International Bowl Expo adds affordable health care act to education lineup

By | April 26, 2013

Session to Address Health Care Questions Facing Proprietors in 2013

BPAANewlogo_07ARLINGTON, Texas — The Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America, the bowling industry’s premier trade organization, announced the addition of an important “Game Changer” session on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to the educational lineup at the 2013 International Bowl Expo in Las Vegas. The session is scheduled for Thursday, June 27, from 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. PDT.

The seminar will focus on the PPACA and how it affects employers in areas of cost increases as well as complex and time-consuming compliance requirements. The session will explore this new territory along with the significant gaps and inconsistencies that exist in the guidance issued by multiple federal agencies as well as the substantial penalties for noncompliance. A question and answer period will be allotted at the end of the seminar.

“A significant challenge to our members in 2013 will be the transformation of health care in America,” said Steve Johnson, BPAA executive director. “In recent years the cost of health coverage has increased faster than wages. This forum will help proprietors prepare to interpret the law and make the best decisions in addressing the health care challenges that will soon be upon them and provide solutions that achieve employer goals without breaking the bank.”

Kirk Pelikan, session presenter, is a member of the Employee Benefits Group of Michael Best & Friedrich in its Milwaukee, Wisconsin office. His practice involves all employee benefits matters, including ERISA, benefit plans, PPACA, COBRA, HIPAA compliance, family and medical leave, and other health benefits issues. Mr. Pelikan is president of the Wisconsin Retirement Plan Professionals, Ltd. and a member of the Greater Milwaukee Employee Benefits Counsel. He is a frequent speaker on employee benefit matters and FMLA. Mr. Pelikan received his J.D. from Marquette University Law School.

The seminar is an important educational choice for proprietors considering options such as additional training or hiring of internal staff to ensure compliance with mandated benefit arrangements and enhanced reporting and disclosure requirements. It is also ideal for those proprietors considering hiring part-time employees and/or more leased employees, or perhaps dropping health coverage altogether. This seminar will help proprietors in making important decisions that will comprise a variety of factors including what competitors may be doing, whether employees will have access to health care through other sources including government-subsidized exchanges, and whether options exist to permit the employer to offer some form of health coverage on a cost effective basis.