New York SBDC Research Network

From Health.ny.gov As part of the New York State Fiscal Year 2018‐2019 budget, a new law was enacted which places a two‐ year moratorium on the processing and approval of applications seeking the licensure of Licensed Home Care Services Agencies (LHCSAs). This moratorium became effective on April 1, 2018 and will continue until March 31, 2020.  The full language of the moratorium can be found in Section 9‐e of Part B of Chapter 57 of the Laws of 2018. To comply with the statute, no LHCSA application can be accepted for processing unless it meets one of the statutory exceptions.

By Catherine Metcalf When you run a business, it’s important to control expenses so that you can remain profitable. However, unexpected costs can arise that throw off the balance. Employee injuries can be one of the most disruptive things that happen to a company. According to one work injury lawyer in Philadelphia, “When an employee suffers an injury at work, the employer’s workers compensation coverage will pay benefits to the injured employee.” However, the initial payout is only the beginning of financial effects that can be felt from this type of injury. Having an effective safety management system in place can help you to maintain your bottom line and keep you in business. Increased Premiums In many states, workers compensation insurance is mandatory for businesses with more than one employee. This insurance covers employees for rehabilitation, costly medical expenses, and wages lost as a result of a work-related incident. However, companies pay premiums based on th...

Self-insured employers, applicable large employers and health coverage providers are reminded that the  June 30  deadline to electronically file information returns with the IRS is approaching. The deadline to provide information returns to employees or responsible individuals was  March 31 . While the deadline to file paper information returns with the IRS was May 31, electronic filers have more time. This chart provides a reminder about the upcoming filing requirement and the  June 30, 2016 , deadline.                     Action Electronic Filing Due Dates in 2016 for… Applicable Large Employers – Including Those That Are Self-Insured Self-insured Employers That Are  Not  Applicable Large Employers Coverage Providers –        Other Than Self-Insured Applicable Large Employers* Electronically File 1094-B and 1095-B with the...

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics : Employer costs for employee compensation averaged $33.94 per hour worked in March 2016, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Wages and salaries averaged $23.25 per hour worked and accounted for 68.5 percent of these costs, while benefits averaged $10.70 and accounted for the remaining 31.5 percent. Total employer compensation costs for private industry workers averaged $32.06 per hour worked in March 2016. Total employer compensation costs for state and local government workers averaged $45.23 per hour worked in March 2016. Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC), a product of the National Compensation Survey, measures employer costs for wages, salaries, and employee benefits for nonfarm private and state and local government workers. Metropolitan area costs in private industry Total compensation, wages and salaries, and benefit costs in private industry are included in this release for 15 combined and metropolitan statis...

The IRS writes: You, your employees or your clients may receive one or more forms that provide information about 2015 health coverage. These forms are  1095 -A, 1095-B and 1095-C. The following health care tax tips provide some answers to common questions about these forms: Form 1095-A: What you need to do with this form Form 1095-B: What you need to do with this form Form 1095-C: What you need to do with this form For more information on these forms, see our  Questions and Answers  about health care information forms for individuals.

Who Must Report? As a governmental, Tribal, tax-exempt or for-profit employer, if you are an  applicable large employer  you are subject to the Affordable Care Act information reporting requirements. These requirements apply to you whether or not you offered health coverage to your employees. You are an  applicable large employer  for 2015 if you had 50 or more full-time employees, including full-time equivalent employees, in 2014. What Must You Report? If you were an applicable large employer in 2015, you must file information returns with the IRS and provide statements to each employee who was a full-time employee for at least one month of the year about health coverage you offered or to show that you did not offer health coverage.

Open enrollment for Affordable Care Act health insurance for small businesses begins again on November 1st. Read more about the requirements at: Healthcare If you currently provide health insurance to your employees, make sure you are up-to-date on the changes to the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. sba

If you learn as you do your taxes that you owe a fee for not having health insurance last year, avoid having to pay this fee next year. Find out if you are  eligible to sign up for health insurance for 2015 , even though open enrollment has closed. If you are - you’ll avoid  bigger penalties next year , and may receive subsidies that make the insurance premiums more affordable.  This special enrollment period runs from  March 15 to April 30 . Determine if you  qualify for an exemption  from fees.  Sign up for  coverage  during this special enrollment period if you qualify. Read this  Special Enrollment Period news release  for more details.

It’s time to get health insurance covered for 2015. The final Open Enrollment deadline to sign up for 2015 coverage is February 15. If people miss that deadline, they will likely have to wait to sign up for coverage until the next open enrollment season, with coverage starting in 2016. Small business owners who want to purchase coverage for their employees through the SHOP Marketplace can continue to enroll beyond the February 15 deadline since enrollment in SHOP is year-round. Both the individual and SHOP Marketplaces can be found at HeathCare.gov .

SBA and Small Business Majority will host a free Affordable Care Act 101   webinar so small business owners can learn the basics of the Affordable Care Act and how they can enroll in health insurance marketplaces. January 8 at 3:00 PM ET :  Click to Register January 15 at 2:00 PM ET :  Click to Register January 22 at 2:00 PM ET :  Click to Register January 29 at 2:00 PM ET :  Click to Register

Online enrollment in the SHOP Marketplace began Saturday,  November 15th. Today, you can: See if you qualify for the SHOP Marketplace See if you qualify for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit Browse plans and prices for 2015 SHOP coverage in your area Learn how to  apply online  or use an  agent or broker If you offered SHOP coverage to your employees in 2014,  learn how to renew or change your offer online. Join representatives from Small Business Majority, the Small Business Administration, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for a conference call and Q&A, where we'll discuss how the marketplace works and answer any specific questions you have about using it. We'll also discuss the individual marketplace, which also begins open enrollment on November 15, where the self-employed, small business employees and others can shop for quality, affordable insurance online. Register HERE .

Shopping for health insurance online? Before making your final purchase – read on. Health insurance scams have been preying on vulnerable consumers through websites selling medical discount plans. According to the complaint in a recent case FTC settlement, IAB Marketing Associates, LP et al., was a sham nonprofit trade association offering memberships suggesting it would provide consumers with a comprehensive medical insurance plan... According to the FTC, consumers never were enrolled in a comprehensive health insurance plan. The IAB plan was essentially a medical discount plan, offering, if it existed, limited discounts and reimbursements on visits to certain doctors or hospitals. Many consumers who suffered an accident or illness were shocked to find that their IAB “health plan” covered very few, if any, medical expenses, leaving them with major medical bills. Here’s how to insure yourself against this scam... More from the NCPW

Now that Open Enrollment under the Affordable Care Act is actually over, the appeal process has started.  Appeals can occur for many reasons, including eligibility, enrollment post-open enrollment,  lowering costs and increasing savings, and more.  The articles below from government agencies can help answer any questions you may have about your right to appeal.  Also provided is detailed information and forms to help you go through the appeal process. Can I appeal a Marketplace decision?  (Healthcare.gov) Appealing Health Plan Decisions  (US Department of Health and Human Services) The Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight - External Appeals  (Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services)

The Affordable Care Act continues to dominate the minds of many Americans as the deadline for registration approaches.  As it stands right now, Monday March 31st is the deadline for registration for the ACA, with unregistered individuals facing fines.  Yesterday, the Obama Administration announced that due to a surge in registrations, the deadline will be extended.  But they did not state exactly when the deadline will now be. Needless to say, people's emotions regarding the Affordable Care Act continue to run high.  Polls indicate that opinions of the ACA are at an all-time low.  With 6 million individuals already registered, and more registering everyday, the news and opinions will continue to pour in, and I will do my best to keep you informed.  While these articles are not specific to Small Business, they will help you know what is currently going on and what is coming next. Obamacare applicants to get more deadline flexibility  (CNN) Poll: O...

The end of this month brings the deadline for signing up for the Affordable Care ACT.  So how do you face this deadline and what are people doing to face the deadline?  Below are some articles from popular news sources on what the deadline means, whether it affects you, and what people are saying about the deadline. Disclaimer:  News from popular news sources are not always accurate or up-to-date, so it important to read  from multiple sources. Millions May Avoid Obamacare Penalty as Deadline Looms Deadline looming for Affordable Care Act enrollment Obamacare enrollment bests 4.2 million; more young adults signed up Facing Obamacare enrollment deadline, these states are pushing for more time

Different industries are having different reactions to the Affordable Care Act.  Below are some articles on different industries and how they say the ACA will effect them How latest change in health care bill impacts restaurants Manufacturers warn of ObamaCare fallout New Obamacare Regulations Spark Growth in Vending Industry Companies Say Obamacare Is Slamming The Health Care Industry I've tried to provide a mix of industries above.  If you are interested in finding information on an industry that I haven't touched on, please comment below, and I will try to find information for you.  If you would like to search on your own, I advise looking at an association website.  Associations are valuable sources of up-to-date information on specific industries.

Well, the Affordable Care Act has now been up and running for the last month.  So what are the news sources saying?  What are the people saying?  What advice is out there?  Here are a few examples, once again, with a disclaimer that popular news stories are not always accurate and up-to-date, and should always be taken with a grain of salt. In Obamacare, Go For Bronze Health Plans -- Buying Platinum Is Often A Waste Of Money Obamacare and your financial future Dear Young People: Please Sign Up for Health Insurance Obamacare: Uninsured Americans still staying away so far Obamacare deadbeats: Some don't pay up Obamacare open enrollment: Here's everything you need to know Obamacare 2.0: More regulation

There are many key dates to watch for in the Affordable Care Act rollout. To start, here is what happened on January 1st. -Coverage begins. Many low-income Americans who didn't qualify for Medicaid in the past can use it now. People who signed up for private insurance in a state or federal marketplace by Dec. 24 (or later in some states) and have paid their first premium are now covered, too. -Coverage begins for workers at companies that have signed up for new small business plans through the marketplaces, also called health care exchanges. -Coverage lapses for people whose existing plans were canceled, if they haven't signed up for a replacement or received an extension. At least 4.7 million people got cancellation notices, despite Obama's promise that Americans with insurance they like could keep their old plans. Obama recently gave insurance companies the option of extending old plans for existing customers for a year, but only where state insurance commissioners...

There is a lot of information and then there are even more questions about doctors who are accepting Affordable Care Act.  There is also plenty of discussion and questions involving how patients can find doctors that do accept Affordable Care Act coverage.  Here are links to article and information provided both by the federal government and the news agencies. I feel I must give a disclaimer regarding information provided from the news agencies.  These articles are to give you an idea of what people are saying and hearing, and there is no guarantee that what is being reported is accurate or current. Factsheet: What You Should Know About Provider Networks What’s a provider network?  A provider network is a list of the doctors, other health care providers, and hospitals that a plan has contracted with to provide medical care to the plan’s members. These providers are called “network providers” or “in-network providers.” A provider that hasn't contracted with t...

Many employers are still unsure as to their obligations under the Affordable Care Act.  The Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace is a new program that simplifies the process of buying health insurance for small businesses. In 2014, SHOP helps employers with 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees shop for, choose, and offer their employees high quality private health plans that fit their needs and budget. Beginning no later than January 1, 2016, SHOP will be available to employers with 100 or fewer full-time equivalent employees. To start coverage on January 1, 2014, you must select a plan to offer your employees and your employees must enroll in the plan by December 15, 2013. We intend to extend this deadline to December 23, so check back here for an update. After this initial enrollment period, you may enroll in SHOP on a rolling monthly basis. The deadline to enroll is always the 15th of the month for coverage to be effective the 1st of the following m...