Previous civil rights laws enforced by the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) prohibited health care related discrimination based on race, color, national origin, disability, or age. Section 1557 of the ACA added sex to that list. Although Sec. 1557 has been in effect since the enactment of the ACA, the Final rule implements the statutory section and clarifies the outlines of the nondiscrimination policy. Danielle Capilla, Chief Compliance Offcer at United Benefit Advisors, explained that the rule "further clarifies a grey area, and provides teeth and specificity to poorly understood or enforced rules."

#8 Choosing the Best Health Plans

One of the hardest responsibilities small business owners have is selecting the best health care plan for their employees. To gain some insight, take a look at the latest findings from the United Benefit Advisors Health Plan Survey, the nation’s most comprehensive health plan survey, related to how Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are being used by businesses.

When it comes to employer-sponsored health savings accounts (HSA), enrollment is increasing but employer contributions, on average, are stagnant or decreasing, according to a recent survey.

The looming Cadillac tax is making some companies more cautious when it comes to contributing to workers’ health savings accounts.

Employer-provided health care, a popular component of employees’ overall compensation program, has been a constant since the early 1940s, a result of a tax break provided to labor groups during the post-World War II economic recovery. What once was considered a “benefit” used to attract and retain employees has developed into a basic expectation, a very expensive and somewhat uncontrollable expectation.