A Guide to the Affordable Care Act

There’s nothing simple about the Affordable Care Act.  It was complicated to begin with, and constant revisions just make it more and more complex. To help you decipher it, here’s a Guide prepared by the Congressional Research Service to help members of Congress and their staffs answer questions from their constituents. Just click on this website, and you can read it, print it, or download it for easy reference: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43215.pdf 

But remember, everything is changing all the time, so double-check with your legal counsel for updates.

As for bargaining about the ACA, remember:

1. The so-called “Cadillac Tax”, which is really an excise tax on our Chevrolets, is not due until 2018, so there’s no need to bargain anything except a re-opener right now;

2. If you bargain a re-opener, make sure you don’t have to re-open unless the ACA “substantially” changes benefits or contributions;

3. No indemnification clauses – neither Unions nor Trust Funds can be responsible for employers who blow it and have to pay penalties; and

4. No clauses that just say the employer will abide by ACA – that sets too low a bar.

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Author: Bill Sokol