For a number of reasons, experts say the developments set to take place this year will have an enormous impact on the administration of employee benefits for many years to come.
Analysts told Business Insurance that while it's unlikely that there will be a great deal of legislation working its way through Congress, the Supreme Court's upcoming ruling on the healthcare reform law, along with other potential regulatory changes, make this year pivotal.
"There will be a fairly long list of regulations coming out," Paul Dennett, senior vice president for healthcare reform with the American Benefits Council in Washington, told the source.
Unless the court strikes it down, starting in 2014, the law would assess employers a penalty of at least $2,000 annually for each full-time employee it does not offer health insurance. Some companies have said they may drop employer-sponsored coverage and pay the penalty anyway.
Experts also told the source that they expect regulators to issue a new set of rules regarding how employers must communicate their healthcare options to employees. The original compliance deadline of this March has already been postponed.
