The federal government recently launched a new website for employers who have questions about new insurance options and health care changes.
The website  allows business owners and budding entrepreneurs to gain access to resources that steer them in the direction of what health care program best fits their needs and what health care coverage is affordable for their companies.
The website allows employers to input data about the location of their work headquarters, the number of full-time employees in the company and whether the employer already offers the employees insurance. From there, the survey generates responses to frequently asked questions and provides resources that help each employer decide what plan would work best with his or her company.
Employers can also take surveys that help them start a business, grow their exiting business, access financing, hire employees, begin or expand exporting, seek disaster assistance, learn about taxes and credits, learn about new health care changes, find resources for veterans, and invest in the U.S. for foreign entrepreneurs.
The survey results will populate a number of resources including a link to the health care reform timeline on the Department of Health and Human Services”™ website and a slide deck provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration, which gives more details about the employer shared responsibility provisions under the shared responsibility for employers regarding health care.
The website is linked to the U.S. Small Business Administration page for employers with 50 or more employees. Any employer can use the website to find links to the Department of Labor model notices for coverage options, proposed regulations of employer shared responsibility, small business administration requirements and other reporting obligations that business owners should know about. It can also help employers analyze how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will affect them based on their company”™s size, location and employee demographic.
Not all the information and resources on the website provide direct answers to tough questions like whether employees who work part-time and during odd hours that overlap with their normal business hours can receive health care benefits.
