SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH PLAN ANNUAL OPEN ENROLLMENT

Begins November 15^,2018 – December 15^,2018 for a January 1, 2019 effective date

One of the provisions in the Affordable Care Act calls for an annual enrollment period for small businesses(employers with less than 50 full time equivalent employees) to purchase a group health plan regardless of the number of employees that sign up.

Outside of this once a year open enrollment, in order to establish a group health plan, 75%(for most insurance companies) of your eligible employees must enroll in the plan. Eligible employees are those that work 30 or more hours per week. Those employees that have coverage through their spouse, partner, or parent’s group health or are covered through a government insurance program such as Medicare or Medicaid can be excluded from the participation calculation.

Many small businesses struggle to meet this participation and are therefore unable to establish a group plan. This annual open enrollment waives these participation requirements.