Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or colloquially as “Obamacare,” was signed into law in March of 2010 with the goal of increasing the quality and affordability of health insurance for millions of Americans.
While the Act’s employer shared responsibility payments will not apply until 2015, and in some cases, not until 2016, there are provisions and safe harbors to consider and decisions that can be made now that may help businesses, employees and a business’s bottom line. Further, there are many unintended consequences arising out of the ACA that business owners, both large and small, need to consider when administering health care arrangements.
We are carefully following the developments associated with the roll-out of ACA and are providing counsel to business owners and other professionals, helping them to address compliance issues, evaluate exposure to penalties and other tax issues as well as planning strategically for the future.
Affordable Care Act Articles
Amendments to Subdivision Indentures; A Tricky Business of How Far Is Too Far
Quite frequently, the homeowners association ("HOA") of a subdivision will want to amend, remove or add provisions to the governing documents, generally called an indenture, restrictive covenants or covenants and restrictions. Changes can be relatively minor, from...
Are Drugs Affecting Your Workplace?
The Wall Street Journal recently ran an article highlighting drug abuse in the workplace and the impact on employers. Apparently, the overall rate of workers in the U.S. who tested positive for drugs declined 18 percent between 2003 and 2013. However, the rate of use...
Can Minority Members of a Limited Liability Company Pierce the Corporate Veil?
Attorneys always take note when the Missouri Court of Appeals describes a case opinion as "a matter of first impression." This means the exact issue before the court has not been addressed by that court, or within that court's jurisdiction, thus there is no binding...
“Routine Chicanery”? I Object!
We have all heard the phrase time and time again: "Objection, your honor." These are often the first words said to me after I tell someone I am an attorney, albeit jokingly. But what do these words actually mean, and when is an attorney actually permitted to make an...
