Tuesday, March 5, 2013
An Interesting Editorial
In today’s Boston Globe, the newspaper cites an important
issue that could soon affect many of the small businesses operating within the
Commonwealth. The editorial “Mass. Needs Obamacare waiver for
small-business health plans” highlights major discrepancies between
Massachusetts’ mandated health care law and the Federal Government’s Obamacare,
which could cost small businesses substantially more money to be compliant with
the law.
One of the major differences between state and federal law
is that Massachusetts allows insurance companies to use different factors to evaluate
and even reduce premiums for the purchasing company. Unfortunately, Obamacare would eliminate the
use of those factors; including:
-
Discounts for small businesses that join a health-care
cooperative;
-
Discounts if a company offers a wellness program; and
-
Discounts for how many are employed and are currently
participating in a company’s health plan.
Without a waiver granted by the Federal Government allowing
Massachusetts to include these factors and others, small businesses will
struggle to afford “affordable” healthcare, and could face a reduction
in gainfully employed staff.
To read today’s Globe editorial, please click here.
