Recent stories in the media on low-cost or “skinny” group health care plans may have some employers thinking their prayers have been answered. Under the Affordable Care Act, those who don’t offer health insurance coverage to at least 95% of their full-time employees will face potentially costly penalties. Employers who don’t currently offer coverage to their employees are therefore eager to learn about affordable health insurance alternatives.

In a Mintz Levin advisory entitled A Primer on “Low-Cost” Group Health Plans, attorney Alden Bianchi of our Employment, Labor & Benefits Practice takes a closer look at this controversial new concept. He notes that while offering your employees bare-bones, low-cost insurance may be legal, doing so may not keep you from incurring penalties, and it is important to know that there are other strategies available for avoiding potential exposure.