Open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act’s new health insurance Exchanges will begin on October 1, 2013, with coverage to begin on January 1, 2014. The Act requires employers to give a written notice to employees about the Exchanges by October 1. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has provided a model Exchange notice for employers who offer a health plan to some or all
employees, and a separate model notice for employers who do not offer a health plan. Those model notices are found on the DOL’s web page with other information about the Act. Employers may use one of those models or may use another form of notice, provided that the notice contains the required information as described on the DOL’s information page.The ACA’s other deadlines are not affected by this announcement. For example, employers will still need to provide information to their employees about the health insurance exchanges by October 1, 2013, and individuals will still need to purchase health insurance by January 1, 2014 or face a penalty.
