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How to educate small businesses about healthcare reform

Posted on March 21st, 2013 Read time: 1 minutes

After the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became law in 2010, HR professionals added informing workers on healthcare reform to their already growing list of employee benefits administration duties. But, a new report has found that many still do not understand the role that the act plays on healthcare insurance.

A recent survey from eHealth found 56 percent of businesses with fewer than 50 employees misunderstand the employer mandate portion of the act. Of the small businesses surveyed, 18 percent know and believe they can explain healthcare reform to their workers and 62 percent did not understand the healthcare insurance exchange. 

HR administrations can further educate company owners and employees on healthcare reform through seminars, one-on-one sessions and distributing ACA materials.

However, in light of the reform there is also the issue of whether adding to the workforce will benefit companies and what roles new hires might play. HRMorning, a HR news site, recommends that human resource departments be proactive and utilize government measuring periods in recruiting decisions. By determining measuring periods, human resource departments can classify what "full-time" means for them and develop smarter financial strategies for next year.

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