Ron Bliss: Self-insuring may be solution for some small businesses to satisfy ACA mandate

In the new world of mandated health insurance for businesses, more and more owners are looking at the self-insure option to hold down healthcare costs.

While the mandate this year requires businesses of 100 employees and larger to provide policies that are Affordable Healthcare Act-qualified, that requirement will extend to businesses of 50 and more in 2016.

Although those companies with fewer than 50 individuals will not be mandated to provide health insurance for employees, all of those individuals will still need qualified plans. Working through their companies might be a way to accomplish that.

Affordable Healthcare Pros now has the capability to help small businesses set up self-insurance plans that might cost considerably less than going through a carrier. One of the advantages is that owners can get money back, like larger corporations can do, if they do a good job of risk management and are able to hold down healthcare costs. At the end of the year, if your healthcare costs are less than projected, the owner can get the money back and either put it toward future healthcare costs or use it for other purposes.

To this point, not many small businesses have established self-insurance plans. Only 15 percent of those with fewer than 500 employees have self-insured plans, while 85 percent of those with more than 500 employees are self-insured.

There is no open enrollment period for businesses. They can establish a plan at any time during the year. However, if you have no policy established yet, time is short. To have insurance for nine months of calendar year 2015, a plan needs to be in place by April 1.

Affordable Healthcare Pros will be glad to work with you and provide details of a self-insured plan. Our advice is free of charge.

To set up an appointment, please call us at 775-450-6769, 775-450-7754, 775-450-6867 or call me personally at 775-224-7169.

Ron Bliss is a former sports writer who has been selling health insurance the last five years. He is certified on both the Nevada Health Link and Covered California and also is appointed to do sales off both exchanges for major medical plans in both states. Affordable Healthcare Pros also offers a choice of Medicare supplements in both states. Affordable Healthcare Pros is located at 2307 N. Carson Street in Carson City, NV.