Small Business Updates

Massachusetts Health Connector and DC Health Link Create a First-in-the-Nation Partnership

The Health Connector Board of Directors today approved a first-in-the-nation collaboration with DCHBX, which manages and operates DC Health Link, the online health insurance marketplace in the District of Columbia. Through this partnership, starting this fall the Health Connector will use a separate branch of DC Health Link’s existing online platform to improve available offerings to small businesses and their employees – including the ability for employees to potentially select their own plan from a range of choices – while reducing long-term operational costs for the small-group online system.

IRS Encourages Small Employers to Check Out Small Business Health Care Tax Credit; Helpful Resources, Tax Tips Available on IRS.gov

IR-2014-27, March 10, 2014 WASHINGTON — With business tax-filing deadlines fast approaching, the Internal Revenue Service today encouraged small employers that provide health insurance coverage to their employees to check out the small business health care tax credit and then claim it if they qualify. The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit page on IRS.gov is packed with information and resources designed to help small employers see if they qualify for the credit and then figure it correctly. These include a 2013 tax credit estimator, examples of typical tax savings under various scenarios and answers to frequently-asked questions. Additionally, the IRS has Health Care Tax Tips, designed to provide useful information to employers, families and individuals. These tips include a new Small Business Health Care Tax Credit tip as well as tips covering other Affordable Care Act topics. The small business health care tax credit was included in the Affordable Care Act enacted in 2010. Under the ACA, eligible small employers can claim the credit for 2010 through 2013 and for two additional years beginning in 2014. For 2010 through 2013, the maximum credit is 35 percent of premiums paid by eligible small businesses and 25 percent of premiums paid by eligible tax-exempt organizations. In 2014, the maximum credit rate rises to 50 percent for small businesses and 35 percent for tax-exempt organizations. Small employers that pay at least half of the premiums for employee health insurance coverage under a qualifying arrangement may be eligible for this credit. The credit is specifically targeted to [...]