Employers Can Carry On As Usual As Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Reform Law

Sandy Feingerts, a partner in the New Orleans office and a member of the firm's Employee Benefits Practice Group, was quoted in two articles about the Supreme Court's ruling on June 28 to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In the Employee Benefit News article "Employers Can Carry On As Usual As Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Reform Law" Sandy said that for those employers who were taking a wait-and-see approach to compliance, it's time for the real work to begin. "I think a lot of employers have been sitting on the sidelines, not focusing on the Act and what they're going to have to do in 2014 when the heavy issues come up." She added that It's time for employers to focus on their obligations under the Act "because the only way this could be repealed is if Congress would repeal it. You'd be looking at a repeal to get rid of it because there are no longer any constitutional issues."

In the SHRM Online article "Supreme Court Upholds Individual Health Insurance Mandate" Sandy commented on some significant changes that the new law will provide. She noted that "HR in particular will have to understand the individual mandate and will have to have good communications with the employees." For example, employees might ask such questions as whether they have to opt for the employer's insurance or whether they may choose to find another plan--or what happens if they choose no insurance. HR professionals, she concluded, need to begin educating themselves now.