As a service to OUR CLIENTS, regardless of whether we are currently your health insurance broker, we would like to provide you with the COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENT for Affordable Care Act (ACA also known as “Obamacare”).

The ACA REQUIRES action from ALL employers

What do I need to do?

  • Send ALL employees an Exchange Notice by October 1, 2013
  • This notice must be sent to all employees voluntarily, free of charge and in a language that the average employee can understand.
  • Notice may be provided by first class mail or electronically to a new hire within 14 days of his/her start date.
  • A signature of receipt is not mandated, however, would be a recommended practice.
  • If you do not send this out on time, you may be subject to a fine of $100/day per employee.
  • **Remember it does not matter if you currently offer a health plan to your employees.

How Can I do this?

For Current Employees:

For Future Employees:

  • Should apply for coverage in the Marketplace
  • Please have them contact Joe Zygarlenski, CIC or Cherie Robinson at Lakeway Insurance Services.
  • They would need to complete the form below and submit with their Marketplace application.
  • This fulfills your employer notification duty.

How can Lakeway Insurance Help with my current Health Insurance Group?

  1. We will make sure your plan is in compliance, if it is not already. This will happen at renewal in 2014.
  2. We have provided you with links to the Notices that need to be sent out; Click links below to Open and Save.
  3. We can help you and your employees with this calculation as well.

Sept. 11, 2013 DOL Release:

The Department of Labor (DOL) announced it will not penalize employers who do not provide notice to employees about the upcoming public health insurance exchanges, a requirement that previously faced an October 1, 2013 deadline. As a practical matter, this means that providing the notice is now optional.

Although it is still advised by the DOL that employers notify employees by October 1, there is no fine to face if they do not.

There are specific requirements for these notices and employers will need to:

1. Provide your employees with specific information about the Marketplace in Texas, including information about the services offered by the Marketplace and how to contact the Marketplace. Beginning October 1, 2013, employers are required to provide the notice to each new employee at the time of hiring of their coverage options. For 2014, as long as the notice is provided within 14 days of an employee’s start date, it will be deemed to have been provided at the time of hiring.

2. Inform your employees about whether your plan provides “minimum value.”

3. Advise your employees that they may be eligible for a federal income tax credit for premiums and a cost-sharing reduction if they purchase their insurance through the Marketplace and meet certain income requirements.

4. Inform your employees that if they decide to purchase their health insurance through the Marketplace, any of your contribution to the cost of their health insurance may cease.

Contact us if you have questions.

  • Remember Lakeway Insurance Services is here for all your insurance needs.
  • We can help your employees purchase their insurance through the Marketplace.
  • Have them call us after October 1.

Thank you for your business and confidence in us.
We look forward to talking with you soon.

Regards,

Lakeway Insurance
Office: 512.372.2244 (let us know that you have ObamaCare Questions and you would like to speak with Joe or Cherie in Benefits)
www.Lakewayins.com