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R&R Insurance Blog

Affordable Care Act: New Deadline for Notice Of Exchange

Posted by Pete Frittitta

checklistThe Affordable Health Care Act (PPACA) requirement that employers issue a formal “Notice of Exchange” previously tagged with a deadline of March 1, 2013 and indefinitely delayed, is now back on track.

Employers, whether offering a health plan or not, are required to furnish this notice to their employees before October 1, 2013.

Providing the Notice

Who Must Receive a Notice?

Employers must provide the Exchange notice to each employee, regardless of plan enrollment status or of part-time

or full-time status. Employers are not required to provide a separate notice to dependents or other individuals who are or may become eligible for coverage under the plan but who are not employees.

What Is the Deadline for Providing the Notice?

ACA required employers to provide the Exchange notice by March 1, 2013. However, on Jan. 24, 2013, the DOL announced that employers would not be held to the March 1, 2013, deadline and that employers would not have to comply with the Exchange notice requirement until more guidance was issued.

The DOL’s temporary guidance sets a compliance deadline for providing the Exchange notices that matches up with the start of the first open enrollment period under the Exchanges.

Employers must provide the Exchange notice to both new hires and current employees as follows:

  • New Hires Employers must provide the notice to each new employee at the time of hiring beginning Oct. 1, 2013. For 2014, the DOL will consider a notice to be provided at the time of hiring if the notice is provided within 14 days of an employee’s start date.
  • Current Employees With respect to employees who are current employees before Oct. 1, 2013, employers are required to provide the notice no later than Oct. 1, 2013.

Employers that decide to inform their employees about the Exchanges earlier than the Oct. 1, 2013, deadline are permitted to use the model notices and rely on the DOL’s temporary guidance.

More about Model Exchange Notices and compliance deadlines…

Helpful Links:

Model Exchange Notice: for employers who do not offer a health plan

Model Exchange Notice: For emplyers who offer a health plan to some or all employees

Do I have to comply with the Fair Labor Standads Act (FLSA)?

 

Topics: Employee Benefits, Health Reform