Affordable Care Act

Affordable Care Act. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture. If you are an employer, you have a new deadline. Under the Affordable Care Act, employers are required to inform their employees about what – if any – health insurance they will provide them and the employee’s ability to purchase health insurance coverage through state or federally administered insurance exchanges. That deadline is October 1. WOLFF: That requires all employers, this would be large employers, small employers, employers with part-time or seasonal employees, notify their workers of the health care coverage they have. The form that has to be distributed tells their employees whether or not they have health care coverage. So it does need to be given to an employee even if no health care coverage is provided. And the form tells people information about the state exchanges so that they know where to go to purchase health insurance. American Farm Bureau health care specialist Pat Wolff says this is required because as of January 1st, everyone will be required to have health insurance. WOLFF: Many people will get insurance through their employers but those who don’t will have a responsibility to buy their own health insurance. The Affordable Care Act recognized that not everyone would be able to afford health insurance come January 1 and so there are government programs in place to help lower-income people. You can find out more on the Department of Labor website. www.dol.gov. Look for Affordable Care Act. That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.