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In March of 2010, the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), was signed into law by President Obama. As the ACA is implemented, the restaurant industry will be significantly impacted. From individuals to families, and small business with 50 or fewer employees to large, multi-unit employers with hundreds of employees, the new healthcare benefit landscape will certainly affect you and your employees.

Under the Affordable Care Act, health insurance marketplaces have been established at both the state and national level to facilitate the purchase of health insurance for individuals, families and businesses. Where you go to sign up for healthcare depends on where you live or operate your business. In the District of Columbia, RAMW is partnering with the DC Health Link to get restaurant employees, owners and operators the information they need to sign up and stay in compliance with the law. Those operators with businesses in Virginia and who are looking to purchase coverage for their employees, will need to visit www.healthcare.gov. In Maryland, operators who are looking to purchase coverage for their employees may visit Maryland's Health Benefit Exchange.

RAMW is working to ensure that restaurant owners and operators, and their employees receive information on healthcare developments in a timely and efficient manner.

DC Health Link Extends Call Center Hours Ahead Of Tax Deadline

April 8, 2015
DC Health Link Extends Call Center Hours Ahead Of Tax Deadline NBCWashington With the April 15 deadline to file income tax returns fast approaching, DC Health Link’s Contact Center will be open on Saturday, April 4 and Saturday, April 11 to answer questions from District residents regarding providing information about health insurance for their tax returns. The Affordable Care Act requires residents to have qualifying health insurance for the entire year, report a health coverage exemption, or make a payment when they file their taxes. Additionally, DC Health Link is holding a Special...Read more

Navigating the Health Care Maze

March 30, 2015
Navigating the health care maze can seem like 10,000 questions. In this post, I have addressed a number of questions that face small business owners every day. How does an employer choose the correct plan for employees? What options are available and which ones fit the needs of all of the employee’s healthcare consumption? Are high deductible plans worth it? Your employees range from age 20 to 60 plus with different aged dependents too. Some employees only need coverage for themselves and others need to cover dependents. Do you offer one plan, two plans or possibly three plans? What is...

Newsweek: Obamacare Will Survive Even a Republican President (Opinion)

April 1, 2015
D.C. Health Benefit Exchange Newsweek: Obamacare Will Survive Even a Republican President (Opinion) BY HENRY J. AARON - 3/29/2015, 5:03 PM Anniversaries are times for taking stock. And so it is with the Affordable Care Act—a.k.a., the ACA or Obamacare. Now, at the time of the fifth anniversary of the law’s passage, the law remains in existential jeopardy. The Supreme Court is considering whether the law, as drafted, permits payment of tax credits in the 34 states that use HealthCare.Gov as their administrative agent. These credits make insurance affordable and the law sustainable...Read more

DC Health Link consumers saw some of the smallest premium increases in region

March 26, 2015
DC Health Link consumers saw some of the smallest premium increases in region Washington Business Journal The District had some of the lowest health insurance rate increases on its marketplace between 2014 and 2015, according to a recent report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Nationally, costs for a silver plan — one of the mid-level options and the most popular tier of health plans — increased 2.9 percent. For the least-expensive silver plan for a 40-year-old nontobacco user, that accounts for an increase to $264 in monthly premiums in 2015, up from $256 in 2014...Read more

Special Enrollment Offered to Uninsured District Residents Facing IRS Tax Penalties

March 15, 2015
PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release : March 9, 2015 Contact: Adam Hudson: (202) 527-5622; adam.hudson@dc.gov Linda Wharton Boyd: (202) 351-9777; linda.wharton-boyd@dc.gov Special Enrollment Offered to Uninsured District Residents Facing IRS Tax Penalties Individuals and Families Can Sign Up from March 15 Through April 30, 2015 Washington, DC ­­ – Today, the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority (HBX) adopted a unanimous recommendation from its Standing Advisory Board to allow a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for District residents who may be subject to a federal tax penalty...Read more

To broker or not to broker, the first question when buying insurance

October 30, 2015
To broker or not to broker, the first question when buying insurance. By Jon S. Belinkie, HIA, HIP, DIA, DIP, MSA, CBC, ACBC, MBA, DBA, CLCS President, Health Insurance Specialists, Inc. All businesses, restaurants being no exception, want the best product at the best price. This is especially true with insurance, whether it is protection for the business/business owner, or protection for the employees through a variety of employee benefit programs. It is this author’s experience, with no exceptions, that the optimum approach is to use a reputable broker. Here is why in a Q&A format...

Prepare for Unforeseen Medical Expenses with DC Health Link

December 17, 2014
According to the Washington Informer , medical bills are the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in America.​ Unexpected health costs can quickly add up. Health insurance is the best way to prepare for unforeseen medical expenses, and Obamacare has made shopping for an affordable, quality plan easier than ever before. The Affordable Care Act has made it easier for people to shop for private health coverage, to obtain financial assistance to help pay for private insurance, and to apply for Medicaid. Because of the Affordable Care Act, there are no out-of-pocket costs for most preventive...

DC Health Link: 12 Days of Tips

December 8, 2014
12 Days of Tips with Jackie Ludden | Project Director for the RAMW/DC Health Link Partnership 12/8 How to prepare for Individual, Family and Small Business coverage by Jan 1, 2015? In order to prepare for January 1, 2015 coverage, individuals, families and small businesses will need to have all paperwork including census and plans chosen by no later than December 15, 2014. 12/9 Mobile Apps The DC Health Link mobile apps are free and available for Apple devices through the Apple App Store and Android devices through the Google Play store. Download towards better health care now! 12/10 Using a...

Be Right Back! DC Health Link Goes Offline to Prepare For Open Enrollment

November 4, 2014
DC Health Link , the District’s go-to online marketplace to shop for health insurance, will be offline this week to make updates to its portal. This upgrade comes in preparation for the start of open enrollment for individuals and families - which will be November 15, 2014 through February 15, 2015. Here are some changes you can expect to see on the site when DC Health Link goes back online this Friday, November 7: Automatic Renewal – DC Health Link will automatically renew individuals and families who enrolled in a health plan through the health exchange in 2014 in the same plan...

DC Health Link FAQs for Small Business Owners

October 27, 2014
There are many elements that set small business owners apart from their corporate competitors. One of the most significant is the ability to provide affordable health coverage for employees to ensure they are happy and safe in the workplace. When shopping for health insurance, it’s important to ask the right questions to guarantee that you get the coverage that fits your needs. Here are a few FAQs about DC Health Link we have assembled specifically for small business owners like you. What payment methods are available to small business employers? Employers, just like you, have the...

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