Obama Administration Proposal Would Further Delay Choice from Small Business Health Insurance Plans
Statement by John Arensmeyer, Founder & CEO of Small Business Majority, regarding a rule proposed by Obama Administration to delay employee choice in the small business health insurance marketplaces
The Obama Administration released a proposed rule today that would allow states to delay a critical requirement for the new small business health insurance marketplaces until after 2015. The proposed rule̢??which would stall requirements that SHOP marketplaces allow employees to choose among multiple insurance carriers̢??is a major letdown for small business owners and their employees looking forward to choosing between different healthcare plans. But it̢???s not too late to fix it.
Our opinion polling reveals two-thirds of small employers believe allowing employees to choose among multiple carriers is an important element of the healthcare marketplaces. This component is key in distinguishing the new insurance marketplaces from the outside health insurance market, which is why we strongly advise against the finalization of this rule.
By including employee choice in the health insurance marketplaces, the Affordable Care Act can reverse a longstanding market trend that has left small employers on unequal footing for too long. These kinds of benefits have historically been reserved for large businesses and public employees, while small businesses often have to offer a ̢???one-size fits all̢???? plan with added administrative hurdles.
The employee choice option is crucial to the success of the small business marketplaces. We strongly urge the Administration to reject this proposal and move forward with the healthcare law as it stands. This is the best thing for our nation̢???s small business owners who are looking forward to better healthcare options for their employees.
<p><strong>About Small Business Majority</strong><br />
Small Business Majority is a national small business advocacy organization, founded and run by small business owners to focus on solving the biggest problems facing America's 28 million small businesses today. Since 2005, we have actively engaged small business owners and policymakers in support of public policy solutions, and have delivered information and resources to entrepreneurs that promote small business growth and drive a strong, sustainable economy. We are a team of more than 30 working from our 11 offices in Washington, D.C. and 9 states, with a network of more than 45,000 small business owners and more than 2,000 business organizations, along with a formal strategic partnership program of more than 125 business organizations, enabling us to reach more than 500,000 entrepreneurs. Our extensive scientific polling, focus groups and economic research help us educate and inform policymakers, the media and other stakeholders about issues including taxes, healthcare, access to capital, entrepreneurship, workforce development, clean energy and immigration. Learn more about us on our website and follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/SBM_Media" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SmallBusinessMajority" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://instagram.com/smlbizmajority/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.</p>