1. Review and revise documents related to healthcare plans and arrangements. Employers need to verify that they have made all necessary changes and eligibility provisions. Employers may have already had plan design changes in play in preparation for the Employer Mandate, and they should consider what to implement in 2014 and what to delay to 2015.
2. Continue to prepare for the Employer Mandate. Employers do not have to worry about enforcing the Employer Mandate tax penalties and reporting requirements in 2014, yet they should continue to prepare by evaluating their workforce—both employee classification and hour counting.
3. Review cost-sharing for 2014 coverage of the Employer Mandate. Even though the affordability requirement will not be enforced in 2014, limits on cost-sharing provisions are still effective in 2014. Employers should take the time to review their cost-sharing structures and evaluate whether to implement or delay any shifts in employee-contribution cost-sharing.
4. Review and revise wellness programs and incentives based on the ACA guidance. Employers can financially incentivize employees to meet certain health standards. Compliance with the ACA’s guidance on wellness programs does not guarantee compliance with other program provisions, however, so employers need to carefully develop their wellness programs.
5. Prepare for the rest of the ACA. Although the Employer Mandate has been delayed, the rest of the ACA provisions are scheduled to move forward. Employees need to implement new employee notice requirements and communications, plan fees, and other ACA requirements as originally scheduled.
6. Gear up for ACA notices. Significant ACA requirements involve communicating information regarding the employer’s health plan to employees. Employers are required to send notices to their employees regarding the “New Health Insurance Marketplace Coverage Options and Your Options.” All employers must produce and distribute this notice.
7. Prepare for earlier open enrollment as a result of additional notice requirements. With the October 1, 2013, deadline for the distribution of the Marketplace Notice, employers should consider moving open enrollment to an earlier date to accommodate the Marketplace Notice deadline.
8. Develop strategies for the Individual Mandate and Health Insurance Marketplaces. Even though the Employer Mandate is delayed to 2015, the obligation of employees to have individual coverage under the “Individual Mandate” begins January 1, 2014. The opportunity for individuals to purchase coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplaces starts October 1, 2013. Employers are required to provide notices to employees regarding the Marketplaces and will be required to respond to Marketplace requests to confirm employee data and coverage.
9. Review HIPAA/HITECH—Updates required for the Final Rule. All employers should be reviewing and updating their HIPAA policies and procedures for their covered entity health plan. Reviews should include updating Privacy Notices and evaluating business associate relationships and underlying agreements. The deadline for compliance is generally September 23, 2013.
10. Evaluate changes necessitated by the Supreme Court’s ruling related to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Although it is anticipated that guidance for this act will be issued soon, all employers should be evaluating their health
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