Mobile Chamber to Host Business Summit on Navigating the Affordable Care Act

Local business owners looking for guidance on complying with federal health care law will have a chance to get answers during a summit planned by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber is organizing back-to-back sessions at the Mobile Marriott on Airport Boulevard aimed at helping employers navigate requirements under the Affordable Care Act. A morning session, running from 8 to 11 a.m., is designed for companies with up to 100 employees, while an afternoon session from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. targets larger employers with more than 100 workers on staff.

Registration costs $50 for Chamber members and $60 for non-members, with the fee covering lunch between the two sessions. Planned topics include private insurance exchanges, telemedicine options, captive insurance arrangements and the use of onsite health clinics as employers look for ways to manage rising health care costs.

Attorney Matthew W. Stiles, who specializes in employment litigation for the firm Maynard, Cooper & Gale, is scheduled to deliver the event’s keynote address between the two sessions, titled “The Affordable Care Act in Full Swing: Preparing for 2015 and Beyond.”

Organizers encouraged interested business owners to register in advance given the split scheduling by company size. Additional information and registration details are available directly through the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.

Why the sessions are split at 100 employees

The split follows the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate. Under federal rules issued in 2014, employers with 100 or more full-time or full-time-equivalent employees must offer affordable coverage that meets minimum standards to their full-time workers starting in 2015 or risk a penalty. Employers with 50 to 99 such employees have until 2016.