New UNL Website Will Help Business Owners Understand Affordable Care Act

East Campus pillars at enterance

Sept. 9, 2013

LINCOLN, Neb. — A new University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension website at http://eship.unl.edu/healthcare will help business owners understand the Affordable Care Act and its impact on their businesses.

"The website includes timely information for those who are self-employed or who employ a small or large number of people, whether they are retail, manufacturing or agricultural businesses" according to Carroll Welte, UNL Extension educator. "Under the ACA, agricultural businesses are no different from other business types. Farmers and ranchers need to know the rules, especially if they have a large number of employees."

The website features articles, videos and other news and blog feeds that will be helpful in understanding how the changes will affect business, and how they can develop a business strategy that fulfills the Affordable Care Act requirements and best meets their needs for continued growth.

"The Oct. 1, 2013 deadline is coming fast and employers need to be aware of the ACA employee notification requirement of whether they will or will not provide health coverage in 2014." says Marilyn Schlake, UNL Extension educator. "The federally funded individual Marketplace and the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) exchanges are scheduled to open on Oct. 1. By this time, employers need to inform employees of their coverage options."

The Affordable Care Act was signed into law March 23, 2010. Some mandates are already in place with more becoming effective in 2014. The large employers shared responsibility provision that requires employers to provide insurance coverage or face penalties was delayed until Jan. 1, 2015. However, all business owners should be planning now to explore the options that best meet the ACA law requirements and their employee and business needs.

For questions or additional information from the UNL Extension ACA Team, email ACAbizNE@unl.edu.

Marilyn Schlake
Extension Educator
Agricultural Economics
402-472-4138
mschlake1@unl.edu

Carroll Welte
Extension Educator
Burt County
402-374-2929
cwelte1@unl.edu

Jim Crandall
Associate Director
Nebraska Cooperative Development Center
308-995-3889
crandall3@unl.edu

Charlotte Narjes
Program Manager
Agricultural Economics
402-472-1724
cnarjes1@unl.edu

Sandi Alswager Karstens
IANR News Service
402-472-3030
skarstens2@unl.edu


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