After months of working on Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting, using draft forms and instructions, benefit practitioners now have the real deal. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued final 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, 1095-C forms and instructions that employers, plan sponsors and group health insurers will use to report health coverage as required by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). With the 2016 reporting deadlines getting uncomfortably close, hopefully you have made progress using the draft forms. If so, your work is not wasted—The changes to the final forms are minimal.
The IRS had released draft forms and instructions in June and August. On September 17, 2015, final 2015 Instructions and Forms were released.
Final instructions: (Each instruction resource includes “What’s New” and “Form Revisions” for a quick reference to the updates made.)
Instructions for Forms 1094-B and 1095-B
Instructions for Forms 1094-C and 1095-C
Final forms:
Form 1094-B Transmittal of Health Coverage Information Returns
Form 1094-C Transmittal of Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Information Returns
Form 1095-B Health Coverage 2015
Form 1095-C Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage
ACA reporting has proven to be one of the hottest benefits topics of 2015. The International Foundation has many resources to help you work through the complex process. Here are a few ways you can simplify your ACA challenges:
- Follow Word on Benefits for regular updates and guidance on ACA reporting. Some of the most popular recent posts include:
ACA Employer Reporting: Who, What, When, Why and How
Four Steps Required Prior to ACA E-Filing
Checklist to File ACA Application for TCC
Time’s A-Wastin’, Prepare for ACA Reporting Now!
Penalties Doubled for Faulty ACA Reporting
Tick . . . Tock: Ready to Report Social Security Numbers for ACA?
Retirees Receiving Health Coverage: Must We Report Them? - Visit ACA Central for news updates and regularly updated resources, including a full offering of resources on Reporting and Disclosure and useful ACA Checklists.
- Join ACA University, a virtual learning environment offering live webcasts, videos, weekly ACA FAQs and a full resource library.
- Ask an Information Specialist. We have a team of specialists ready to provide free personalized research assistance on any benefits topic. International Foundation members can make research requests by phone or e-mail.
- Ask your peers. Connect to other industry pros online. Post your questions and share your experiences in the Foundation Community private online discussion forum. Also, join the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and Health Care Reform LinkedIn groups.
Ann Godsell, CEBS
Social Business Strategist at the International Foundation
Note: On December 28, 2015, the IRS issued Notice 2016-4 announcing a delay of the 2015 filing year deadlines for ACA reporting on Forms 1094 and 1095 for a few months. See this blog post for more details.
Barbara Boyd
Does IFEBP have a form on line that an employer can complete and track for the look back period under ACA?
Lois Mathis-Gleason
Barbara,
I’m sorry, we don’t have a form on our website to complete and track hours for the look back period, but since you are a member of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, our Information Services team will do some personalized research and send to you directly by e-mail any samples or examples we find within a day or two.
barb boyd
That would be great. Thanks
Rob
Lois, Can I please get a copy of your research? Thanks! ROB
Lois Mathis-Gleason
Rob, since you are also a member of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, our Information Services team will be happy to send you the research results we have found. We did not find an abundance of examples but hope that what we will send you may be helpful.
Lois
Denise Soebbing
If an employer mails a 1095 C form to an employee and it is returned because the employee has moved, what is required of the employer at that point? Is our requirement just to send to the last known address?
Ann Godsell, CEBS
Timely question, Denise. We just posted on this topic! I think you’ll find the answers in today’s post: https://blog.ifebp.org/index.php/return-to-sender-undeliverable-1095-cs