The federal business mandate for large employers to offer health insurance to its full-time employees has been delayed one year, thus starting in 2015.

However, individuals are still required to carry health insurance starting in 2014 or be subject to penalties. State-based health exchanges are set to be in place by Oct 1 to help people without access to coverage meet this requirement.

The following provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are affected by the delay as follows:

• Employer coverage mandate and penalty provisions, also known as “shared responsibility,” are delayed for one year and are not effective for 2014.

• Shared responsibility provisions require large employers, 50 or more full-time employees, to offer qualified, affordable coverage to all full-time employees and their dependents. Non-compliance will incur penalties.

• Small employers, less than 50 full-time employees, are exempt from the shared responsibility provisions.

• The individual health insurance mandate requires all U.S. citizens to have minimum essential health coverage or pay penalties as of January 1, 2014.

• New health insurance exchange open enrollment remains scheduled to begin October 1, 2013.