Start of Open Enrollment, New Online Portion of Small Business Health Insurance Marketplace Provides Additional Healthcare Options for Entrepreneurs
Statement by David Chase, Healthcare Policy Director of Small Business Majority, regarding the beginning of open enrollment of the health insurance marketplaces, and national launch of the online portion of the small business marketplace
Today marks the beginning of open enrollment for purchasing healthcare coverage through the new insurance marketplaces created under the healthcare law. It also marks the national launch of the online portion of the small business health insurance marketplaces. These online portals give small business owners, the self-employed and small business employees new options for buying quality, more affordable health insurance.
Any self-employed individual, prospective entrepreneur or small business employee whose employer doesn̢???t offer coverage and is looking for more affordable insurance should head over immediately to their state̢???s health insurance marketplace. Residents can browse and compare plans online and use an online tool to help determine if they̢???re eligible for a subsidy to help with the cost of coverage.
For small business owners with fewer than 50 employees looking for a new way to shop for coverage, they can now log on to their state̢???s small business marketplace website̢??called the Small Business Health Options Program, or SHOP, to determine if a plan makes sense for their business.
The marketplaces̢??both the individual and small business portals̢??are important elements of the new healthcare law for entrepreneurs. They open up new avenues of coverage for current small businesses, self-employed individuals and prospective entrepreneurs.
We̢???re pleased entrepreneurs have these new options to help fill their health insurance needs.
<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>