The State of New Jersey has again updated the information related to employer reporting beginning in 2020 under New Jersey’s individual health insurance mandate that went into effect January 1, 2019. Employers (including out-of-state employers) who provided health coverage to New Jersey residents enrolled in self-funded group health plans must issue participant statements by March 2, 2020 and remit to the state by March 31, 2020 the same Forms 1095-C provided to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for calendar year 2019. Employers with fully insured plans may generally rely on the insurance carrier to issue statements and file required information with the state. New Jersey has established the statement issuance date and filing deadline to coincide with recent IRS guidance for Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) reporting compliance.
Background
The New Jersey Health Insurance Market Preservation Act (the “NJ Act”) requires most New Jersey residents to maintain health insurance, starting January 1, 2019. Failure to do so, absent an exemption, will result in an individual penalty imposed by the state when a person files his or her 2019 New Jersey Income Tax return. This New Jersey individual insurance mandate essentially replaces the individual mandate imposed under ACA, which was effectively eliminated beginning January 1, 2019 under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. As with the ACA, the NJ Act requires certain employers and insurance carriers to report to covered individuals and to the state affirming such individuals’ maintained health coverage during the calendar year.
Who Must Issue and File Required Forms
Forms are required to be issued to all primary enrollees no later than March 2, 2020 and filed with the state no later than March 31, 2020 on behalf of all part-year and full-year New Jersey residents for 2019. A part-year resident is an individual who lives in the state for at least 15 days in any month in 2019.
Certain employers and other providers of minimum essential health insurance coverage such as insurance carriers, multiemployer plans, government entities, etc. must file
the forms with the New Jersey Division of Taxation no later than March 31, 2020. Currently, there is no plan to offer an extension. Filers or their representative must register and use MFT Secure Transport Services, the same system used to file Forms W-2, as the state will not accept mailed paper forms. Employers should only send Forms 1095-C to the state for individuals subject to NJ’s individual mandate. While the state will accept 1095 data files containing records for individuals who are not New Jersey residents, employers should be cognizant that privacy and other laws may limit or prohibit sending sensitive information.
What Forms are Required by Whom
• Employers with Fully Insured Coverage: The insurance carrier will be required to file form 1095-B with the state for each covered member of the plan. Employers are not required to file with the state. The carrier should furnish Form 1095-B to NJ residents.
• Employers with Self-Insured Coverage: Employers should furnish Form 1095-C to covered members who are New Jersey residents. This likely overlaps with the federal requirement to furnish these Forms. Employers will file with the state Form 1095-C and must complete Parts I and III. The employer may file a Form 1095-B for any plan member who was not an employee during all of 2019. Small employers (less than 50 employees) will report coverage using form 1095-B.
• Employers Participating in a Multiemployer Arrangement: The plan sponsor will file Form 1095-B (or 1095-C) for each covered employee.
Employer Action
· Employers with fully insured plans should confirm that the insurer will issue Forms 1095-B to New Jersey primary enrollees by March 2, 2020. It’s important to note that the IRS issued guidance relaxing the ACA reporting rules for insurance carriers who are no longer required to automatically issue Forms 1095-B to plan participants, although carriers must still file Forms 1095-B with the IRS.
· Employers with fully insured plans should confirm that the insurer will file the Forms 1095-B with the state no later than March 31, 2020.
· Employers with self-insured plans should discuss with their payroll vendor or forms provider to determine if they will file the forms with the state on the employer’s behalf.
· As New Jersey will not require that separate forms be prepared for adult children who were covered under their parents’ group health plan, the state suggests that employees provide a copy of Form 1095-B or 1095-C to their adult children who reside in New Jersey. It is unclear at this time whether these adult children will need to submit proof of coverage when filing their New Jersey state tax returns in order to prove minimum essential coverage.
Cosmo Insurance Agency is an independent insurance agency serving surrounding communities in New Jersey. Cosmo keeps its promise to assure an efficient and creative approach to the services we offer. Each of our clients experience a personalized and long-term relationship with us. Our New Jersey based team of health brokers guides our clients in helping them choose the most cost-effective options. By incorporating the latest in technology-based tools and laws on healthcare, employee benefits, life insurance and finance, we keep our clients up-to-date with the plans that encompass all of their needs, whether it is individual or group insurance.
GET A HEALTH INSURANCE QUOTE NOW
LEARN MORE ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE
GET A DENTAL INSURANCE QUOTE
