier take the credit for what you’re offering or planning to offer. With the influx of so much information, employees could forget that you actually have some skin in this game and as such not realize the benefit or why they should be with your company versus another.
Don’t forget about your internal strategies and policies that may change. You have some extra time now, make sure to involve your operations and front-line supervisors in on the conversation and strategy so they are prepared to answer questions from employees and clients in a confident manner. Most likely the biggest challenge will be helping employees understand what they are eligible for and what they aren’t. Make sure your team understands it and that you have a solid communication plan they can rely on for these tough conversations.