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Some Important Launching Information for Doctors and Business Owners
By Bobby Whirley CPA
[Whirley & Associates LLC – Alpharetta, GA]
Dear ME-P Readers,
The ACA (Affordable Care Act) requires employers to provide their workers with a notice about the state health insurance exchanges.
Today – October 1st is the deadline for providing these notices.
These exchanges will sell insurance to individuals who don’t get coverage through their employers. The exchanges are also available to medical practices and small businesses, which may or may not currently offer heath care coverage.
The Fines?
Some doctors or business owners are concerned about paying a fine of up to $100 per day under the general non-compliance penalty provisions.
The recent notice of the Affordable Health Care Act states that there will be no penalty. Please refer to http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq-noticeofcoverageoptions.html
If your medical practice, clinic or company is covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (you have one or more employees, sales of over $500,000, and deal in interstate commerce), you must provide a written notice to your employees about the Health Insurance Marketplace by Oct 1, 2013.
Model Notices
The U.S. Department of Labor has two model notices to help employers comply. There is one model for employers who do not offer a health plan and another model for employers who offer a health plan or some or all employees.
More:
- Model Notice for employers who offer a health plan to some or all employees
- http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/FLSAwithplans.pdf
- Model Notice for employers who do not offer a health plan
- http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/FLSAwithoutplans.pdf
The model notices are also available in Spanish and MS Word format at http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/healthreform/
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Assessment
Employers may use one of these models, as applicable, or a modified version. More compliance assistance information is available in a Technical Release issued by the US Department of Labor.
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Filed under: Accounting, Health Insurance, Health Law & Policy | Tagged: ACA, Affordable Care Act., Bobby Whirley CPA, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, PP-ACA, US Department of Labor |
The Leading Business Education Network for Doctors, Financial Advisors and Health Industry Consultants 
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This final rule updates provisions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and proposed rule regarding various standards affecting the Exchanges and the state Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP).
Click to access EXCHANGES.pdf
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10 Ways to Get Ready for The Health Insurance Marketplace
1. Find the Marketplace in your state and get your options & info.
2. Sign up for email or text updates about the Marketplace and connect with us on social media.
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4. Set your budget and estimate your costs and savings in the Marketplace.
5. Make sure you understand how coverage works, including things like premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, copayments, and coinsurance.
6. Learn about the different types of health coverage.
7. Explore your current options. You may be able to get coverage that starts before January 1, 2014 through existing programs.
8. Ask your employer if it plans to offer health insurance in 2014. If you don’t have coverage, you may have to pay a fee.
9. Learn how to get help with your Marketplace application. Visit LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov to find help in your area.
10. Get help with a Marketplace question. You can call 1-800-318-2596 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users should call 1-855-889-4325 Online chat is also available 24/7.
Source: HealthCare.gov
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Obamacare Website Gets Too Many Visitors – Crashes
Millions of Americans visited new online health insurance exchanges as enrollment opened on Tuesday, suggesting a broad national appetite for the affordable coverage that President Obama has promised with his health care law.
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[This Is What Transparency Looks Like]
How many people have enrolled in health plans using the new federal exchange?
http://www.propublica.org/article/health-care-sign-ups-this-is-what-transparency-looks-like
Er-Ah, according to this article, nobody seems to have a clue.
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Enrollment Numbers at State Exchanges That Have Released Them
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Healthcare.gov’s Users Speak Out
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http://www.propublica.org/article/healthcare.govs-users-speak-out-clean-this-mess-up
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http://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2013/10/24/great-quotes-from-round-one-of-the-obamacare-exchange-hearings-angry-republicans-6-contractors-0/
Angry Republicans 6 – Contractors 0; in this essay by Charles Ornstein.
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HealthCare.gov
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HIE Georgia
The system is down at the moment.
We are experiencing technical difficulties and hope to have them resolved soon. Please try again later.
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[Georgia]
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My rate increase
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Click to access EXCHANGES.pdf
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For well over a month – 10 hearings have plumbed the problems with HealthCare.gov.
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Feds delay small biz access to HealthCare.gov
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The Two Million Scenario:
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