Tips for Communicating About ACA Reporting to Employees

Starting this year, employers must provide a Form 1095-C proof of health insurance to employees to help them with filing their tax returns.

According to a recent survey by ADP, 83% percent of mid-sized employers and 57% of large employers don’t think their employees clearly understand the forms or how they may be related to their 2015 tax filing obligations.

Jellyvision, an employee benefits communication technology company, shared with PLANSPONSOR some tips for employers to use when educating participants about the form:

• Use conversational language, not technical language;
• Don’t tell employees what they don’t need to know—all they need to know is what the form is and what to do with it;
• Leverage existing communications like intranets, payroll portals or manager meetings to notify employees that they will be receiving this form; and
• Be strategic and timely—consider sending three emails about the 1095 over the next two months.

Jellyvision CEO Amanda Lannert says, “The better companies can get the information across now, the fewer freak-outs they’ll be dealing with the next few months. Institutions—especially the government—oftentimes can’t help but make simple things mind-numbingly hard by doing things like not speaking like a person and using numbers instead of simple language to describe forms. At Jellyvision, our mission is to squash confusing, boring communication and replace it something helpful and delightful.”