Affordable Care Act questions abound

Local employers say they still have a lot of questions about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) after attending a seminar Thursday meant to explain how the law will affect them.

The Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce hosted a healthcare insurance luncheon seminar at the Yam Theatre, hoping to offer insight as to how the ACA will affect the insurance they offer their employees.

CHRISTINA CALLOWAY: Portales News-Tribune

Guest speaker and insurance partner Danny Koch talks to local employers Thursday about how the Affordable Care Act will affect them and their employees.The healthcare insurance luncheon seminar was hosted by the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce.

Seminar speaker Danny Koch, a partner in Caprock General Agency in Lubbock, presented a page-by-page explanation about an employer's responsibilities in regards to the ACA.

"It's a big law, a big change and a lot of uncertainty for us," Koch told the group of 50, with representation ranging from the restaurant industry to non-profit organizations. "Don't think you can outsmart the government, this is about everybody getting coverage."

The largest takeaway from Koch's presentation: Businesses with less than 50 employees would not have to offer medical insurance.

But Taco Box Owner Tom Martin said just because he doesn't have 50 full-time employees, doesn't mean it's that simple when offering health insurance to workers.

"My biggest concern walking in was about if we were going to be mandated to offer insurance or not," Martin said.

Martin said with Walmart and other chains having far more than 50 employees, it almost requires him to offer health insurance to compete with these larger employers.

Martin said he currently offers health insurance to every employee after a 90-day period. He's unsure how the ACA will affect what he already does.

"I know to ask more questions," Martin said. "I plan to do more research and ask a lot more questions."

Koch said effects will be felt Jan. 1, 2014. His biggest suggestion to employers was to hire an employment lawyer.

"It's an employer's responsibility to know the law," Koch said.

Koch added that for small businesses, with less than 50 employees, employers will not be penalized if their employees choose not to receive healthcare, but it's not the same case for larger employers.

Linda Davis, senior vice president of operations at J.P. Stone Community Bank, said she's concerned the ACA will change how they already offer insurance to employees.

"It's going to restrict what we offer our employees," Davis said. "We take care of our employees."

Davis added that employees should have options such as choosing higher deductibles and lower premiums. She fears the ACA will restrict those options.