As the dust settles from the election and employers look ahead to a new presidential administration, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) employer mandate tops the list of health benefits concerns, according to an Aon plc survey.
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Of the more than 800 respondents to the post-election pulse survey, 48% cited the employer mandate as their primary health care concern. Prescription drug costs were a distant second at 17%, followed by the ACA excise tax (15%), possible new limits on the health benefits tax exclusion (10%), and paid leave laws (8%).
“Not surprisingly, there is heightened interest in the fate of the employer mandate, which currently places significant reporting obligations on employers, including how they report coverage, track service, and determine value and affordability,” said J.D. Piro, leader of Aon’s Health and Benefits Legal practice, in announcing the survey results. “But it’s important to realize that in the short term, these mandates—and the [ACA] reporting obligations and penalties—remain in effect.”
Meanwhile, the continued increase in drug prices will keep employers focused on this area as well, although “details remain to be seen regarding policy proposals to address prescription drug pricing,” Piro added. “Employers will also be tracking the future fate of the excise tax to see how the 115th Congress handles this important matter.”
Benefits experts have warned employers not to lose focus on short-term requirements such as ACA reporting, despite the law’s cloudy future under a Republican president and Congress.