The goal of Obamacare is to increase access to health care coverage to all Americans. Small businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees are NOT required by the law to offer health insurance, but it does offer avenues to make it more affordable. At Wilson Law, P.A., we encourage small business to be a part of the solution and offer health coverage for their employees.
Small businesses have traditionally had a much harder time obtaining coverage for their employees. The Affordable Care Act makes it easier and more affordable to offer health insurance with the SHOP Marketplace and tax credits.
SHOP Marketplace
Small businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees can shop for health insurance through the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace. To be eligible to use SHOP you must offer the coverage to all of your full-time employees. In most states, 70% of your employees must take part in your plan as well, so you may want to take a poll of your employees to see who needs coverage.
Benefits of using eh SHOP Marketplace include:
● No open enrollment – unlike individuals, you can apply for health care any time. Apply by the 15th of the month and you’ll be covered starting on the 1st of the next month.
● All levels of care, Bronze, Silver, Gold or Premium, offer the essential benefits required by Obamacare.
● You control the type of coverage and how much you pay towards your employees premiums.
In 2016, businesses with 50-99 employees will be able to apply for coverage using SHOP.
Tax Credits
Tax credits are yet another benefit for small businesses that apply for coverage using the SHOP Marketplace. Businesses with fewer than 25 employees making on average $50,000 or less per year qualify for a tax credit worth up to 50% of your premium cost. The smaller the business, the higher the credit.
Self-employed individuals, however, do not qualify for the credit and should obtain health insurance through the individual marketplace on HealthCare.gov.
Learn More
The Small Business Administration offers FREE webinars on The Affordable Care Act. Like individuals, businesses can also preview plans before starting the application process.
We hope you will take advantage of the tools and incentives provided by Obamacare. Health benefits attract top talent, so your business can only stand to benefit. Use the SHOP Marketplace and the tax credits to your advantage while maintaining a healthy workforce!
At Wilson Law, P.A., we’re “Standing Up To Them. Standing Up For You.”