Whether you are a small or home business owner or an employee of a small business, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are an important part of the portfolio of health care options that are available.

Background for Small Business Owners

HSAs were created in Medicare legislation signed into law by President Bush on December 8, 2003. HSA plans are inexpensive health insurance plans that don’t pay for deductibles but will generally cover you after that. HSA plans are available to help you pay for the expenses your plan does not cover. Small business owners should check with their insurance carriers to tell you in writing whether your policy is HSA-eligible. There is a checklist for small business owners available from the SBA to give you more information.

HSAs – What are they?

A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax preferred account owned by an individual used to pay for current and future medical expenses. They are funded by tax deductible individual contributions and employers can also contribute to employees’ HSAs. Here’s an Online Briefing on HSAs that provides self-paced training.

Qualifying for HSAs

To be eligible and qualify for an HSA, you must meet the following requirements:

• You need to be covered by an HSA eligible health plan with a deductible of at least $1,100 for individual coverage or $2,200 family coverage for 2008, and $1,150 and $2,300 for 2009.
• You cannot have any other health coverage, except what is permitted under Other Health Coverage
• You cannot be enrolled in Medicare
• You cannot be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return

For additional information IRS Publication 969 details qualifications and more for health savings accounts and other tax-favored health plans. Also check out this fact sheet.

Resources

HSA Finder – Independent information source for Health Savings Accounts

US Dept of Treasury

HSA Insider – Q&A on HSAs

Business.gov – Workplace Health information

We all do online searches – often confusing, particularly for those who aren’t master web navigators (myself and the cats included in that group). When it comes to your business, it’s best to muddle through the government information. Believe it or not, much of the government has gotten friendlier. Our tax dollars are paying for this so we should use it and when it’s not helpful, we should fill out the online surveys and contact forms. We want our funds to be spent to benefit us and unless we voice our concerns, no one will hear us! Please remember (I can’t emphasize this enough) – government resources are FREE. No true government site will ask you to pay to enter. Now onto some more info…

Resources for Non-profits

1. USA.gov – This site is the on-line version of what many companies offering CFDA assistance services use to advise their clients. It is available for FREE to all who wish to reference it. It has specific information for non-profits divided into 3 sections: grants/loans, management/operations, and tax information. There is also an email alert that you can sign-up for when new information is added. Check out the easy to follow steps for writing a grant proposal and tips.
2. Computers for Learning (CFL) – This program matches the computer needs of educational non-profits with excess equipment in federal agencies. The FAQ is very helpful in explaining some of the details.
3. US Department of Labor – This page provides a shortcut to information for non-profits. Check out the compliance assistance information and resources to help you understand the laws enforced and administered by DOL. There are also a lot of great links to other government resources on this page.
4. Business.gov provides a good overview for non-profits and has other resources for minority-owned businesses as well.
5. The SBA provides counseling and assistance through Small Business Development Centers. In addition, the SBA’s Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives seeks to empower faith-based and other community organizations to apply for federal social service grants. It supplies information and training in this effort.

Resources for Non-profits

1. The online Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance gives you access to a database of all Federal programs available to nonprofit organizations and institutions. The CFDA Web Site is updated bi-weekly as new or updated program information is received from Federal agencies. This site also provides contact information for how to apply and guidelines to assist in filing for federal assistance.

1. Business.gov has a page dedicated to resources for non-profits. It includes links to valuable resources and acts as one single destination to find a host of tools and sites that can assist. It’s all organized in an easy-to-use format. So if you want a host of tools, bookmark this page.

1. The Office of Management and Budget assists by principles for determining costs of grants, contracts and other agreements with non-profit organizations. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is part of the Executive Office of the President.

1. Grants.gov is another source to find and apply for federal government grants. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is a managing partner for Grants.gov, an initiative that is having an unparalleled impact on the grant community. Learn more about Grants.gov and how to find and apply for a grant that is right for your non-profit business. Remember that you do not have to register with Grants.gov to find grant opportunities. However, once you are ready to apply for a grant, you will need to get registered. This process takes 3-5 business days. You can also register to receive email notifications of new grant postings.

1. The IRS also links to helpful information about points of intersection between charitable organizations and the IRS, including access to explanatory information and forms that an organization may need to file with the IRS.

1. The Federal Surplus Personal Property Donation Program enables certain nonfederal organizations to obtain personal property that the federal government no longer needs. The Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended, provides for the transfer of surplus personal property to State Agencies for Surplus Property. To search for available surplus property, eligible agencies must go through their SASP to obtain a generic search-only access code and password to logon to GSAXcess®.

If you are in the healthcare business, this conversation is going to be critical to how you do business in the coming years. If your business is not in the healthcare industry, you could still be effected. How? Well, do you have healthcare? Do you provide healthcare for your employees? This discussion is going to effect and inform healthcare policy as soon as next year, so jump in!

What is the National Dialogue?

In late October, just before a critical presidential election, citizens and stakeholders around the nation will join a unique experiment in 21st century democracy. The National Academy of Public Administration, on behalf of the Federal CIO Council, the Office of Management and Budget, and the General Services Administration, will host an online national dialogue that demonstrates a fundamentally different approach to the work of government.

This national discussion will engage a diverse group of voices in tackling one of the key issues confronting the nation’s health care system: How can we use information technology to improve the way patients interact with the healthcare system, while safeguarding their right to privacy? Participants will have an opportunity to discuss challenges, generate breakthrough ideas, and recommend principles that will be presented to the next Administration.

Tracy Johnson for Business.gov

Do you ever have an issue regarding your small business that you have grappled with? Silly question, huh?  Of course you have.  You seek out advice.  You search on Google, read blogs, reach out to other small business owners, family and friends.  Sometimes, when the issue has to do with the law or regulations, the advice from the average Joe is nice, but you need to be certain.  You need advice from a real person who works for the government and knows the answers to your questions.  But where do you turn?  Who can you call?  Will you get a real person?

Believe it or not there are real people that work for the U.S. Government.  For some, their main responsibility is being there to answer your questions.  To make sure you get the right person for your question, Business.gov has pulled together a guide.  Because sometimes, it us just nice to speak with a real person.

Below is a short list of helpful contacts.  For a full list by topic area, visit www.business.gov/contacts.

Complying with Laws and Regulations

• Federal Compliance Contacts and Resources
  E-mail or call a federal agency with a question about how to comply with federal regulations.
• State Compliance Contacts and Resources
  Links to state laws and regulation compliance information for all 50 states.
• Local Contacts for Federal Programs
  Directory of contacts for federal programs in local areas throughout the United States. Many of these contacts provide in-person consulting and training services that help small businesses comply with federal regulations.

File a Complaint – Unfair Regulatory Enforcement

• Is the Government Regulating Your Unfairly? Contact Your Ombudsman
  This article describes the role of an Ombudsman, and how s/he can help small businesses that are experiencing unfair or excessive regulatory enforcement actions. Includes a list of Federal and State Ombudsman contacts.
• Small Business National Ombudsman
  The National Ombudsman assists small businesses when they experience excessive or unfair federal regulatory enforcement actions, such as repetitive audits or investigations, excessive fines, penalties, threats, retaliation or other unfair enforcement action by a federal agency.

Starting a Business

• Small Business Answer Desk
  A national toll-free telephone service operated by the U.S. Small Business Administration that provides information to the public on small business problems and concerns.
• SBA District Offices
  Local SBA offices provide counseling, training and business development specialists offering free and low-cost services in your area.
• Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Locator
  Contact your local SBDC to get free information on starting, running, and managing a business in your area.
• SCORE – Local Offices
  Find your local SCORE office to obtain free and confidential small business advice for entrepreneurs.
• Minority Business Development Centers
  Local and regional programs assisting minority-owned enterprises with start-up advice, business planning, and financial assistance.
• Women’s Business Centers [PDF]
  Listing of more than 100 educational resource centers in the U.S. designed to assist women start and grow small businesses.

Contact Elected Officials

• U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• U.S. House Small Business Committee
• Contact Your U.S. Representative
• Contact Your U.S. Senator

• The White House

Contact Business.gov

If you have questions about Business.gov or about any other government program, please feel free to contact us.

Tracy Johnson for Business.gov

We know business is done on the state and local level.  That’s why the Business Gateway program has been working with state and local governments in addition to Federal agencies to provide a complete resource center for your business on Business.gov.  Each month, the site promotes a “feature city” on the homepage and further provides an in depth look at doing business in that city.  State and local governments have additional and specific regulations and licenses than the Federal government, and if you are looking to open a new business or expand to a new city, knowing the local regulatory landscape is invaluable.  The current feature city on Business.gov is Montpelier, VT.

Past featured cities include:

Danbury, CT
Phoenix, AZ
Portland, OR
Madison, WI
Atlanta, GA
Richmond, VA

Coming Soon:

Reno, NC
San Diego, CA
Baton Rouge, LA
Wilmington, NC

In addition to these cities, Business.gov has over 900 pages of state and local content available through the state and local info portal.  Simply click through to your state or the state in which you wish to do business for more info.

By far, the coolest feature (according to users) on the site is the Permit Me tool.  This is the easiest way to literally get a checklist of the licenses and permits you need to do business in a particular city, state, or zip code.  Simply type in your location and select your business type and a list of Federal, state, and local regulations will be provided in priority order.

Is your business type not on the list?  Would you like your city featured in a coming month?  Tell us about it by leaving a comment or visiting www.business.gov/contact-us.