Yes, under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers with 50 or more full-time employees (or full-time equivalents) are required to offer health insurance coverage to their employees’ dependents, but not to spouses. The coverage offered to dependents must meet the ACA’s minimum essential coverage requirements.
Key points:
- Dependents are typically defined as children under the age of 26, regardless of whether they are married or live with the employee.
- Employers are not required to offer coverage to spouses under the ACA, although they may choose to do so.
The employer could face penalties if they do not offer coverage to dependents and one or more dependents qualify for coverage through the marketplace and receive subsidies.
