Form 1094-C Meaning

The Affordable Care Act requires employers to file Form 1094-C with the IRS. This form is used by employers that offer health insurance to their employees. This form is essentially a transmittal that goes along with Form 1095-C, which reports information on health insurance provided to employees.

Use of Form 1094-C:

Report employer information: This form is used to report to the IRS the fact that large employers offer health insurance coverage to their employees.
Report Full-Time Employees: This form is used to report the number of full-time employees each month and whether they have been offered minimum essential coverage (MEC).
Certificate Compliance: This document certifies the employer has met the employer mandate under the ACA requirements by providing adequate and affordable insurance to all full-time workers.

The Form 1094-C:

Part 1: Employer Information: This section requests basic information about the employer, including their name, address, and Employer Identification Number.
ALE Information: This section includes the employer’s declaration of eligibility for the transitional relief provided under the ACA. The form also asks the employer for the number of 1095C forms submitted and whether the employer is part of a group.
Part 3: Full-Time Employee Count and Coverage: Employers report the number of full-time employees they have each month and indicate whether they provide minimum essential coverage.
Part 4: Members of Aggregated ALE Group: The names and EINs of the other members of the group must be listed.

Filing Requirements

Who must file? Employers with at least 50 full-time (including equivalent full-time) employees are considered to be Applicable Large Employers (ALEs). They will need to submit Form 1094C along with a separate 1095C for each employee.
Due dates: In general, the deadline to file Form 1094C (on paper) or electronically (on March 31) is around the end of February (for paper filing).

The Form 1094C is a cover sheet for the Form 1095C, which is a more detailed form. Employers must remain compliant with ACA reporting obligations.