Business leaders will encounter many forks in the road in thecoming year. Here are some of the top benefits-related decisionsbusinesses will face to ensure brokers are well prepared to provideadvice and counsel in 2016.

1) Pay or play?

In 2016, employers with at least 50 full-time equivalentemployees (FTEs) must offer affordable, minimum-value healthcoverage to at least 95 percent of their full-time employees andtheir dependents, or face a penalty. Employers will rely on brokersto advise them regarding what they should know and do to guardagainst health care reform-related penalties.

2) Switch to a health insurance exchange?

Employers with 50 or fewer employees are eligible to purchasehealth insurance for employees through the Small Business HealthOptions Program (SHOP), the government-facilitated, online benefitsmarketplace. In some states, this option may even be available foremployers with 51 to 100 employees. Brokers should be ready toguide businesses of all sizes who choose to purchase insurancethrough public or private exchanges.

3) Manage required benefits reporting in-house orcontract it out?

Starting in 2016, businesses will be required to reportinformation about employee health coverage, including basicemployee data, types of coverage, cost sharing and any otherinformation required by the IRS. Since many employers struggle tounderstand health care reform requirements, they may look to aconsultant or provider to help file the reports.

4) Offer a high-deductible health plan?

Rising health care costs have employers consideringhigh-deductible health plans (HDHPs). Eighty-three percent ofemployers are now offering HDHPs and 25 percent are only offeringHDHPs, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers Health and Well-beingTouchstone Survey results. It's also important to note the 2015Aflac Open Enrollment Survey found that roughly half of workers (52percent) who chose a HDHP last year regret their decision. Still,many will select HDHPs again, some because it's the onlyemployer-sponsored insurance option available, others because costis the driving factor for plan selection.

5) Make voluntary benefits part of a benefitspackage?

Many of your clients are shifting health care expenses toemployees. Compound that with the fact that approximately 50percent of employees have less than $1,000 in their savingsaccount, and offering employees coverage such as critical illness,accident, or hospital indemnity that will protect them fromout-of-pocket exposure is not only essential, but also desired.According to the 2015 Aflac WorkForces Report, 88 percent ofemployees consider voluntary part of a comprehensive benefitspackage and 64 percent see a growing need for voluntary todaycompared to past years. Smart brokers will be ready to discuss whyvoluntary insurance is a key component of comprehensive benefitsplans and the benefits to both employers and employees.

6) Eliminate spouse or partner coverage?

Health care reform does not require companies to extend coverageto spouses. Before your accounts consider cutting spousal benefitsentirely, advise them on the effect such decisions can have ontheir business: 72 percent of married employees and those livingwith partners say they'd feel extremely or very negatively towardtheir employer if spouse/partner coverage were eliminated fromtheir employer-sponsored health insurance options.