Small businesses won't be able to buy health insurance via HealthCare.gov until next year, President Barack Obama's administration announced Wednesday.
The delay in functionality for the so-called SHOP exchanges represents the latest setback in the Obama administration's efforts to implement the three-year-old Affordable Care Act. The development also comes just days before HealthCare.gov, the online portal for individual and family health coverage in more than 30 states, is supposed to be working better after its troubled first two months.
Small businesses that want to utilize the federally run SHOP exchanges, and the tax credits worth up to half the cost of insurance that are available to some firms, will have to sign up through an insurance agent or broker or directly with a health insurance company, an administration official explained via email. In an attempt to mitigate the failure of the online application and enrollment process that was supposed to be in place, small businesses can submit their applications for tax credits whenever they file their taxes rather than in advance, the official wrote.
“This new delay announcement is a disappointment but not a surprise. Small businesses continue to be low on the priority list during the Obamacare implementation process," Kevin Kuhlman, manager of legislative affairs at the National Federation of Independent Business, said in a written statement. "The continued delays add to uncertainty and contribute to the decision of many owners to take early renewals of their small-group plans.” The National Federation of Independent Business opposed the Affordable Care Act and was the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging its constitutionality, which the Supreme Court ultimately upheld.
The administration previously said online enrollment on the SHOP exchanges would be available by the end of this month, following earlier delays. Prior to Wednesday's announcement that the administration would facilitate enrollment via insurers, agents and brokers, paper applications were the only means small companies could employ to utilize the SHOP exchanges. Maryland also delayed its state-run SHOP exchange, though other states' exchanges are operational.
Unlike the federal- and state-run health insurance exchanges for individuals and families that limit sign-up to a certain period during the year, the SHOP exchanges are supposed to allow companies to enroll workers at any time. Still, companies with current benefits that expire at the end of the year have until just Dec. 23 to choose a health plan that will be in effect on Jan. 1, the official wrote.
Although online enrollment won't be possible on the SHOP exchanges until next year for benefits that will be available in 2015, the administration says it is enhancing the ability of small business to browse and compare their options on HealthCare.gov to prepare for enrolling using another method, the official wrote.
Earlier this year, the administration delayed another key component of the SHOP exchanges. Under health care law, small-business employees were supposed to be able to choose among any of the plans available on the exchanges. For 2014, employers will select the coverage for all workers instead. Reported by Huffington Post 4 days ago.
The delay in functionality for the so-called SHOP exchanges represents the latest setback in the Obama administration's efforts to implement the three-year-old Affordable Care Act. The development also comes just days before HealthCare.gov, the online portal for individual and family health coverage in more than 30 states, is supposed to be working better after its troubled first two months.
Small businesses that want to utilize the federally run SHOP exchanges, and the tax credits worth up to half the cost of insurance that are available to some firms, will have to sign up through an insurance agent or broker or directly with a health insurance company, an administration official explained via email. In an attempt to mitigate the failure of the online application and enrollment process that was supposed to be in place, small businesses can submit their applications for tax credits whenever they file their taxes rather than in advance, the official wrote.
“This new delay announcement is a disappointment but not a surprise. Small businesses continue to be low on the priority list during the Obamacare implementation process," Kevin Kuhlman, manager of legislative affairs at the National Federation of Independent Business, said in a written statement. "The continued delays add to uncertainty and contribute to the decision of many owners to take early renewals of their small-group plans.” The National Federation of Independent Business opposed the Affordable Care Act and was the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging its constitutionality, which the Supreme Court ultimately upheld.
The administration previously said online enrollment on the SHOP exchanges would be available by the end of this month, following earlier delays. Prior to Wednesday's announcement that the administration would facilitate enrollment via insurers, agents and brokers, paper applications were the only means small companies could employ to utilize the SHOP exchanges. Maryland also delayed its state-run SHOP exchange, though other states' exchanges are operational.
Unlike the federal- and state-run health insurance exchanges for individuals and families that limit sign-up to a certain period during the year, the SHOP exchanges are supposed to allow companies to enroll workers at any time. Still, companies with current benefits that expire at the end of the year have until just Dec. 23 to choose a health plan that will be in effect on Jan. 1, the official wrote.
Although online enrollment won't be possible on the SHOP exchanges until next year for benefits that will be available in 2015, the administration says it is enhancing the ability of small business to browse and compare their options on HealthCare.gov to prepare for enrolling using another method, the official wrote.
Earlier this year, the administration delayed another key component of the SHOP exchanges. Under health care law, small-business employees were supposed to be able to choose among any of the plans available on the exchanges. For 2014, employers will select the coverage for all workers instead. Reported by Huffington Post 4 days ago.
