While much of employers' attention surrounding the AffordableCare Act (ACA) has been on compliance, an important piece that HRand benefits professionals can't overlook is employeeeducation.

This is especially true when it comes to the 1095 form, whichincludes important information about health care coverage offeredand/or provided by employers to their employees. The 1095 may beused by the IRS to determine if an employee is subject to finesunder the individual mandate and/or to determine an employee'seligibility for a subsidy to help pay for health care.

January 2017 will mark only the second time that employees willreceive a 1095, so it should be expected that many don't yetunderstand the importance of this form. And, since the IRS statedthat filing extensions will not be granted to employers this year,employees will be receiving 1095s by January 31 – the same timeframe that various other tax forms will arrive. These factorscreate a scenario that's ripe for confusion.

It's essential that HR and benefits professionals take steps toeducate employees on this form's significance. Here are four keysteps that you'll want to take to prepare for ACA Form 1095season:

Step 1: Build your communication strategy & plan

Creating a plan to get ahead of the confusion around this newform will help you and your employees prepare for tax season.

Gather your team members, and collectively decide what you'dlike to communicate to your employees and when. Build a plan thatanswers key questions like:

• For our employees, what messages will be most effective andresonate?

• Should we deliver different messages to different types ofemployees, such as full-time and part-time?

• What were the most commonly asked questions last year about the1095 form?

• Which delivery channels best suit our employees and culture(post cards, emails, text reminders, etc.)?

• Do we need to have any education or communication materialsproduced and/or printed?

Be sure to think through and identify any potential barriers toyour plan's success such as geography, holiday seasons, busybusiness periods, etc. Given the January 31, 2017 deadline to have1095s to employees, a suggested time frame for this step is Octoberthrough November.

Step 2: Begin educating employees

Start with the basics! Use your identified communicationchannels to begin educating your employees on frequently askedquestions such as:

• What is the 1095 form?

• Why will I get this form?

• What should I do with this form when I receive it?

• Why did I receive more than one 1095?

Consider providing reference materials (posters, FAQs, etc.)that provide this information so that employees can use them asneeded. Include information about the 1095 in new hire packets,open enrollment materials, and on your company's intranet.

A suggested time frame for this step is November throughDecember.

Step 3: Provide more detailed information

Continue to educate your employees! Build on the basics you'vecovered previously, and introduce new information. Consideranswering more in-depth questions such as:

• How will the 1095 affect my taxes?

• What does the information on this form mean?

• What's the difference between a 1095-A, 1095-B, and 1095-C?

• Whom should I contact with questions?

A suggested time frame for this step is December through the endof January. Don't forget to continue to communicate the informationfrom Step 2, also.

Step 4: Prepare for more questions

Even though you've built a solid employee education andcommunication plan, you'll want to be prepared to answer questionsas they come in. Setting up an email account or hotline to provideanswers to 1095-specific questions has proven successful for manyemployers. Be sure you and your team think through logistics andprocess considerations such as:

• Who will answer detailed questions about the 1095 form, and howcan employees reach them?

• What if an employee didn't receive a 1095 but was enrolled incoverage?

• How can employees request an additional copy of their1095-C?

Because employees will be filing their income taxes throughApril 15 (or later!), it's a good idea to have your team (ordesignated vendor) available to answer questions through the end offiling season.

To access a 1095 toolkit of resources to make your 1095 season asuccess, click here.