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| Rep. Dawn Morrell |
The coming
years will bring many changes as Washington state takes the necessary steps to
fully implement the Affordable Care
Act. In fact, Washington is one of 21 states with approval from the federal
government to move forward with our health care exchange on-time in October of
this year.
This session we’ll continue
this important work. Not only is it the fiscally responsible thing to do- it’s
the right thing to do for families, businesses and public health. In the House,
these efforts are being led by Appropriations
Subcommittee on Health and Human Services Chair Dawn Morrell and Health Care and
Wellness Chair Eileen Cody.
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| Rep. Eileen Cody |
However, these changes have
resulted in some misinformation and confusion surrounding the ACA reforms-
especially with regards to small business (businesses with less than 50
employees).
Thankfully, we’ve got Insurance
Commissioner Mike Kreidler to clear up the confusion. He outlines what
reforms that have already gone into effect and what we can expect in coming
years.
ACA
reforms already in place:
- Tax credits of 35 percent if you offer health insurance, have fewer than 25 full-time workers, and you pay an average annual wage of $50,000.
- In 2014, that tax credit goes up to 50 percent.
What’s
coming in 2014:
- If you have fewer than 50 employees, you’re not required to offer them health insurance. However, if you choose to offer health insurance, you could qualify for a tax rebate.
- All health plans must cover essential benefits.
- You can shop online for coverage through Washington’s Health Benefit Exchange and enjoy greater purchasing power, similar to large employers.
Read this story in Spanish.
