28 JULY 2017 • FOGHORN LEGISLATIVEREPORT By Ed Welch, PV A Legislative Director T h e A f f o r d a b l e C a r e A c t (“Obamacare”) does not require smaller employers to provide health insurance to their workers. As a result of increasing premiums, many smaller employers do not have the financial ability to offer group health insurance policies as a benefit for their workers. A law enacted in the closing days of the Obama administration gives smaller employees another option to help workers meet their medical costs. For purposes of this law (the 21st Century Cures Act), a small business is one with no more than 50 full-time- equivalent workers each year. Under a “health reimburse- ment arrangement” (HRA), an eligible business that doesn’t offer a group health plan to its workers can reimburse an employee who incurs out-of-pocket medical expenses or who purchases a nongroup individual health insurance policy on the open market, including a policy purchased on an insurance exchange set up under the Affordable Care Act. An eligible employer has the option of setting up a “Qualified Small Smaller Employers Can Help Workers with Medical Expenses without Offering Health Insurance 2570 Beverly Dr. #128, Aurora, IL 60502 T 630.236.3500 CENTA Power trAnsmIssIon LeADIng By InnovAtIon • USA based production • Over 20 unique designs • Over 16 million sold • Torsional vibration experts Trust CENTA – The Global Innovator Since 1970 CENTALINK Carbon Fiber Driveshafts Innovative flexible couplings for marine applications