Some larger businesses may be letting out a collective sigh ofrelief now that they have more time to comply with the PatientProtection and Affordable Care Act provision that requires them toprovide health care coverage to their employees.

The White House said Tuesday that it is extending the compliance deadline for employers with 50 or more employeesfrom 2014 to 2015 so that they can test the new reporting systemsand make any necessary adaptations to their health benefits.

“This delay will give all of us enough time to work through themany issues and provisions that will be in effect for 2014 andbeyond,” said Sherry Campbell, benefits consultant and chiefoperating officer for CU Benefits Alliance, a Salem, Ore.-based CUSO owned by 18credit unions. “This delay will give us some relief in efforts tomeet all the timelines of the legislation.”

Prior to the announcement of the extension, businesses with morethan 50 workers that did not provide health care coverage faced paying fines of $2,000 per employeestarting next year.

Campbell said the federal government has realized the complexityof this particular provision and the reporting involved forcompliance.

“So many times lawmakers do not understand the unintendedconsequences of passing new laws,” Campbell said

“And, they heard from so many mid-size and large groups thatbenefits are made available to most of their employees now, whyplace this requirement in front of them in 2014, when employers inthis market already see the value of providing a robust benefitpackage,” she questioned.

Indeed, the White House acknowledged hearing concerns from smallbusinesses about new data collection systems and coordination forhealth insurance enrollment under PPACA, popularly known asObamacare.

“Some of this detailed reporting may be unnecessary forbusinesses that more than meet the minimum standards in the law. Wewill convene employers, insurers, and experts to propose a smartersystem and, in the interim, suspend reporting for 2014,” the WhiteHouse said in its statement.