Kaiser Health News Quotes Joel Ario on Private Insurance Exchanges
"Employers Expected to Keep Some of Health Law's Popular Provisions, Even if Obama Loses"
Kaiser Health News
November 5, 2012 - Kaiser Health News quoted Manatt's Joel Ario, a managing director with Manatt Health Solutions, on why employers prefer private insurance exchanges.
As reported by Kaiser Health News, many employers have already embraced some of the more popular rules in the federal health law, but the law itself may be affected by whom the electorate chooses to send to the White House and Congress next year. Republican nominee Mitt Romney has promised to repeal the law if elected, and in contrast, the reelection of President Obama would mean the major provisions of the law will likely go into effect as planned, including rules that require employers with more than 50 full-time workers to offer health insurance or face fines. Employers would also need to ensure their coverage meets affordability standards and give workers easy-to-understand descriptions of their benefits.
No matter the Election Day outcome, industry insiders think the trend toward private insurance exchanges will continue. Employers like the concept because the private marketplaces make it easier for them to set caps on the amount they pay toward premiums.
"On the employer side, private exchanges are the main action under either an Obama or Romney administration," said Ario.
He said that state-based exchanges, like the one already operating in Massachusetts, work well for individuals, but have not caught on as fast with employers. "A lot of employers will be saying they like the exchange idea, but may not want to be in the public exchange, unless they can get a tax credit."
Read the article here.