One other over-40 softball season has concluded. My group carried out as anticipated: We had been 3-15. I am feeling each inning of these 15 losses. My hamstrings ache and my knees are throbbing. I’ve a bruise on my proper hand from once I fell attempting to catch a routine pop fly. I’ll the toilet much more in the course of the night time, however I do not suppose that is softball-related.That is proper: My physique’s going to hell simply as the brand new health-care reform regulation is beginning to take impact. Nice timing. I am unsure its provisions are going to assist my sore again any time quickly. They’re undoubtedly going to have an effect on my small business-and many others like mine-right away. Fellow enterprise homeowners and over-40 softball gamers, are we prepared?We might higher be-for extra paperwork. Assume it is enjoyable filling out W-2 types on the finish of every yr? Good, as a result of beginning in 2011, employers might want to start reporting the well being care advantages obtained by every worker on their W-2. What? You say you are not monitoring that data? We might all higher begin. We’ll want to verify our medical insurance suppliers are furnishing us with the appropriate information. Or we’ll want to trace it ourselves. The info we provide higher be proper as a result of it is our accountability to verify the numbers we’re reporting are correct.Did I point out my again is sore? That is from all of the occasions I’ve bent over to observe floor balls skitter between my legs. Now issues are going to worsen as a result of I am going to spend so much extra time hunched over my desk, filling out 1099s. You already know what these are-the types we’re supposed to make use of to report the amount of cash over $600 that we paid to unbiased contractors and self-employed people in a given yr. Starting in 2012 we’ll nonetheless be required to ship a 1099 to these guys -along with everybody else who obtained greater than $600 from our corporations throughout the yr. They will be sending us 1099s, too. Oh, my aching again. I do not know the Employer Identification Quantity or social safety variety of each vendor in my system. Do you? Higher begin calling them. Do not have the assets to generate a whole bunch of 1099s yearly? Prepare to interrupt your again writing extra checks-to your accountant.Right here come larger insurance coverage billsWait a second. Is filling out extra 1099s going to assist our health-care system? Not more than these shin guards our catcher insists on sporting, though we play gradual pitch. It is all simply a part of the sport.To play this sport, I’ll make it some extent to have a heart-to-heart assembly with my insurance coverage firm. That is as a result of I am anticipating yet one more vital price improve because the regulatory calls for on the insurance coverage trade develop. If your corporation had been going through an financial downturn, vital uncertainty in your sector, and a authorities readying to unleash heavy fines on your corporation simply because you might have the audacity to earn some huge cash, would not you be grabbing as a lot money as you’ll be able to, when you can? Precisely.The health-care reform regulation is requiring medical insurance corporations to step it up this yr. The regulation says they have to now present protection for dependants as much as the age of 26. They have to present protection for folks with preexisting circumstances, corresponding to an incapacity to hit a slow-pitch softball from a retired dentist. So I am damned effectively going to verify my medical insurance firm resides as much as its finish of the cut price and providing these further coverages to my present and potential staff. These advantages might not solely assist me hold my good folks on employees, however supply potential staff an incentive to depart their employers and be part of me. Perhaps I can recruit a few guys who can catch a softball. If my insurance coverage firm complains, I may report them to my state-the new regulation gives funding to sure states to analyze extreme premiums.I’ll have a heart-to-heart with my accountant, too. Not as a result of his base operating is atrocious and his fielding stinks, however as a result of the regulation affords some potential tax incentives for my enterprise.Pitching for an HHS wellness grantFor instance, corporations with fewer than 26 staff and common annual wages of lower than $50,000 can now declare a tax credit score of as much as 35 p.c of the price of premiums. The credit score is slated to extend to 50 p.c in 2014. The advantages of this tax credit score, in fact, shall be offset by the charges triggered by my accountant’s wrestle to calculate them and decide how a lot and when the credit score begins to section out beneath the regulation’s obtuse provisions. I will take what I can get.I will additionally search for a wellness grant. The regulation gave the Well being & Human Companies Dept. $200 million and the authority to award office wellness to corporations using fewer than 100 folks. To be eligible, I shouldn’t have any present wellness program in place. I might have to fulfill sure “health awareness” standards. (Reminder to self: Take away beer from firm fridge.) I will must get my staff concerned and “provide initiatives to change unhealthy behaviors and lifestyles,” corresponding to throwing tantrums on the softball area each time our heart fielder drops a fly ball.Lastly, I want to start out occupied with 2014, when our greatest participant shall be retiring to an over-55 neighborhood in Boca. Oh, and that is additionally the yr when everybody’s going to be required to have medical insurance, both on their very own or by means of employers. That is the yr when these mysterious insurance coverage exchanges shall be set as much as supply less-expensive protection for each people and small employers. Will I proceed to pay and supply medical insurance for my staff? Or will I scrap the entire thing, inform my folks to get the protection on their very own, and pay the $2,000-per-employee annual penalty. What makes extra sense for my backside line? For my staff? For my firm’s competitiveness?This isn’t a call I plan on laying aside until 2013. I want to decide on a route quickly. I will want to debate it with my staff and ensure to assist them with the transition. I can not simply yank their health-care protection on the final day of 2012. I’ve to present my folks time to regulate if I need to hold them glad. Perhaps these reforms can present a lot further protection that I can begin taking steroids-pretty a lot the one means I will ever hit one out of the infield.
