Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), individuals are required to have health insurance while applicable large employers (ALEs) are required to offer health benefits to their full-time employees. In order for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to verify that (1) individuals have the required minimum essential coverage, (2) individuals who request premium tax credits are entitled to them, and (3) ALEs are meeting their shared responsibility (play or pay) obligations, employers with 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees and insurers are required to report on the health coverage they offer. Final instructions for both the 1094-B and 1095-B and the 1094-C and 1095-C were released in September 2016, as were the final forms for 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C.
When? Which Employers?
Reporting will be due early in 2017, based on coverage in 2016. All reporting will be for the calendar year, even for non-calendar year plans. The reporting requirements are in Sections 6055 and 6056 of the ACA. Draft instructions for both the 1094-B and 1095-B, and the 1094-C and 1095-C were released in August 2016. The final instructions are substantially similar to the draft instructions.