Health Care Reform Update

The new Federal Exchange Marketplace, which will be operating in Florida effective January 1, 2014, is still on target to open for business 10.1.13 for effective dates of 1.1.14. The open enrollment period this first year will be from October 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014. Thereafter, it will be from October 1st to December 7th of each year for an effective date of January 1st.

Remember, groups with less than 50 full time equivalent employees are NOT subject to the tax penalties associated with larger (50+) employer groups. And, although there are many required group insurance changes for you and your employees, most of those changes whether you are a large or small group, will not take place until your 2014 renewal.

Due to the great confusion surrounding how the exchanges will actually work, some insurance carriers will be offering groups who renew the first six months of next year (2014) an opportunity to renew early at the end of this year (2013). This will carry you through for almost 12 months, and into 2014 before the law would really affect you. This will give time for the proverbial dust to settle.

Lots more to come! Rules are still being written and open for public comment. We just had a 253 page set of rules on the Exchanges published in the Federal Registry on Tuesday and open to public comment for 30 days.

I am still steadily attending seminars, webinars, reading professional journals, taking professional courses and certifications and am ready for what is to come for all size groups!

Health Care Reform Update 6.21.13 ~~ from Carolyn L Pope