Early Access to Small Business Health Insurance Marketplace Online Enrollment Provides New Option for Illinois Small Employers

Chicago, IL̢??‰۝The Department of Health and Human Services held an event today previewing Illinois̢??‰? early access to the online portion of the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP), which is an important step towards helping small business owners, brokers, agents and navigators get the information they need about this new healthcare enrollment option. Early access to SHOP̢??‰?s online enrollment will provide a unique opportunity for Illinois small employers to test-drive the online enrollment system before the rest of the country and provide critical feedback on ways to improve it prior to the national launch on November 15.

Illinois was one of five states selected to gain early access to online enrollment through SHOP prior to its national launch. This measured trial-run will allow small businesses in Illinois with fewer than 50 employees to shop for, select, enroll and offer employees high quality health coverage online. This also gives small employers the opportunity to provide comments on the system to Health and Human Services before online enrollment goes live for the rest of the country next month.

It will be imperative that the Administration listen to all the initial feedback, to ensure that the online marketplaces operate as smoothly as possible when it is made available for all states where the federal government is running the small business marketplaces. The marketplaces are one of the most important components of the healthcare law for small businesses, and having reliable access to it online is imperative if they̢??‰?re to be robust and successful.

̢???We̢??‰?re glad Illinois small business owners have the opportunity to start the process early, and that they will have a new option for enrollment as they look into their health coverage options for 2015,̢???? said Jesse Greenberg, Director of Midwest & West for Small Business Majority. ̢???We hope this trial-run ensures the marketplaces run smoothly for small employers when the online portion opens for business in November.̢????

Greenberg, other participants from today̢??‰?s event with Health and Human Services and small business owners are available to discuss Illinois̢??‰? early access to the online portal of SHOP. To schedule an interview, or for more information, please contact Kelsey Bye at: (312) 448-8291 or [email protected].