One of the most pressing topics over the past few years is the Affordable Care Act, and how it is going to affect small businesses. Since inception, small businesses are struggling with the health care law. Simply understanding the thousands of pages of legislation and the numerous fees, penalties and taxes levied on small businesses if they are not fully compliant requires countless hours of work. Small business health insurance should not have to be a burden. Complying with the health care law is costing small businesses thousands of dollars that they didn’t have to spend before the new regulations went into effect. Individuals have already had a rough tax season due to the complicated language due to health care reform, but for companies, the work is just beginning.

The Affordable Care Act, which as of next Jan. 1 applies to all companies with 50 or more workers, requires owners to track staffers’ hours, absences and how much they spend on health insurance. Many small businesses don’t have the human resources departments or computer systems that large companies have, making it harder to handle the paperwork. On average, complying with the law costs small businesses more than $15,000 a year, according to a survey released a year ago by the National Small Business Association.

Companies must track workers’ hours according to rules created by the IRS to determine whether a business is required to offer health insurance to workers averaging 30 hours a week, and their dependents. Companies may be penalized if they’re subject to the law and don’t offer insurance.

Businesses must also track the months an employee is covered by insurance, and the cost of premiums so the government can decide if the coverage is affordable under the law.

NARFA has weathered storms since 1929 and remained strong. Our programs continue to keep our Members’ best interests at heart, and we’ve remained fully compliant since the beginning of the ACA mandates. The administrative burdens placed on small businesses are heavy, and that’s why we have a dedicated call center and an experienced team by your side to be an extension of your human resources so you can focus on running your business and doing what you do best. We have a 99% retention rate, and continue to grow each year.

Contact us to find out more about our great programs such as a private health insurance exchange, nationally recognized workers’ compensation program, and best in class administrative service and support. Put our “power in numbers” to work for you.