Supreme Court Ruling on Subsidies Keeps Options Open for Employers

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 last week that subsidies can indeed be accessed by people in all 50 states, even those who are taking advantage of the federal exchange through HealthCare.gov. The case stemmed from wording in the Affordable Care Act that said exchanges (i.e. marketplaces) qualified for subsidies if they were "established by the State." The Supreme Court ruled the word "State" refers to both state and federal exchanges.

Impact on Employers

The Supreme Court decision reaffirms that subsidies will be available through the public exchanges and many employers can benefit from considering health care alternatives for their company. Below are possible questions for employers to consider:

• How do you feel about your health insurance costs?
• Are you concerned about the rising costs of health insurance?
• Have you considered your benefit options including maintaining group coverage or encouraging employees to purchase their insurance through the private insurance market?