Companies Trying to Circumvent Health Law Penalties

Companies are going to face fines next year if they don't comply with a mandate to provide health insurance to employees. In order to avoid $2,000 penalties per employee, some companies are trying to enroll low-wage employees in Medicaid or to offer "skinny" plans that cover preventive care but exclude major benefits like hospital coverage, the Wall Street Journal reports. Employers, however, can face a different $3,000 fine for workers who opt out of the "skinny plans" and get federally subsidized plans through an insurance exchange. Other employers are reducing the number of workers who are eligible by keeping their hours below 30 a week.