Covered California for Small Business Says Participation is up and Rates are Stable, Which is Great News for Small Businesses
Statement from Small Business Majority California Director Mark Herbert in response to the announcement by Covered California for Small Business that participation in its health insurance marketplace continues to grow and that premium increases continue to be stable
Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) delivered great news to small businesses yesterday when it announced that participation in its health insurance marketplace has grown by 25 percent over the past year, and its weighted average premium increase for 2018 will be just 5.6 percent, down from a 5.9 percent increase in 2017.
In light of multiple attempts this year to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and ongoing concerns about instability in the marketplaces, we’re glad to see CCSB is continuing to support California’s small businesses through sustained growth in its healthcare marketplace and stable premiums.
We know that small firms depend on programs like CCSB for quality, affordable health coverage. In fact, a study by the U.S. Treasury Department found that nearly half a million 2014 ACA marketplace participants in California were a small business or a self-employed entrepreneur. All lawmakers must take the necessary steps to support these critical marketplaces so that small businesses nationwide don’t have to worry about health insurance for themselves or their employees, allowing them instead to focus on their bottom lines.
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Small Business Majority was founded and is run by small business owners to ensure America’s entrepreneurs are a key part of an inclusive, equitable and diverse economy. We actively engage our network of more than 55,000 small business owners in support of public policy solutions and deliver information and resources to entrepreneurs that promote small business growth. Our extensive scientific polling, focus groups and economic research help us educate and inform policymakers, the media and other stakeholders about key issues impacting small businesses and freelancers. Learn more about us on our website and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.