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S. HRG. 113–253 

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE 

ACT: UNDERSTANDING SMALL BUSINESS 

CONCERNS 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS AND 

ENTREPRENEURSHIP 

UNITED STATES SENATE 

ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS 

FIRST SESSION 

JULY 24, 2013 

Printed for the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship 

( 

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.fdsys.gov 
(II) 

COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP 

ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS 

MARY L. LANDRIEU, Louisiana, Chair 

JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho, Ranking Member 

CARL LEVIN, Michigan 

TOM HARKIN, Iowa 

MARIA CANTWELL, Washington 

MARK L. PRYOR, Arkansas 

BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland 

JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire 

KAY R. HAGAN, North Carolina 

HEIDI HEITKAMP, North Dakota 

ED MARKEY, Massachusetts 

DAVID VITTER, Louisiana 

MARCO RUBIO, Florida 

RAND PAUL, Kentucky 

TIM SCOTT, South Caarolina 

DEB FISCHER, Nebraska 

MIKE ENZI, Wyoming 

RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin 

JEFFREY CHIESA, New Jersey 

JANE CAMPBELL, Democratic Staff Director 

SKIFFINGTON HOLDERNESS, Republican Staff Director 
(III) 

C O N T E N T S 

OPENING STATEMENTS

Page 

Landrieu, Hon. Mary L., Chair, and a U.S. Senator from Louisiana .................. 1 

Risch, Hon. James E., a U.S. Senator from Idaho ................................................ 4 

WITNESSES

Iwry, J. Mark, Senior Advisor to the Secretary, U.S. Department of the 

Treasury ................................................................................................................ 11 

Brooks-LaSure, Chiquita, Deputy Director, U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services ................................................................................................... 19 

Olafson, Meredith K., Senior Policy Advisor to the Administrator, U.S. Small 

Business Administration ..................................................................................... 29 

Clark, Nancy, President, Glen Group, Inc. ............................................................ 66 

Lee, Jamal, Director and Chief Engineer, Breasia Studies, LLC ........................ 70 

Settles, Kevin, President and CEO, Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery ............. 76 

Katz, Lawrence K., President and CEO, Jomar Cafe ́, Inc., dba Dot’s Diner ...... 94 

Houser, Jim, Owner, Hawthorne Auto Clinic, Inc. ............................................... 100 

Dennis, Jr., William J., Senior Research Fellow, National Federation of Independent Business ................................................................................................. 108 

ALPHABETICAL LISTING AND APPENDIX MATERIAL SUBMITTED

Brooks-LaSure, Chiquita 

Testimony .......................................................................................................... 19 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 21 

Response to post-hearing questions from: 

Senator Risch ............................................................................................. 140 

Senator Enzi .............................................................................................. 142 

Senator Fischer ......................................................................................... 143 

Senators Landrieu and Enzi ..................................................................... 148 

Capitol City Legal Medical Solutions 

Letter dated August 4, 2013, to Senator Landrieu ........................................ 151 

Clark, Nancy 

Testimony .......................................................................................................... 66 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 68 

Cosponsorship agreement between the U.S. Small Business Administration 

and the Small Business Majority ........................................................................ 132 

Dennis, Jr., William J. 

Testimony .......................................................................................................... 108 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 110 

Response to post-hearing questions from Senator Risch ............................... 138 

Hatch, Hon. Orrin 

Letter dated July 18, 2013, to James Hoffa, Joseph T. Hansen, and 

D. Taylor ........................................................................................................ 9 

Houser, Jim 

Testimony .......................................................................................................... 100 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 102 

International Brotherhood of Teamsters 

Letter dated July 11, 2013, to Senator Reid and Representative Pelosi ..... 7 

Iwry, J. Mark 

Testimony .......................................................................................................... 11 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 14 

Response to post-hearing questions from: 
Page

IV 

—Continued 

—Continued 

Senator Risch ............................................................................................. 144 

Senator Fischer ......................................................................................... 147 

Johnson, Hon. Ron 

Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research & Education Trust Employer Health Benefits .................................................................................. 51 

Katz, Lawrence K. 

Testimony .......................................................................................................... 94 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 96 

Summary of Testimony .................................................................................... 128 

King, Howard ‘‘Rocky’’ 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 162 

Landrieu, Hon. Mary L. 

Opening statement ........................................................................................... 1 

Report titled ‘‘The Individual Mandate in Perspective: Timely Analysis 

of Immediate Health Policy Issues’’ ............................................................ 58 

Background Memo: ‘‘Facts About the National Federation of Independent 

Business’’ ....................................................................................................... 62 

Lee, Jamal 

Testimony .......................................................................................................... 70 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 72 

Olafson, Meredith K. 

Testimony .......................................................................................................... 29 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 31 

Response to post-hearing questions from Senators Risch and Fischer ........ 129 

Plank Road Cleaners 

Letter dated August 1, 2013, to Senator Landrieu ........................................ 153 

Raetzsch, Jr., Hugh W. 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 154 

Risch, Hon. James E. 

Opening statement ........................................................................................... 4 

Settles, Kevin 

Testimony .......................................................................................................... 76 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 78 

Small Business Majority 

Letter dated July 23, 2013, to Senator Landrieu .......................................... 160 

Society of Actuaties 

Report titled ‘‘ACA Impact Will Vary ‘Substantially Across State Lines’ ’’ . 165 

Report titled ‘‘Cost of the Future Newly Insured under the Affordable 

Care Act (ACA) .............................................................................................. 168 

The Perkins Group, LLC 

Letter dated August 4, 2013, to Senator Landrieu ........................................ 152 
(1) 

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AFFORDABLE 

CARE ACT: UNDERSTANDING SMALL 

BUSINESS CONCERNS 

WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 2013 

UNITED STATES SENATE, 

COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS

AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, 

Washington, DC. 

The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:35 p.m., in Room 

SR–428, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. Mary L. Landrieu, 

Chair of the Committee, presiding. 

Present: Senators Landrieu, Pryor, Shaheen, Heitkamp, Markey, 

Risch, Vitter, Rubio, Scott, Fischer, Enzi, and Johnson. 

OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MARY L. LANDRIEU, CHAIR, 

AND A U.S. SENATOR FROM LOUISIANA 

Chair LANDRIEU. Good afternoon and thank you all for joining us 

for this hearing. I call the Small Business Committee to order. 

The purpose of today’s hearing is to better understand how the 

Affordable Care Act is being implemented in various regions of the 

country, how it is helping America’s 27 million small businesses as 

they struggle to afford health coverage that for too long has been 

out of reach, unattainable, and unsustainable, including 22 million 

self-employed Americans, as well as any special challenges of businesses with between 50 and 200 employees that are facing, as the 

implementation of the ACA continues. 

As it is well-documented, this law has no requirement for coverage or a penalty on businesses with fewer than 50 employees, 

which comprise 96 percent of all small businesses in the country. 

In fact, it actually offers help to the smallest of those businesses 

who do want to provide coverage. In today’s hearing we will also 

hear about those businesses with over 50 employees, which is 

about 3 to 4 percent of businesses in the country, very important 

businesses, many restaurants and others that I have heard from 

who are also important job creators and very much appreciated entrepreneurs in our country today. 

During this hearing, we will hear from the Administration on the 

status of the implementation. We will also hear from small business owners who will be telling their own personal stories about 

how this Act is affecting them, their business plans, and their employees’ access to quality care. 

In order to set the table for today’s hearing on where the Affordable Care Act implementation is now and what it will look like in 
2 

the future, I want to briefly take a look back at where we were just 

a few short years ago. In 2009, Congress took up the issue of national health care reform in earnest. It was not really, however, a 

new discussion. This issue had been debated in Washington for 

decades, going all the way back to President Theodore Roosevelt, 

and including Presidents and Congressional leaders from both parties. 

Given that history, we knew that getting a bill passed was going 

to be a long and hard road, and some in Washington even felt it 

would be too hard and contentious to try it all. Looking back, while 

it was hard and was difficult, I believe it was an important issue 

to address, particularly in face of highly unstable, unpredictable, 

and constantly rising health care costs, large and small businesses 

were struggling with how to provide affordable health care coverage to their valued employees, many of whom are like family. 

Many small businesses have paid historically, on average, of 18 

to 25 percent more than large businesses for less coverage. They 

would see their health care costs increase faster than the price of 

their goods and services that they sold, four times faster than the 

rate of inflation, in fact, between 2001 and 2009. 

Average annual family premiums for workers at small firms in 

that year, 2009, before the Affordable Care Act was passed, increased by 123 percent, from $5,700 to $12,700, while the percentage of small firms offering coverage fell from 65 to 59 percent. 

And it is absolutely no wonder at all to me that since 1986, 24 

years prior to the passage of the ACA, the number one concern for 

small businesses every year has been access to affordable health 

care, and this is according to the National Federation of Independent Businesses. I want to repeat, since 1986, 24 years prior to 

the Affordable Care Act, this has been the number one issue of the 

National Federation of Independent Business. 

To address these concerns and many others during the passage 

of this Act, I held several hearings and round-tables to focus on 

how the current health care system then before ACA was undercutting our efforts to provide affordable health care to businesses and 

their employees, to curb volatile health care costs, and to ensure 

that small business had a voice in the legislative process. 

There was no doubt in my mind then, and no doubt in my mind 

now, that maintaining the status quo prior to the ACA of insecure, 

unaffordable, and unpredictable insurance was unsustainable for 

American families as well as small businesses. As Chair of this 

Committee, I take my role as advocate for the small business community very seriously. Once the amendment process began, I cosponsored several small business amendments that did become 

part of the final law. 

I want to talk briefly about two of them that expanded the small 

business tax credit to more businesses and made the credits available immediately. First, to help small businesses bridge the affordability gap in providing insurance for their employees before the 

private marketplaces are up and running, the original bill created 

a temporary tax credit that would be phased in for small businesses with fewer than 25 or few employees with average wages of 

less than $40,000 beginning in 2011. 
3 

An amendment I co-sponsored passed the Senate and made the 

initial credit available in 2010 so more small businesses could immediately afford to provide health insurance, if they wanted to voluntarily, for their workers, particularly the smallest businesses 

that need the most help and could virtually find it nowhere in any 

affordable way, shape, or form prior to the ACA. 

Second, the original bill only made the full value of these credits 

available to businesses with ten or fewer full-time employees with 

annual wages of $20,000 or less. Another one of my amendments 

increased the wage limit to $25,000 for both temporary and marketplace credits to allow more small businesses access to full credit. 

It expanded the wage limitation for partial credit from $40,000 to 

$50,000. 

In all, these amendments made an additional $13 billion in tax 

credits for a total of $40 billion, which are helping small businesses 

today, in states that are cooperating, to provide quality health care 

coverage for their employees, including small business owners testifying today. 

The law also included the creation of a new health care private 

marketplace known as the exchanges for small businesses with 

under 50 employees, and eventually under 100 employees, to allow 

them to pool together and access more affordable health care coverage. That had always been available for large businesses in 

America for a long time, but never to small businesses, either those 

with under 25 employees, under 50 employees, or between 50 and 

200 employees. 

These new marketplaces, if implemented correctly, will give 

small employers the ability to band together, spread risk over a 

large number of people, giving them the same leveraging power 

and lower cost that large businesses enjoy. This means small businesses in these private marketplaces will no longer see huge rate 

spikes just when one employee gets sick. And we have heard this 

over and over and over again for small businesses. One employee 

gets cancer, the rates would go up 30 or 40 percent. Those days are 

quickly coming to an end. 

Today these marketplaces are being implemented, either by the 

state or, in some instance, by the Federal Government. Ultimately, 

the Affordable Care Act that was enacted builds on our existing 

private health care system and seeks to help those small businesses who need it most by, one, lowering premium growth costs 

that I said has been rising spectacularly 20 years before the ACA 

was passed, increasing access to quality, affordable health insurance, and encouraging a greater voice in competition in the health 

care marketplace, and most importantly, at least to me, is reducing 

what I call job lock, which prevents individuals from starting a new 

business and makes them stay in jobs they would otherwise leave 

because they have to have health insurance. 

And in the previous world before ACA when only large companies could provide affordable insurance because of their buying 

power, many people were job-locked, unable to be entrepreneurs, 

unable to go out on their own because there was virtually no insurance available at an affordable cost. And if you had a health care 

challenge yourself or, let us say, your wife was in the second or 
4 

third stages of cancer, or your child was born with Down’s Syndrome, you were in job lock. No longer. 

Now the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land. It is in the 

process of being implemented. It is the role of this Committee to 

continue to ensure that we have oversight over how this law is either working or not working, to change what we can should it become clear to us that it is necessary, and to advocate on behalf of 

all small businesses. 

And most small businesses have less than 25 employees, but 

many have less than 100, and there are some very important businesses that will testify here today that have between 100 and 200, 

and they are struggling with some of these requirements. I understand that. 

Just because the Affordable Care Act became law does not mean 

that the job of fighting to make it work is over for us. After the 

law was enacted, for example, I worked with my colleagues on both 

sides of the aisle to repeal the burdensome 1099 reporting provision. I was happy to help lead that effort in a bipartisan manner. 

That was done and it was a great relief. 

There are other things that could potentially be done to improve 

this law. As this law moves forward, I will continue to listen to 

small business owners in Louisiana and across the country to continue to fight to make sure their voice is heard and that the law 

works the way it was meant to work. 

I look forward to a spirited discussion and debate in our Committee today from both sides of the aisle. I welcome Senator Pryor, 

Senator Risch, Senator Rubio, Senator Johnson, Senator Enzi and 

others that will be joining us, and I am particularly interested in 

hearing about the Administration’s efforts to implement the law in 

a way that focuses on helping small businesses that have for decades been priced out of being able to afford quality health care to 

their employees, many of whom are like family. 

And they need to be able to compete for some of the best employees, to compete against some of the larger businesses in our country and internationally to help provide quality, affordable health 

insurance, which is important. I am also excited to hear some very 

compelling stories from small business owners who will be speaking to us about how this Act is working for them, some that have 

still questions and comments about how it is continuing to be a 

challenge. 

We have an impressive list of witnesses here to talk about the 

implementation of the Affordable Care Act. I now turn to my ranking member, Senator Risch, for his opening statement. We will 

then accept opening statements in writing from the other members 

and go into our first panel of questions. That will be, hopefully, one 

round, potentially two, five minutes each. Senator Risch. 

OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES E. RISCH, A U.S. 

SENATOR FROM IDAHO 

Senator RISCH. Madam Chairman, thank you so much. Let us 

talk about how we got here to start with. When I first ran for this 

job back in 2008, America was focused on a real need to reform our 

health care system. Both parties were arguing that we should do 
5 

health care reform. The problem is, it turns out that we were singing off of two different sheets of music. 

Our side was talking about redoing health care to lower costs 

and make it more affordable for every American. The other side 

was talking about expanding coverage. At that time, 87 percent of 

Americans were covered by some sort of health insurance coverage 

and they wanted to move it to 100 percent. At the end of the day, 

of course, that did not happen. They did move the needle 7 percent 

so that 94 percent were covered after the adoption of Obamacare. 

In any event, we went through a spirited debate on the matter. 

The Democrats won; the Republicans lost. Indeed, the law was 

passed by an exact party line vote. And at the end of the day, we 

are saddled with Obamacare. Since Obamacare has come online, its 

difficulties, its problems, people who were disenchanted with it, 

grow every single day. 

And indeed, that is why I originally conceived the idea of holding 

a hearing like this, but it was going to be strictly on the Republican side, and I want to thank you, Madam Chairman, for expanding this and making it an official Committee hearing with both 

parties participating. 

We, on our side, are believing that this matter is a catastrophic 

failure and becoming more so every day. Indeed, the three groups 

that are affected by this, big business, small business, and individuals, average Americans, are learning every single day about what 

a horrible burden this is on them and how it is going to worsen 

the kind of medical care they get. 

As a result of that, we are being deluged, at least those of us on 

our side are being deluged, by complaints from average Americans, 

from small business, and indeed, from big business. I am sure that 

my colleagues here have had the parade of big business CEOs, 

small business CEOs, and individuals into their offices complaining 

about Obamacare as it has unfolded—and, of course, we do not 

know how it is going to completely unfold—but as more and more 

is known, how it was going to affect them, detrimentally. 

Now, somebody was listening. The White House was listening. 

And what did they do? They gave relief, but they gave relief only 

and solely to big business. What about the rest of Americans? What 

about small businesses in America? They want relief, too, and that 

is one of the reasons why I asked to have this hearing. 

Hopefully, at the end of this hearing, everyone will agree that 

not only does big business need relief, so do the small businesses 

who this Committee is exactly dedicated to helping. They need relief, too. And small business should get the same relief that big 

businesses got. And the same is true with American individuals. 

The first rule that every school child can tell you about the delivery of health care and the first thing they learn about doctors is 

that they take an oath, and the oath they take is, ‘‘do no harm.’’ 

Well, we now know that Obamacare violated the very first principle—the very first doctrine of the delivery of health care services—and that is do no harm, because we are realizing every day 

that there is more and more harm being caused by this particular 

law. 

Now, you say, well, you are a Republican, you voted against it, 

your party voted against it. Well, let us talk to the people who ac-
6 

tually supported this law. I have here a letter dated July 11th, 

2013, from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters signed by 

its General President, James B. Hoffa, also by the UFCW and 

Unite Here, three unions in America. 

They start out by writing to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid 

and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, quote, ‘‘When you and 

the President sought our help for the Affordable Care Act’’—and by 

the way, they got it. They got it enthusiastically by these unions— 

‘‘you pledged that if we liked the health plans we have now, we 

could keep them.’’ 

Now, those of us who were on the other side of this were saying, 

‘‘You know, I am hearing you guarantee that you can keep your 

health care plans, but how can you be talking out of one side of 

your mouth saying that, while out of the other side of your mouth 

saying, ‘‘Yes, but all of the plans are going to be written by the 

United States Government.’’ Indeed, nobody’s health care plan 

would exist after Obamacare was enacted. 

In any event, they go on to say, ‘‘On behalf of millions of working 

men and women we represent and the families they support, we 

can no longer stand silent in the face of elements of the Affordable 

Care Act that will destroy the very health and well-being of our 

members along with millions of other hardworking Americans.’’ 

They go on to say, ‘‘We continue to stand behind real health care 

reform, but the law as it stands will hurt millions of Americans including the members of our respective unions.’’ This is from the 

people who supported this law when the President brought it on 

board. Well, Madam Chairman, I would ask unanimous consent 

that the July 11th letter be included in the record, together with 

the response that Senator Hatch gave, dated July 18th, 2013, and 

I will have some more items for the record. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Without objection. 

[The information follows:] 
7 

The Honorable Harry Reid 

lVlajority Leader 

L'nited States Senate 

Washington, nc 20510 

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi 

Minority Leader 

u.s. House of Representatives 

Washington, D.C 20515 

Dear Leader Reid and Leader Pelosi: 

July 1,2013 

When you and the President Care Act (ACA), you pledged that if we 

liked the health plans we have them. Sadly, that promise is under threat. Right now, unless 

you aud the Obama Administration enact an equitable fix, the ACA wiil shatter not only our hard-earned health 

benefits, but destroy the loundation of the 40 hour work week that is the backbone of the American middle dass. 

Like millions of other Americans, our members are lront-line workers in the American economy. We have 

been strong supporlers of the notion that all Americans should have access to quality, afl(lrdable health care. 

'IV" have also been strong supporters of you. In campaign we have put boots on the ground, 

gone door-to-dool' to get out the vote, run phone banks and mone), to secure this vision. 

~ow this vision has come back to haunt us. 

Since the ACA was enacted, we have been bringing our deep concerns to the Administration, seeking reasonable 

regulatory interpretations to the statute that would help prevent the destruction o[ non-prollt health plans. As 

you both know first-hand, our persuasive arb~'ments have been disregarded and met with a stonc wall by the 

White House and the pertinent This is especially stinging because other stal,eholdel's have repeatedly 

received successful interpretations their respective grievances. Most disconcerting of course is last week's 

huge accommodation for the employer community-extending the statntorily mandated "December 3[' 2013" 

deadline for the employer mandate and penalties. 

Time is mnning out: Congress wrote this law; we voted far you. We havc a problem; yon need to fix The 

unintended consequences of the AC.J\ are seyert..'. Perverse incentives arc already crealing nightmare scenarios: 

First, the law creates an incentive for employers to keep employees' work hours below 30 hours a week. Numerto cut workers' honTS to avoid this obligation, and many of them are doing so openly. 

[ewer hours llleans less pay while also losing our current ht:alth benefits. 
8 

Page 2 

July 11,2013 

Second, millions of Americans are covered by non-profit health insurance plans like the ones in which most of 

our members participate. These non-profit plans are governed jointly by unions and companies under the 

Taft-Hartley Act. Our health plans have been built over decades by working men and women. Under the ACA 

as interpreted by the Administration, our employees will treated differently and not be eligible for subsidies 

afforded other citizens. As such, many employees will be relegated to second-class status and shut out of the help 

the law offers to for-profit insurance plans. 

And finally, even though non-profit plans like ours won't receive the same subsidies as for-profit plans, they'll 

be taxed to pay for those subsidies. Taken together, these restrictions will make non-profit plans like ours unsustainable, and will undermine the health-care market of viable alternatives to the big health insurance companies. 

On behalf of the millions of working men and women we represent and the families they support, we can no 

longer stand silent in the face of elements of the Affordable Care Act that will destroy the very health and wellbeing of our members along with millions of other hardworking Americans. 

We believe that there are common-sense corrections that can be made within the existing statute that will allow 

our members to continue to keep their current health plans and benefits just as you and the President pledged. 

Unless changes are made, however, that promise is hollow. 

We continue to stand behind real health care reform, but the law as it stands will hurt millions of Americans 

including the members of our respective unions. 

We are looking to you to make sure these changes are made. 

Thank you. 

c:.~ General President 

International Brotherhood of Teamsters 

t:!f. F.' /l / .:/. ~ 

Joseph Hansen 

International President 

UFCW 

~~L President 

UNITE-HERE 
9 

MAX BAUCUS, MONTANA, CHAjRMAN 

JOHN 0 ROCKEFEllER IV, WESTVIRGlNjA 

RON WYDEN, OREGON 

CHARLES E. WiDMER, NEW YORK 

DEBBIE STABENOW, MICHIGAN 

MARIA CANTWEll, WASHINGTON 

BlltNf'LSDN,FtORIDA 

ROBERT MENENO€Z, NEW JERSEV 

THOMAS R CARPER, DELAWAftE 

BENJAMIN L CARDIN, MAAYLAND 

SHERROO BROWN. OHIO 

MICHAEl f. BENNET. COLORADO 

ROBERT P. CASEY, JR., PENNSytVAN!A 

ORRlNG.HATCH,UTAA 

CHUCK GRASSlEv. IOWA 

MIKECRAPO.JOAHO 

PATROBEATS,KJlNSAS 

MICHAEL B ENZI. WYOMING 

JOHN COANYN, TEXAS 

JOHN Tl-IUNE. SOUTH OAI(OTA 

RIO/Aim BURR. NORTH CAROliNA 

JOHNNY ISAKSON. GEORGIA 

ROB POATMAN. OHIO 

PATAICIlJ. TOOMEY,F"ENNSVlVANIA 

AMBER CaDLE. STAFF OtRECrOfl 

CHRISCAMPBELL.REPUBLiCANSTAffOIAECrOR 

James Hoffa 

President 

International Brotherhood of Teamsters 

25 Louisiana Avenue, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20001 

Joseph T. Hansen 

President 

United Food and Commercial Workers 

1775 K Street, N. W. 

Washington, D.C. 20006 

D. Taylor 

President 

Unite Here 

1775 K Street, N.W. Suite 620 

Washington, D.C. 20006 

Dear Messrs. Hoffa, Hansen, and Taylor: 

'Bolted ~tatr.s ~rnate COMMITIEE ON FINANCE 

WASHINGTON, DC 20510-6200 

July 18,2013 

I write to express my agreement with the concerns you have outlined in letters to the 

Obama Administration and Congress regarding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 

(PPACA), also known as the Affordable Care Act, which we all can agree is a title that does not 

ring true. 

In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy 

Pelosi you expressed concerns regarding the rising cost of union-sponsored health insurance 

plans as a result ofPPACA. Specifically, you noted that the President's health care law 

threatened to make these plans, of which 20 million people are currently enrolled, less 

competitive and more difficult to offer to your members. Similar concerns were expressed 

earlier this year calling the rising cost of coverage "not acceptable." 

Your letter also highlighted the fact that, as a result of the law's mandate on employers to 

offer insurance to full-time employees - defined as those working more than 30 hours per weekbusinesses are opting to reduce workers' hours in order to avoid paying additional costs and 
10 

fines. I agree with your assessment that the law will "destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work 

week that is the backbone of the American middle class." 

My colleagues here in Congress - members of both parties - have highlighted similar 

concerns with the law. Some have suggested it will be a "train wreck," and others have 

introduced and cosponsored numerous pieces of legislation that will repeal individual provisions 

that lead to higher costs and fewer work hours. 

Since your activities to encourage changes to the law have, to date, been unsuccessful, I 

want to invite you to join me in an effort to help the Obama Administration and Congress 

understand the full impact the law has had and will continue to have on the labor and health 

insurance markets once it is fully implemented and call for a permanent delay on the law until 

we are able to come up with a plan that will achieve the law's stated goals of reducing healthcare 

costs and improving access. 

We know today that costs are skyrocketing and estimates on coverage continue to drop as 

confidence in the administration's ability to get the health insurance exchanges up and running 

dwindles. This is in addition to the confusion that has been created by delaying the employer 

mandate, but providing no relief to individuals who will be subject to a penalty for not 

purchasing health insurance. 

I hope you will accept my invitation to provide relief from the law to all Americans and 

ensure that the law will no longer threaten access to insurance, increase costs, or deny 

individuals from keeping their existing health insurance plans as the President had promised. 

a 

Orrin G. Hatch 

Ranking Member 
11 

Senator RISCH. At the end of the day, I hope, Madam Chairman, 

that you and your party will join us as we attempt to go back to 

the fundamental principle of this and that is to do no harm. That 

is, go back to what we had before. It was not great, there is no 

question about it, but by going forward with Obamacare, we are 

violating that standard of doing no harm. At the very least, every 

single American—every single small business—should get the same 

relief that the White House has given to big business, and put this 

off. 

I know it is only until after the election and I know that you 

hope that the brouhaha will calm down after that point, but I think 

if we give this time to reflect, maybe people will come to their 

senses and realize that we should do no harm. Thank you, Madam 

Chairman. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you. I am happy for that spirited introduction, happy to know that you are an advocate for the Teamsters. I will be happy to share that with all the members of both 

the House and the Senate. 

Senator RISCH. Madam Chairman, I cannot tell you how much I 

am an advocate for exactly what the Teamsters have said. 

Chair LANDRIEU. For the Teamsters, great. Our first panel is 

Mark Iwry as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Treasury and is 

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Retirement and Health Policy at 

the U.S. Treasury Department. In that role, he is heavily involved 

in retirement and savings policy as a regulatory process relating to 

implementation of the Affordable Care Act. We welcome you, Mr. 

Iwry. 

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure is the Deputy Director of Policy and 

Regulation at the Center for Consumer Information Insurance 

Oversight. In this role, she oversees development and clearance of 

policy and regulation related to the implementation of private insurance reforms. We thank you for being here. 

And then finally, we have Meredith Olafson. Her role is Senior 

Policy Advisor to the Administration. She is responsible for overseeing the Small Business Administration education and outreach 

efforts around health care and the Affordable Care Act. And so we 

look forward to having all three of you. 

As we stated, Mr. Iwry, we will start with you and we will have 

five minutes for your opening statements and then a round of questions. 

STATEMENT OF J. MARK IWRY, SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE 

SECRETARY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

Mr. IWRY. Thank you, Chairman Landrieu, Ranking Member 

Risch, members of the Committee, appreciate the opportunity to 

discuss implementation of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act 

that relate to small businesses. 

The Affordable Care Act provides benefits for employees and 

owners of small businesses. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Can you try to pull the mic a little bit closer 

to you? It is a little difficult, but you have got to press the button 

and speak directly into your microphone. 

Mr. IWRY. Is this better? 

Chair LANDRIEU. Better. 
12 

Mr. IWRY. For years, many small businesses across America have 

struggled to provide health coverage to their employees. The Affordable Care Act helps small businesses by increasing their bargaining power and lowering their costs. Small employers with 50 

or fewer employees will be able to pool their buying power and reduce their administrative costs by purchasing affordable insurance 

through the Small Business Health Options program, or SHOP, 

and small business owners will receive standardized information 

that will make it easy to compare insurance policies on an applesto-apples basis. 

New market rules will ensure that premiums small employers 

pay for most health insurance plans will not vary based on the type 

of business that purchases the coverage, or the health status or 

their employees. While the Affordable Care Act makes it easier for 

small businesses to offer health coverage if they so choose, the 

great majority of small businesses will not be required to offer coverage. 

Those with fewer than 50 full-time employees are completely exempt from the law’s employer responsibility provisions. That means 

about 96 percent of all firms in the U.S. are exempt from those requirements. And almost all businesses with 50 to 200 employees already offer coverage, the great majority of those. 

The Affordable Care Act also provides tax credits for many small 

businesses that offer coverage to their workers. CBO has estimated 

that the tax credit will save small businesses around $14 billion 

over the current ten-year budget window. The small business qualifies for the credit if it employs fewer than 25 full-time or full-time 

equivalent employees during the taxable year, and if those employees have annual full-time equivalent wages that average less than 

$50,000. 

During 2010 through 2013, the maximum credit is generally 35 

percent of the employer’s contributions to premium, and for 2014 

and later years, generally 50 percent. The credit is phased out on 

a sliding scale between 10 and 25 full-time equivalent employees, 

and between an average annual wage of $25,000 and $50,000. 

The Administration’s budget for the last two years includes a 

proposal to simplify and expand the small business tax credit in 

order to increase its utilization. In addition to the tax credit available to small employers, the Act provides for a premium tax credit 

that will help about 20 million Americans afford health insurance 

on the new health insurance marketplaces. 

The Act also includes insurance market reforms providing important protections for employees and other individuals. The Treasury 

Department recently provided transition relief with respect to the 

employer reporting and employer-shared responsibility provisions. 

These provisions affect only employers with 50 or more full-time 

employees, which constitute less than 5 percent of all U.S. businesses. 

So most businesses, and particularly most small businesses, are 

not affected by the employer reporting or employer responsibility 

provisions. Treasury announced that it would provide one-year 

transition relief with respect to the information reporting requirements for insurance providers, the information reporting requirements for applicable employers, and the employer-shared responsi-
13 

bility provisions. This does not affect the effective date of other Affordable Care Act provisions. 

The Affordable Care Act is projected to increase by nearly 30 million the number of Americans with health coverage. The Administration is implementing this law to build on the progress already 

made toward better and more affordable coverage. We welcome the 

opportunity to further work with this Committee to achieve these 

objectives. Thank you, Chairman, and I look forward to answering 

your questions. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Iwry follows:] 
14 

EMBARGOED UNTIL 2:30 P.M. July 24,2013 

Written Testimony of J. Mark Iwry 

Senior Advisor to the Secretary and 

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Retirement and Health Policy 

U.S. Department of the Treasury 

Before the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship 

July 24, 2013 

Chairman Landrieu, Ranking Member Risch, and Members of the Committee, I appreciate the 

opportunity to discuss implementation of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act ("ACA") 

that relate to small businesses. The ACA provides numerous benefits to all Americans, including 

benefits for employees and owners of small businesses. 

Benefits of the Affordable Care Act for Small Businesses 

For years, many small businesses across America have struggled to provide health benefits to 

their employees. Small business owners often cannot afford to pay for specialized health 

insurance expertise and therefore are at a disadvantage in comparing different policies and 

choosing those that most efficiently provide benefits best suited to their employees. 

Additionally, it is estimated that small businesses pay more on average than large businesses for 

similar health insurance coverage. 

The Affordable Care Act helps level the playing field by increasing the bargaining power of 

small businesses and lowering their costs. Small business owners will receive standardized 

information that will make it easy to compare insurance policies on an "apples to apples" basis. 

This will enable them to make choices they believe are right for their business and their 

employees. Also, beginning October I, 2013, small businesses with 50 or fewer employees will 

be able to pool their buying power and reduce administrative costs by purchasing affordable 

insurance through the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP). 

In 2014, new market rules will ensure that premiums small employers pay for most health 

insurance plans will not vary based on the type or small business that purchases the coverage or 

the health status of the small business's employees. Under the Affordable Care Act, premiums 

will be allowed to vary only by age, tobacco use, family size, and geography. Small businesses 

no longer will be penalized due to the health status or gender of their employees, and insurers 

will face limits on charging additional premiums for older employees. These reforms will 

benefit both small businesses and their employees. 

By making coverage more affordable, the Affordable Care Act will help encourage 

entrepreneurship. Among other things, the ACA will help increase individuals' incentives to 

start their own businesses and end the situation in which workers are reluctant to leave a job with 

health insurance for fear of being unable to find, or afford, health insurance on their own (often 

referred to as "job lock"). The ACA will also allow small businesses to compete more effectively 

with larger businesses to recruit and retain skilled workers by orfering health coverage. 
15 

EMBARGOED UNTIL 2:30 P.M. July 24,2013 

While the Affordable Care Act makes it easier for small businesses to offer health coverage if 

they choose to do so, the great majority of small businesses will not be required to offer 

coverage. Small businesses with fewer than 50 full-time employees are completely exempt from 

the law's employer responsibility provisions. That means about 96 percent of all firms in the 

U.S. are exempt from those requirements. Of larger small businesses with 50-199 employees, 

almost all already offer coverage. 

Tax Credits for Small Businesses 

To make health insurance more affordable for small businesses, the ACA also provides tax 

credits for many small businesses that offer coverage to their workers. The Congressional 

Budget Office has estimated that the tax credit will save small businesses around $14 billion over 

the current ten year budget window. Both for-profit and nonprofit organizations may qualify for 

the tax credit. 

In order to be eligible for the credit, a small business must make uniform contributions on behalf 

of its employees of at least 50 percent of the cost of health insurance premiums. For taxable 

years beginning in 2010 through 2013, the credit has been available for any health insurance 

coverage purchased from an insurance company licensed under State law. For taxable years 

beginning after December 31, 2013, however, the credit is available only for health insurance 

purchased through a SHOP Health Insurance Marketplace (also known as an Affordable 

Insurance Exchange) and for a maximum coverage period of two additional consecutive taxable 

years. 

A small business qualifies for the credit if it employs fewer than 25 full-time (or full-time 

equivalent) employees during the taxable year and ifthose employees have annual full-time 

equivalent wages that average less than $50,000 (indexed beginning in 2014). During 2010 

through 2013, the maximum credit is 35 percent (25 percent for tax-exempt employers) of the 

small business's contributions to the premium. For 2014 and later years, the maximum credit 

percentage is 50 percent (35 percent for tax-exempts). For purposes of the tax credit, 

contributions that are taken into account may not exceed the amount the small business would 

have contributed had it paid the State average premium. The credit is phased out on a sliding 

scale between 10 and 25 full-time equivalent employees as well as between an average annual 

wage of$25,000 (indexed) and $50,000 (indexed). 

Administrative guidance (Notice 2010-44 and Notice 2010-82) provides the rules for obtaining 

the credit through 2013. Guidance for obtaining the eredit for years after 2013 is expected to be 

issued shortly. 

The Administration's Budget for fiscal years 2013 and 2014 includes a proposal to expand the 

small business tax credit. Expanding eligibility for the credit and simplifying its operation would 

increase the utilization of the credit and encourage more small employers to provide health 

benefits to employees. The expanded credit would also provide an additional incentive for small 

employers to join a SHOP Health Insurance Marketplace, thereby broadening the risk pool. The 

proposal would expand the group of small businesses that are eligible for the credit to include 

small businesses with up to 50 full-time equivalent employees and would begin the phase-out at 

2 
16 

EMBARGOED UNTIL 2:30 P.M. July 24,2013 

20 (rather than 10) full-time equivalent employees. In addition, among other things, the proposal 

would change the coordination of the phase-outs based on average wage and the number of 

employees so as to provide a more gradual combined phase-out. As a result, the proposal would 

ensure that small businesses with fewer than 50 employees and an average wage of less than 

$50,000 would be eligible for the credit, even if they are nearing the end of both phase-outs. 

Tax Credits for Individuals and Insurance Market Reforms 

In addition to the small business tax credit available to small employers, the Affordable Care Act 

provides for a premium tax credit that will help about 20 million Americans afford health 

insurance on the new Health Insurance Marketplaces. Under the statute, open enrollment for 

insurance purchased through the Marketplaces will start October 1, 2013, with coverage 

beginning as soon as January 1,2014. 

The ACA also includes various insurance market reforms, which provide important protections 

for employees and other individuals. Thanks to those reforms, young adults up to age 26 are 

able to stay on their parents' health insurance plan; individuals are now able to receive many 

preventive services free of charge; insurance companies must spend at least 80 percent oftheir 

policyholders' premium dollars on health care and not overhead; insurance companies may no 

longer deny coverage to children for a pre-existing condition; and beginning in 2014, may no 

longer deny coverage for anyone with a pre-existing condition. 

Employer Reporting and Employer Shared Responsibility Provisions 

It is worth noting that the Treasury Department recently provided transition relief with respect to 

the employer reporting and employer shared responsibility provisions ofthe Affordable Care 

Act. These provisions affect only employers with 50 or more full-time workers (i.e., applicable 

large employers), which constitute only about 5 percent of all U.S. businesses. Accordingly, 

most businesses, and particularly most small businesses, are not affected by the employer 

reporting or employer responsibility provisions. 

The Treasury Department announced on July 2 (followed by published formal guidance on July 

9, sec Notice 2013-45) that it would provide one-year transition relief (for 2014) with respect to 

three provisions ofthe ACA: (i) the information reporting requirements that apply to insurance 

companies, self-insuring employers, and certain other entities that provide minimum essential 

health coverage under section 6055 ofthe Internal Revenue Code (the Code); (ii) the information 

reporting requirements that apply to applicable large employers under section 6056 ofthe Code, 

and (iii) the employer shared responsibility provisions under section 4980H ofthe Code, which 

may apply if one or more full-time employees of an applicable large employer obtains a 

premium tax credit. 

This transition relief does not affect employees' or other individuals' access to the premium tax 

credits available under the Affordable Care Act beginning in 2014 or the effective date of other 

ACA provisions, including the individual responsibility provisions, the insurance market 

reforms, and the various revenue provisions. 

3 
17 

EMBARGOED UNTIL 2:30 P.M. July 24, 2013 

Conclusion 

The Affordable Care Act is projected to increase by nearly 30 million the number of Americans 

with health coverage. The Administration is implementing the ACA to build on the progress 

already made toward better and more affordable coverage. We welcome the opportunity to 

further work with this Committee to achieve these objectives. Thank you and I look forward to 

answering your questions. 

4 
18 

Mark Iwry (pronounced "EVE-ree") is a Senior Advisor to the 

Secretary of the Treasury and is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for 

Retirement and Health Policy at the U.S. Treasury Department. In 

that role, he is heavily involved in retirement and savings policy and 

in the regulatory process relating to implementation of the Affordable 

Care Act. ' 

Mark was previously a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings 

Institution, Of Counsel to the law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, a 

Principal of the Retirement Security Project, and Research Professor 

at Georgetown University. From 1995 to 2001, Mark was the 

Treasury Department's Benefits Tax Counsel, with responsibilities 

relating to tax policy and regulation with respect to qualified pension 

and 401 (k) plans, employer-sponsored health plans, and other 

employee benefits. 

Formerly a partner in the law firm of Covington & Burling, LLP, and 

chair of the D.C. Bar Employee Benefits Committee, Mark's books 

and articles include the co-edited volume (with William Gale and 

Peter Orszag), Aging Gracefully: Ideas to Improve Retirement 

Security in America. He is a Fellow of the American College of 

Employee Benefits Counsel and a member of the bar of the United 

States Supreme Court, and is listed in Best Lawyers in America, 

Washington DC Super Lawyers, Who's Who, etc. Mark is a graduate 

of Harvard College, Harvard Law School, and Harvard's Kennedy 

School of Government. 
19 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you. Mrs. Brooks-LaSure. 

STATEMENT OF CHIQUITA BROOKS-LaSURE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Chairwoman Landrieu, Ranking Member 

Risch, thank you very much for the opportunity to discuss the 

many benefits that the Affordable Care Act will provide for small 

businesses. Although many small businesses would like to offer 

their employees health benefits, they have faced many challenges. 

The way insurers have presented information may make it difficult 

for employers to comparison shop. 

Small businesses employing women, older workers, or workers 

with chronic or high-cost illnesses have faced higher insurance 

rates in most states. Changes in the age, health status, or gender 

mix of employees can add to the unpredictability of increases in a 

small group’s premiums. The Affordable Care Act will remove these 

obstacles and help small employers provide their employees with 

high quality affordable health care coverage. 

On October 1st, 2013, the health insurance marketplaces will be 

open for business, giving Americans, including small businesses, a 

new way to shop for health insurance coverage. For small businesses the Small Business Health Options program, known as 

SHOP, will provide a new, streamlined way for small employers to 

offer health insurance to their employees. The SHOPs will offer the 

same level of benefits and coverage that have been available to 

larger employers while helping small employers better predict and 

control health care insurance expenses. 

There are signs that competition created by the SHOPs is resulting in lower prices for consumers. The lowest cost silver plan available to small employers in 2014 in the six states with available 

data is estimated to be 18 percent less expensive, on average, than 

the average premium that small employers would be paying for a 

comparable plan before the passage of the Affordable Care Act. 

The SHOPs will offer a single point of entry for small employers 

and their employees to apply for coverage, and, if eligible, the employer may qualify for a tax credit worth up to 50 percent of the 

employer’s premium contribution. In addition, small businesses will 

be able to choose from among many plans by making side-by-side 

comparisons of health plans, their benefits, premiums, and quality, 

expanding options as well as increasing transparency and competition. 

The SHOP employer and employee applications, models of which 

are already available online, are smart, dynamic tools that will ask 

an applicant only the questions relevant to establishing eligibility 

for that applicant based on his or her particular situation. Clear instructions will help applicants apply online and HealthCare.gov, 

the website for the Federally-facilitated SHOPs, also includes information about what number to call in order to get help by phone 

if needed. HealthCare.gov will also link to state-based SHOPs and 

the applications used by those SHOPs. 

Both inside and outside the SHOPs, the Affordable Care Act also 

helps ensure that plans available to small businesses and their employees have a standard set of benefits and meet certain requirements. New market rules require that premiums for most health 
20 

insurance plans available to small employers will not vary based 

on what type of small business they cover or the health status of 

the business employees. 

This means that the hardware store on Main Street will see similar premiums as the bakery down the street or a neighboring farmer. CMS is working closely with our partners at the Small Business 

Administration and the Department of Treasury to help educate 

and inform small businesses and their employees about the 

SHOPs, tax credits available to small businesses, recent insurance 

reforms, and other benefits of the Affordable Care Act. 

In June of this year, CMS relaunched a new consumer focused 

HealthCare.gov website and the 24-hours a day consumer call center to help Americans prepare for open enrollment and to ultimately purchase affordable health care coverage. 

To provide additional assistance to small businesses, CMS will 

open a SHOP call center next month. Until open enrollment begins, 

the call center will provide basic educational information about 

SHOPs for small employers. Beginning October 1st, the call center 

will provide customer support, including enrolling employers in insurance plans and helping them access the application and enrollment system. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Please try to wrap up. 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. The call center will assist agents, brokers, 

navigators, and marketplace assistors on behalf of small employers. 

We look forward to continuing to work with the Committee improve 

the health care options for American small businesses. 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Brooks-LaSure follows:] 
21 

STATEM1i:N1'tlE 

CmQPITABROOKs~~ls~:\ 

DEl'UTY DIRECTOR, POLICY & REGULATION 

CENTER FOR CONSUMER INFORMATION 

CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & lU"'V""""'J,f.~_" 

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 

\' <,«; <,<><" 

U.S. SENATE COM~I~~~'E;~ " 

SMALI;BUSINESS & ENTREPRi~.HIP " \>",,:,:,,, 

JULY 24, 2013 
22 

Statement of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure on 

"Implementation ofthe Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship 

July 24, 2013 

Chaitman Landrieu, Ranking Member Risch, thank you for the opportunity to discuss the many 

benefits that the Affordable Care Act will provide for small businesses. On October 1,2013, the 

Health Insurance Marketplace will be open for business, providing Americans, including small 

businesses, with a new way to shop for health insurance coverage. For small businesses, the 

Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) will provide a new, streamlined way for small 

employers to offer health insurance to their employees. The SHOPs are designed to offer the 

same level of benefits and coverage that has been available to larger employers, while helping 

small employers better predict and control health insurance expenses. There have already been 

signs that the Marketplaces will offer lower-cost plans than are currently available to small 

businesses today. 

Although many small employers would like to offer their employees health benefits, they have 

faced many challenges. Historically, small businesses have been charged 18 percent more for 

the same benefits compared to large employers. It has been difficult for employers to 

comparison shop. Small businesses employing women or workers with chronic or high-cost 

illnesses, and other pre-existing conditions have faced higher insurance rates in most states. 

Changes in health status or gender mix of employees have added to the unpredictability of 

increases in a small group's premiums. The Affordable Care Act will remove these obstacles 

and help small employers provide their employees with high quality, affordable health care 

coverage. 

Reforms are Already Helping to Make Insurance More Affordable and Comprehensive 

The Affordable Care Act is already ensuring that small employers are getting better value for 

their premium dollar. Before the Affordable Care Act, Americans watched their premiums 

double over the previous decade, oftentimes without explanation or review. In an effort to slow 
23 

health care spending growth and give all Americans more value for their health care dollars, the 

Affordable Care Act has brought an unprecedented level of scrutiny and transparency to health 

insurance rate increases by requiring an insurance company to justify a rate increase of 10 

percent or more for plans in the individual and small group markets, shedding light on arbitrary 

or unnecessary costs. 

Since the rule on rate increases was implemented, I the number of requests for insurance 

premium increases of 10 percent or more plummeted from 75 percent to an estimated 14 percent. 

The average premium increase for all rates in 2012 was 30 percent below what it was in 2010. 

Available data suggest that this slowdown in rate increases is continuing into 2013? Americans 

have saved an estimated $1 billion on their health insurance premiums thanks to rate review. 

Even when an insurer decides to increase rates, consumers are seeing lower rate increases than 

what thc insurers initially requested. More than half of the requests for rate increases of I 0 

percent or more ultimately resulted in issuers imposing a lower rate increase than requested or no 

rate increase at all. 

Furthermore, the rate review program works in conjunction with the 80/20 rule (or the Medical 

Loss Ratio rule), J which requires insurance companies to spend at least 80 percent (85 percent in 

the large group market) of premiums on health care, and no more than 20 percent (15 percent in 

the large group market) on administrative costs (such as executive salaries and marketing) and 

profits. If they fail to do so, they must provide rebates to their customers. In 2012, the 77.8 

million consumers in the thrce markets covered by this 80/20 rule saved an estimated $3.4 billion 

upfront on their premiums because of the 80/20 rule and other Affordable Care Act programs. 

Additionally, consumers will save $500 million in rebates, with 8.5 million enrollees due to 

receive an average rebate of approximately $100 per family.4 

1 Health Insurance Rate Review - Final Rule on Rate Increase Disclosure and Review: 

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-05-23/pdf/2011-12631.pdf 

2 ASPE Research Brief: Health Insurance Premium Increases in the Individual Market Since the Passage of the 

Affordable Care Act http://aspe.hhs.gov/healthireports/2013/rateIncreaselndvMkt!rb.cfm 

3 MLR Final Rule: https:llwww.federalregister.gov/articlesI2012/051I612012-11753/medical-Ioss-ratiorequirements-under-the-patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act 

4 http://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Resources/Forms-Reports-and-Other-ResourceslDownloads/20I 2-medical-loss-ratioreport.pdf 

2 
24 

Moreover, insurance companies cannot rescind people's coverage because they made an 

unintentional mistake on their application5 and cannot place lifetime limits on the dollar value of 

essential health benefits. Group health plans, group health insurance plans, and nongrandfathered individual health insurance policies also are restricted in the annual dollar limits 

they can place on essential health benefits, depending on the plan year. For plan or policy years 

beginning in 2014, group health plans, group health insurance plans, and non-grandfathcrcd 

individual health insurance policies will be prohibited from imposing annual dollar limits on 

essential health benefits. This change will help ensure that Americans will no longer worry 

about hitting a an annual cap, which could force a consumer to either payout of pocket for 

health care costs above the dollar limit or forgo necessary care. 

Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) 

Beginning on October 1, 2013, many small employers will be able to choose from coverage 

options through the Small Business Health Options Program, or SHOP, for their employces for 

coverage beginning as soon as January I, 2014. SHOPs in every state will offer a single point 

of entry for small employers and their employees to apply for coverage, and if eligible, the 

employer may qualify for a tax credit worth up to 50 percent of the employer's premium 

contribution. 

In 2014 and 2015, in most states, the SHOPs will be open to small employers with 50 or fewer 

full-time equivalent employees. In 2016, the program will be open to businesses with 100 or 

fewer full-time equivalent employees, and states could choose to expand eligibility to businesses 

of that size before 2016. In 2014, the Federally-facilitated SHOPs will allow employers to 

choose one qualified health plan from a range of plans to offer their employees. Also in 2014, 

state-based SHOPs will have the flexibility to decide to give employers the option of allowing 

their employees to choose from a number of plans, or having employers offer their employees 

one qualified health plan that the employer chooses from among all the plans available in the 

market. In plan years beginning on or after January 1,2015, all SHOPs must allow small 

businesses' employees the option to choose coverage from a number of plans. 

, For an example see: http://www.healthcare.govllaw/features/rights/cancellationsiindex.html 

3 
25 

New Market Rules Make Coverage More Affordable 

For plan years beginning in 2014, new market rules will ensure that premiums for most health 

insurance plans available to small employers will not vary based on what type of small business 

they cover or the health status ofthe firm's employees. Premiums can only vary by age, tobacco 

use, family size, and geography. Small businesses will no longer be penalized due to the health 

status or gender of their employees, and insurers will face limits on charging additional 

premiums for older employees. These reforms will protect small businesses and their employees 

purchasing coverage both inside and outside ofthe SHOPs. 

Small employers and their employees can be confident that health insurance plans will cover the 

important health care services they nced. Most plans, including all plans in the SHOPs, must 

cover essential health benefits,6 which include items and services in ten statutory benefit 

categories, such as ambulatory patient services (including doctors' visits), hospitalization, 

prescription drugs, and maternity and newborn care. These benefits must be equal in scope to a 

typical employer health plan. Also, these plans must meet certain actuarial values: 60 percent for 

a bronze plan, 70 percent for a silver plan, 80 percent for a gold plan, and 90 percent for a 

platinum plan. Actuarial value means the average pcrcentage paid by a health plan of the total 

allowed costs of benefits. For example, if a plan has an actuarial value of70 percent, the average 

consumer could expect to be responsible for approximately 30 percent ofthe costs of the 

essential health benefits the plan covers. These tiers will allow consumers to compare plans with 

similar levels of coverage, which, along with comparing premiums, provider participation, and 

other factors, will help consumers make more informed decisions. 

Competition and Small Business Tax Credits Make Coverage More Affordable 

There are signs that competition between plans is resulting in lower prices for consumers. The 

lowest cost silver plan available to small employers in 2014 in the six states with available data 

is estimated to bc 18 percent less expensive, on average, than the average premium that small 

employers would be paying for a pre-Affordable Care Act silver plan trended forward. 7 

The Affordable Care Act created the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit to help small 

employers oflower wage workers afford a significant contribution towards workers' premiums. 

6 Essential Health Benefits: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkglFR-2012-11-26lhtml/2012-28362.htm 

7 ASPE Issue Brief: Market Competition Works: Proposed Silver Premiums in the 2014 Individual and Small 

Group Markets Arc Nearly 20 Percent Lower than Expected, July 18,2013 

4 
26 

An employer may qualify for a tax credit if it has fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees 

making an average of less than $50,000 a year. To qualify for the Small Business Health Care 

Tax Credit, an employer musl pay at least 50 percent of the premium cost of employee-only (not 

family) coverage for each of its employees. Starting in 2014, the tax credit is worth up to 

50 percent ofthe employer's contribution towards employees' premium costs (up to 35 percent 

for tax-exempt employers). The tax credit will help lower the cost of offering health care 

coverage. 

Better Way to Shop for Coverage 

When open enrollment in the SHOP begins on October I, many small employers will find it 

much easier to find and compare plans, select the option that is best for their employees, and 

enroll in coverage. Today, many small group market applications are extremely text-heavy, with 

limited instructions crowded too closely together and limited sections to assist applicants 

navigating through enrollment forms. Additionally, many such applications require users to jump 

back and forth between sections to determine what information should be completed in each 

section, and for whom. They tend to be process-oriented applications thaI require repealed entry 

of individuals' names and information in response to questions. In addition, many small group 

applications today require consumers to fill out long health history information used for rating 

purposes. 

The SHOP employer and employee applications, models of which are already available online, 

are smart, dynamic tools that will ask an applicant only the questions relevant to establishing 

eligibility for that applicant, based on his or her particular situation. For example, different 

questions are displayed for an employee depending on whether the employer has offered 

dependent coverage. Some questions will also be clearly marked as optional. Clear instructions 

will help applicants apply online, and the website for the Federally-facilitated SHOP, 

HealthCare.gov also includes information about the number to call in order to get help by phone, 

if needed. HealthCare.gov will also link to State-based SHOPs and the applications in use by 

those SHOPs. 

5 
27 

In June of this year, CMS re-Iaunched a new consumer-focused HealthCare.gov website and the 

24-hours-a-day consumer call center to help Americans prepare for open enrollment and 

ultimately purchase affordable health care coverage. To provide additional assistance to small 

businesses, CMS will open a SHOP call center next month. Until open enrollment begins, the 

call center will provide basic educational information about the SHOP for small employers. 

Beginning October I, the call center will provide customer service support, including enrolling 

employers in insurance plans, and helping them access the application and enrollment system. 

The call center will also assist agents, brokers, Navigators, and other Marketplace Assisters 

working on behalf of small employers. These new tools will help small businesses understand 

their choices and select the coverage that best suits their needs when open enrollment begins 

October I. Additionally, agents and brokers will playa vital role in the SHOPs, as they do in the 

small group market today. Agents and brokers act as trusted counselors, providing service at the 

time of plan selection and enrollment and customer service throughout the year. 

Conclusion 

For too long, small business owners have struggled to keep up with the ever-rising cost of health 

insurance for their employees. The Affordable Care Act makes it easier for businesses to find 

better coverage options and builds on the employer-based insurance market already in place. 

The SHOP, combined with new insurance reforms and tax credits provided by the Affordable 

Care Act, will give employers new options to provide their employees with high quality, 

affordable health care coverage. The SHOP will allow employers to avoid the confusion that can 

currently come with looking for coverage, allowing them to make an apples-to-apples 

comparison between plans and apply using a streamlined application. 1 look forward to 

continuing to work with you to improve the health care options for America's small businesses. 

6 
28 

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure 

Deputy Director 

Center for Consumer Information Insurance Oversight 

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure is the Deputy Director for Policy and Regulation at the Center for 

Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) at CMS/HHS. In this role, she 

oversees development and clearance of policy and regulations related to implementing private 

insurance reforms and Exchanges of the Affordable Care Act. 

Prior to joining ccno, Chiquita was the Director of Coverage Policy in the Office of Health 

Reform (OHR) at HHS, where she was responsible for policies regarding the Exchanges and 

Medicaid coverage. 

Before her work at OHR, she served on the Democratic staff of the Ways & Means Committee. 

Chiquita played an integral role in working on issues related to health care coverage, including 

Medicare Advantage and Part D and the passage of the Affordable Care Act. 

Prior to joining the Committee, Chiquita was a Director at Avalere Health, a strategic advisory 

group that advises clients on health policy. From 1999 to 2003, she workcd at the Office of 

Management and Budget where she advised OMB and White House policy officials on Medicaid 

and SCHIP waivers, the uninsured, and Medicaid reform. 

Chiquita received her AB from Princeton University and her MPP from Georgeto\\TI University 
29 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you very much. Ms. Olafson, and please 

speak right into the mic. 

Ms. OLAFSON. Thank you. Can you hear me? 

Chair LANDRIEU. Yes. 

STATEMENT OF MEREDITH K. OLAFSON, SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR TO THE ADMINISTRATOR, U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

Ms. OLAFSON. Thank you, Chair Landrieu, Ranking Member 

Risch, and members of the Committee. I am pleased to be here 

today. America’s 28 million small businesses are the backbone of 

our economy, creating two out of every three net new jobs and employing half of America’s workforce. The U.S. Small Business Administration is committed to giving small business owners the resources they need to start and grow a business, including access to 

accurate, timely information about how the Affordable Care Act is 

opening up better health care options for small business owners 

and entrepreneurs. 

Many small business owners consider their employees to be part 

of their family, and providing benefits such as health care is one 

important tool they have to help retain their talented workforce 

and remain competitive. The Affordable Care Act helps these entrepreneurs provide insurance through measures designed to help 

small business owners have the same purchasing power and options as larger businesses. 

As my colleagues have mentioned, tax credits are also available 

for many small businesses to help cover up to 35 percent of the premium costs of health insurance. Hundreds of thousands of small 

business owners have already benefitted from these credits and the 

credits will rise to 50 percent in 2014. Also beginning in 2014, the 

Affordable Care Act will give self-employed entrepreneurs and 

small businesses, generally those with up to 50 employees, a better 

way to shop for insurance through the new individual and small 

employer marketplace. 

And the majority of small businesses will not be affected by the 

employer-shared responsibility rules which take effect in 2015. In 

fact, businesses with fewer than 50 full-time or equivalent employees are not subject to these rules. That is about 96 percent of our 

businesses. 

As the primary gateway for small business owners engaged with 

the Federal Government, the SBA is working closely with the Department of Health and Human Services, the Departments of 

Labor and Treasury, and others to ensure that small business owners know the facts about the Affordable Care Act. SBA is also 

partnering with HHS on the ground to leverage their expertise and 

connect them with small business owners across the country. 

As part of our outreach efforts, SBA disseminates a weekly, a biweekly interactive health care blog, as well as a direct e-newsletter 

that reaches more than 1 million subscribers. We have also created 

robust online content at SBA.gov as well as Business.USA.gov. 

These two sites combined have more than 2 million visitors per 

month. 

America’s small business owners engage daily with SBA, HHS, 

IRS, and our other Federal partners through a variety of online 
30 

sites. Therefore, as part of our ‘‘no wrong door’’ approach to online 

engagement, Business.USA.gov is leading the Administration’s efforts to provide comprehensive health care information and easy to 

use tools for businesses across these sites. This ensures that small 

business owners get the information they need no matter their 

point of online entry. 

SBA has also developed a series of comprehensive small business 

webinar trainings for our staff, our extensive network of small 

business development centers, women’s business centers, and 

SCORE, as well as staff from other Federal agencies. To date, we 

have trained more than 2,200 of these on the ground staff and 

partners so that they in turn can serve as resources for small businesses in their communities, and this training continues. 

At the same time, we are working with our regional and local 

partners to better educate small businesses that are served by 

SBA’s 68 district offices. Since February 2013, SBA has helped to 

lead over 350 events serving approximately 24,000 attendees. And 

just last week on July 18th, we launched a weekly Affordable Care 

Act webinar series in partnership with Small Business Majority. 

The goal of these webinars is to educate small business owners 

across the country and the webinars are open to all small businesses. 

We have also worked to educate and train leaders and members 

of a number of national trade associations about the Affordable 

Care Act such as the International Franchise Association, the 

International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, 

and the International Bakers Association, as well as state organizations like the Louisiana Restaurant Association. 

The Affordable Care Act allows small employers to offer coverage 

in a way that makes sense for their business and works for their 

bottom line. SBA is committed to leveraging our resources and Federal partnerships to ensure that small business owners have the 

facts and the resources they need to understand the law. Thank 

you. 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Olafson follows:] 
31 

U.S SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20416 

WRITTEN TESTIMONY OF 

MEREDITH K. OLAFSON 

U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

BEFORE THE 

U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS 

AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP 

JULY 24, 2013 

Chair Landrieu, Ranking Member Risch and members ofthe Committee - I'm pleased to be here today. 

America's 28 million small businesses are the backbone of our cconomy, creating two out of every three 

net new jobs and employing half of America's workforce. The U.S. Small Business Administration 

(SBA) is committed to giving small business owners the resources they need to start and grow a 

business-- including access to critical information about how the Affordable Care Act is opening up 

better health care options for small business owners and entrepreneurs. 

Many small business owners consider their employees to be part of their family, and providing benefits 

such as health care is one important tool they have to help retain their talented workforce and compete 

for skilled employees. The Affordable Care Act helps these entreprcneurs provide insurance through 

measures designed to help small business owners have the same purchasing power and options as large 

businesses. Ta'{ credits are also available for many small businesses to help cover up to 35% of the 

premium costs of employee insurance. Hundreds ofthousands of small business owners have already 

benefited from these credits, which will rise to 50% in 2014. 

Beginning in 2014, the Affordable Care Act gives self-employed entrepreneurs and small businesses 

with generally up to 50 employees a bettcr way to shop for insurance through the new individual and 

small employer Health Insurance Marketplaces. And the majority of small businesses will not be 

affected by the new Employer Shared Responsibility rules which take effect in 2015. In fact, businesses 

with fewer than 50 full-time or equivalent employees are not subject to these rules - that's 96% of all 

businesses. 

As the primary gateway for small business owners engaged with the federal government, SBA is 

working closely with the Department of Health and Human Services (BBS), Departments of Labor and 

Treasury, and others to ensure that small business owners know the facts about the Affordable Care Act. 

SBA is also partnering with HHS on the ground to leverage their expertise and connect them with small 

business owners across the country. 

As part of our outreach efforts, SBA disseminates a bi-weekly, interactive health care blog as well as a 

direct e-newsletter that reaches more than one million subscribers. We've also created robust online 
32 

content at both SBA.gov and Business.USA.gov. The two sitcs combined have more than 2 million 

visitors per month. 

America's small business owners engage daily with SBA, HHS, IRS and our other federal partners 

through a variety of online sites. Therefore, as part of a "no wrong door" approach to online 

engagemcnt, Business.USA.gov is leading the Administration's efforts to provide comprehensive health 

care information and easy to use tools for businesses across these sites. This ensures that small 

businesses owners get the infonnation they need, no matter their point of online entry. 

SBA has also developed a series of comprehensive small business webinar trainings for our staff, our 

extensive network of Small Business Development Centers, Women's Business Centers, and SCORE, as 

well as staff from other federal agencies. To date, we've trained more than 2,200 of these "on-theground" staff and partners so that they in turn can serve as resources for small business in their 

communities. 

At the same time, SBA is working with our regional and local partners to better educate small business 

owners served by our 68 district offices. Since February 2013, SBA has helped lead over 350 events, 

serving approximately 24,000 attendees. And on July 18, we launched a weekly Affordable Care Act 

webinar series in partnership with Small Business Majority to educate small business owners across the 

country. We've also worked with a number of national and state trade associations to educate their 

leaders and members about the Affordable Care Act. 

The Affordable Care Act allows small employers to offer health coverage in a way thaI makes sense for 

their business and works for their bottom line. SBA is committed to leveraging our resources and 

federal partnerships to ensure that small business owners have the facts and resources they nced to 

understand the law. 

Thank you. 

2 
33 

Meredith K. Olafson BiD 

In her role as Senior Policy Advisor to the Administrator, Ms. Olafson is responsible for 

overseeing the U.S. Small Business Administration's education and outreach efforts around 

health care and the Affordable Care Act. 

Previously, Ms. Olafson served as a Senior Policy Analyst in the Agency's Office of 

Entrepreneurial Development, where she worked on special initiatives involving 

entrepreneurship. Prior to that, Ms. Olafson served as an Attorney Advisor in the Agency's 

Office of General Counsel with a focus on employment and labor law matters. 

Before jOining the Agency, Ms. Olafson was an associate at Hunton & Williams LLP and 

Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal, where she represented a diverse range of businesses in 

employment litigation at the federal and state level and provided advice and counsel on a range 

of employment-related matters. Ms. Olafson received her J.D. from Georgetown University 

Law Center and her B.A. from Northwestern University. 
34 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you very much. We will start with our 

first round of questioning. Let me put something into the record 

and then start my question to you, Ms. Brooks-LaSure, if I could. 

96 percent, underscore, of all firms in the United States, which is 

almost 6 million firms, have fewer than 50 employees. They are exempt from any employer responsibility, correct? 

Of the 5.8 million firms, do you know how many workers they 

employ? It is about 34 million. Does that sound right? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Yes. 

Chair LANDRIEU. In Louisiana, 67,000 small businesses have less 

than 50 employees. About 91 percent of all businesses in Louisiana 

are exempt from the requirements of this Act. 184,000 small businesses in our state have between 50 and 249. All the Senators can 

get access to the information from their states from the census, 

which is where I got this, and in Louisiana, 3,800 businesses 

only—that is a small number, it is a significant number, but relatively small—have between 50 and 249 employees. 

So the point of this is that the vast majority of businesses, small 

businesses in America, do not have a mandate from the Affordable 

Care Act. So the implementation is happening really for businesses 

between 50 and above, and primarily between 50 and 249 employees. And that is what I want to ask about eventually. 

But for right now, my first question is this. The ACA created 

health marketplaces that you all have described where individuals 

can shop for health insurance. These marketplaces, including the 

SHOP Act which you all just talked about, the SHOP provision, 

will increase the—the idea is for it to increase competition in the 

private market and give small businesses individual choices that 

they never had before. 

How is HHS operating in states that choose not to set up their 

own exchanges? Because there have been some states that are busy 

cooperating and set up exchanges, others that have decided to sit 

on the sidelines. How is that happening? Chiquita, could you just 

talk for a minute about how small businesses are going to be 

helped in states that have not decided to engage in setting up exchanges? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Absolutely. Thank you so much for the 

question. So in states that have chosen not to operate a state-based 

marketplace, we will be setting up a marketplace both for the individual market as well as for the SHOPs. In many of those states, 

they are still working with us to work to certify the qualified 

health plans. Those will be the private plans that are offering 

health insurance coverage. 

And so, as part of our process right now, we are in the middle 

of reviewing the plans, working with the issuers to get plans certified. Starting on October 1st in every state where we are running 

the marketplace, individuals and small businesses will be able to 

go online, fill out an application. It takes about 15 minutes. And 

then they can choose a plan to offer to their employees. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Now, you testified that in one of the states, and 

I do not know if you want to identify what it is—where you said 

the average of states that have cooperated and engaged in setting 

up these exchanges for small business, the rates have gone down 
35 

by 18 percent. Is that what you testified and could you elaborate, 

please? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. I would be happy to. So states have different rules about when they make data available, and six states 

have made data available about their—— 

Chair LANDRIEU. What states are those, please? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. I can get those for you. I do not have them, 

but we will get them for you for the record. And in those states, 

our research part of HHS did an analysis and looked at the silver 

plan that is being offered. That plan, when compared to an equivalent plan trended forward, before the Affordable Care Act, is 18 

percent lower, and that report is on our website under the—— 

Chair LANDRIEU. And can you quickly, because I have just got a 

few minutes left, describe just quickly what a silver plan would 

look like? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. A silver plan means it is about—it is 70 

percent. So it means that the plan itself pays about 70 percent of 

the cost when you go to the doctor, on average, and an individual 

would pay about 30 percent. So there would be likely a deductible 

and co-pays when you go to the doctor, and then an out-of-pocket 

cap. 

Chair LANDRIEU. But it would be a fairly—would you describe it 

as a fairly generous, a silver plan, or how would you describe it—— 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. I would describe it as middle, silver. There 

is also bronze, which is a lower benefit, and we likely will see a 

lot of HSAs and high deductible plans. Silver is in the middle. 

Businesses will also be able to choose gold, which is 80 percent, 

which is the more generous benefit. And platinum. Those premiums will be higher. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Okay. I am going to add one more minute and 

give the same to my ranking member. I would like to ask you, Ms. 

Olafson, because there have been a lot of questions from small 

businesses that I represent, and I am sure many members, they do 

not seem to be getting a lot of information about what is going on 

and there is some uncertainty. 

You touched on this in your testimony, but can you describe in 

some more detail how you are obtaining and using information to 

get it out to small businesses, and explain a little bit more about 

what this ‘‘no wrong door’’ policy is? 

Ms. OLAFSON. Absolutely. Thank you, Chair Landrieu. So SBA is 

taking, which I highlighted in my opening statement, a three-prong 

approach to outreach. You know, we want to make sure that we 

reach business owners in their communities through various mechanisms and tools. 

So the three-prong approach, I mentioned online. You know, we 

disseminate the weekly interactive blog. We hear from a lot of businesses through that mechanism. And our e-newsletter is reaching 

more than 1 million subscribers. And then through SBA.gov as well 

as Business.USA.gov. Both of those sites together combined have 

more than 2 million visitors per month. 

The ‘‘no wrong door’’ approach is, we want to make sure that no 

matter where a business owner is going, whether it is to our site 

or to HealthCare.gov, they are not falling through the cracks. So 

they are getting the same consistent information across sites. Busi-
36 

ness.USA is working to leverage all of the content at those sites to 

provide information to business owners around the Affordable Care 

Act as well as—— 

Chair LANDRIEU. So if they cannot get this through their regular 

business associations, there are many options and you are trying 

to make that more public? 

Ms. OLAFSON. Exactly. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you. I am going to turn this over now 

to Senator Risch, and add 1:41 to you. 

Senator RISCH. Thank you, Madam Chairman. First of all, I am 

glad you cleared up the record. 96 percent of businesses, is that 

correct, are exempted from Obamacare? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Exactly. 

Senator RISCH. Is that what I am understanding? Chairman 

Landrieu asked you that question, is that right? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. She did. 

Senator RISCH. I am assuming that the question and your answer is to indicate that those 96 percent are exempt is a good 

thing? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Most small businesses are exempt, yes. 

Senator RISCH. Well, if it is such a good thing, why do we not 

go the other 4 percent of the way and exempt all business, 100 percent of businesses, from Obamacare? That would be a great thing, 

would it not? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. The Treasury Department is responsible 

for overseeing employer responsibility. I will say, obviously, as part 

of the ACA, the idea is that both businesses, individuals have the 

responsibility to help provide coverage or to pay, because health 

care costs affect us all. 

Senator RISCH. I am looking at—I am sorry. 

Ms. OLAFSON. If I may? 

Senator RISCH. Sure. 

Ms. OLAFSON. For years, small business owners have been telling 

us that access to health care is one of their top concerns. They 

often have paid up to 18 percent more than their larger competitors 

for health care. The ACA is helping to level the playing field for 

small businesses. So the first thing we tell business owners is, 

Look at the facts and the opportunities around this law, the tax 

credits, the access to the affordable care markets, et cetera. 

Senator RISCH. And by the way, I think that that particular provision of the law that allows the small businesses to pool was a 

good idea, and I think we probably would have gotten the bipartisan support to actually pass that here. Unfortunately, it was 

wrapped in 2,700 other pages that we did not particularly agree 

with. But the pooling seems to be a rational, reasonable idea that 

should be done. 

One of the difficulties I have is that we keep getting reports that 

the cost of health care keeps going up, notwithstanding the fact 

that everybody was promised it would go down, notwithstanding 

the figures, Ms. LaSure, that you had. I am looking at a table that 

was produced by Society of Actuaries. Now, they are not beholden 

to the Administration like an agency is. They are not Republicans, 

they are not Democrats, they are not Conservatives or Liberals. 
37 

Their study shows that insurance premiums will go up quite substantially over the next few years. Senator Landrieu will be interested to hear that they are talking about a 28.6 percent increase 

in Louisiana. In New Hampshire, they are talking about a 36.8 

percent increase. In North Dakota, they are talking about an increase of only 8.4 percent, so you are very fortunate there. 

Massachusetts is the big winner. They get actually a decrease of 

about 12.8 percent. Senator Johnson, I have got bad news for you. 

It is an 80 percent increase in Wisconsin. So these numbers, although we are hearing these statistics that you are throwing out, 

that is not what we are hearing from the Society of Actuaries, and, 

it is not what we are hearing from the witnesses who are going to 

testify here today. 

I hope you will stay around to hear the witnesses because you 

can look at the statistics all you want, but when you have live witnesses here who will tell you what is actually happening to their 

premiums, I think you will be interested. 

Chair LANDRIEU. And I want you to identify for the record the 

document that you are reading from, and—— 

Senator RISCH. Yes. It was produced by the Society of Actuaries. 

Chair LANDRIEU. What date? 

Senator RISCH. Cannot give you the date. 

Chair LANDRIEU. No date? 

Senator RISCH. No date. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Okay. 

Senator RISCH. It is not 1932. It is a very recent study, Madam 

Chair. 

Chair LANDRIEU. I would like to know the date for the record. 

Senator RISCH. Thank you. We will get you that. Thank you, 

Madam Chairman. I yield back. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Okay. Senator Shaheen. 

Senator SHAHEEN. Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Let me just say welcome to Senator Markey. 

This is your first meeting of the Small Business Committee. We 

would like to all welcome you to our Committee. Thank you for 

joining us today where the exchanges seem to be working fairly 

well. We are anxious to hear your perspective from Massachusetts. 

Senator Shaheen. 

Senator SHAHEEN. Mr. Iwry, last month the Administration delayed the employer responsibility provision for a year, made the associated reporting requirements voluntary until 2015. I would like 

you to do two things, if you would. Could you answer who that employer responsibility provision applied to? I assume it was all business, not just large businesses. And also, can you talk about why 

the Treasury made that decision? 

Mr. IWRY. Senator, I would be happy to. The employer responsibility provision applies to employers with 50 or more full-time employees, or full-time equivalents, and does not apply to employers 

with fewer than that number. The decision process was one that 

was thorough and conducted within the Treasury Department. As 

policy decisions are typically coordinated with the White House, 

this decision was also coordinated with the White House. 

It stemmed from concerns that were expressed to Treasury and 

the Administration in general from the business community, in-
38 

cluding small business and larger, about the need for more time for 

them to adapt and ramp up their systems for reporting; that is, collecting the information they would need in order to report, and 

then their systems were actually reporting that information to the 

Government and to the individuals. 

They indicated that in order to smooth the path toward implementation, it would be far better if they had more time to adjust 

their systems to either adapt or develop systems, as the case may 

be. 

And second, they expressed a concern that those reporting requirements were not as simple or streamlined as they might be, as 

businesses hoped we could make them, and they asked whether we 

could do our best to show the same kind of flexibility with respect 

to these reporting requirements, that is, the way Treasury applies 

and interprets them, that we did with respect to some of the employer responsibility provisions where we worked with the business 

community over an extended time, a lot of dialogue, to see how we 

could make the provisions, as applied on a regulatory level, as 

workable as possible consistent with the statute. 

So we responded to those two concerns, Senator, by first, looking 

at them objectively and weighing whether they were sufficiently 

weighty to justify transition relief that people were asking for. 

Senator SHAHEEN. And have you gotten feedback from business 

as the result of the decision to delay the employer responsibility 

provision? 

Mr. IWRY. Yes, Senator Shaheen. We have received, indeed, business has provided feedback not in particular to us as opposed to 

publicly. The major business—many major business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Retail Federation, National Restaurant Association, others have indicated 

that they thought that the transition relief in response to the concerns that they had expressed, and many of them had expressed 

concerns not focused only on the reporting, but had asked for more 

time regarding employer responsibility generally. 

With respect to reporting in particular, that drove our decision 

and the commended us for having listened and been flexible 

enough not to agree to postpone these provisions indefinitely, but 

simply to give them the transition relief that they asked for so they 

could adapt their systems and have as successful and smooth an 

implementation as possible. 

Senator SHAHEEN. Thank you. My time is up. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Senator Rubio. 

Senator RUBIO. Thank you for holding this hearing, Madam 

Chair. Ms. LaSure, how are you? Good morning. 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Good. 

Senator RUBIO. Afternoon. Feels like morning. I want to talk a 

little bit about the Small Business Health Options Program and 

how that is going. There is an article here from Forbes. It is an 

opinion piece dated July 8th of this year. And it writes as follows, 

and I want to know if this is true. 

It said, Maryland, one of the first states to embrace Obamacare, 

announced in April that it would delay the launch of its Small 

Business Exchange by at least three months. A recent GAO report 

said that all 17 states that are building their own exchanges are 
39 

behind schedule, missing deadlines on 44 percent of the key activities needed to get them up and running. Is it true that 17 of the 

states that are building their own exchanges are behind schedule? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. I would say no to that. We are working 

very closely with the state-based marketplaces to make sure they 

are meeting their critical milestones. There are times where we adjust and make changes, but we are working very closely with the 

state-based marketplaces and expect them all to be up and running 

on October 1st. 

Senator RUBIO. So you anticipate all the exchanges, including the 

Federal one, to be operational on October 1st of this year? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Yes. 

Senator RUBIO. Can you guarantee that? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Of course I cannot. 

Senator RUBIO. Okay. 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. But we are working very hard to achieve 

that. We are working constantly, as I said, working with states. 

There may be, again, pieces where we take time and prioritize and 

may make some adjustments, but in terms of being open, the marketplaces will be open on—— 

Senator RUBIO. One of the concerns the article raises is that in 

some states this is—obviously, these exchanges are built on choice 

because the choice leads to competition and hopefully lower premiums. The article goes on to say that just one insurer signed up 

to provide coverage in Washington, in New Hampshire, and in 

North Carolina, and in Mississippi not a single insurance company 

signed up until recently. I think Humana finally stepped up. 

Are we going to see multiple choices in each of these insurance 

marketplaces on October 1st? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. We have been very pleased in the Federally-facilitated marketplace with the interest from the issuer community. We have said there have been over 120 issuers that we are 

working on. Certification happens in September. That is when we 

finalize the final actual agreements, and so that is when we will 

be able to announce what all of the choices look like. 

Senator RUBIO. How confident are you that every exchange out 

there, the 17 states, the 33 Federal ones, that all of them will offer 

multiple choices for patients? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. I am very confident that we will have 

choice. Again, this is—— 

Senator RUBIO. In all of them? In all of them? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE [continuing]. I cannot speak to specific 

states, but I will also say, this is a voluntary engagement. This is 

based on the private sector, and so we are working with them, and 

private sector companies make choices. But we think this is a very 

attractive option for them and expect many issuers to participate. 

Senator RUBIO. If you are a worker at a small business, can we 

guarantee that none of them will lose their existing coverage if 

they are happy with it? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Well, in terms of what they are being offered, small employers will have additional options. Again, there 

are changes being made which benefit small employers, meaning 

that their insurance companies have requirements about what they 

need to offer for them. 
40 

Senator RUBIO. But the point being, one of the problems that was 

made in this law was if you have insurance and you are happy 

with it, you will get to keep it. Can we guarantee that due to this 

law, no one will lose coverage that they are happy with? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. People will make choices about what kind 

of coverage they choose. 

Senator RUBIO. So we cannot guarantee it? In essence, there will 

be people that will lose their existing coverage that they are happy 

with because their employer will make a change as a result of the 

requirements of the law? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. I cannot answer that question. 

Senator RUBIO. Okay. What about doctors? Can we ensure everyone that has a doctor that they are happy with that they are going 

to be put on a plan that includes that doctor in the network? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Doctors in this country make choices about 

whether they want to participate. Again, we are working with 

issuers, issuers are working and needing to meet certain state and 

Federal requirements about network adequacy. 

Senator RUBIO. So is it possible that someone who today has an 

existing relationship with a doctor that they are happy with will 

no longer be able to see that doctor because they are now going to 

be moved to a plan that that doctor is not part of the network? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. No one is moved to a plan. People make 

choices about what kind of coverage they choose. 

Senator RUBIO. Well, their employer may make choices, right, as 

a result of the law’s requirements? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. The employer makes choices, exactly. 

Senator RUBIO. I know I am running out of time. Just real quick, 

Ms. Olafson, I wanted to ask you about the tax credit. According 

to the General Accounting Office, the participation on it has been 

less than anticipated. Is that not correct? 

Ms. OLAFSON. So, you know, the tax credit is a significant part 

of the Affordable Care Act. I certainly have my colleagues here 

from Treasury to talk about the uptick on that, but we do know, 

as Chairwoman Landrieu said in her opening statement, that it is 

really targeted to those small business owners who most need help 

getting coverage. 

We know that hundreds of thousands of business owners have already taken advantage of it and that the credits will rise in 2014 

for those employers that are choosing to purchase coverage through 

SHOPs. So it is a critical part of this Act and we know that many 

of our businesses are taking advantage of it. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you. Senator Heitkamp. 

Senator HEITKAMP. Ms. Brooks-LaSure, I have a quick question. 

If there was no Affordable Care Act, would there be any guarantee 

that an employee would be able to keep the coverage that they currently have if an employer made a different decision? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. No. 

Senator HEITKAMP. If there were no Affordable Care Act, would 

there be any guarantee that the employer would continue to offer 

the same kind of coverage that he or she or it is currently offering? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. No. 

Senator HEITKAMP. So a lot of this is about the choice. A lot of 

this is about whether, in fact, employers make a different choice to 
41 

go to a different plan and then whether employees make a choice 

to go to a different plan and whether the choice options have been 

broadened for those entities. 

Can you tell us what percentage of American businesses plan on, 

at least in your estimation right now, maintaining the same coverage that they currently provide? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. All the evidence that we have, based on 

previous experience, the experience we have seen with Massachusetts in implementing their exchange, is that employers want to 

offer coverage and employer coverage increases. And so, we fully 

expect employers to continue to offer and hope that more small employers will now see opportunities to offer. 

Senator HEITKAMP. Many of the—Ms. Chairman, many of the 

businesses that I talk to in North Dakota who have, over the years, 

offered great plans, plan on sticking with the great plans that they 

have, and that is certainly what Blue Cross and Blue Shield, which 

is the majority provider in our state, anticipates, that a lot of their 

corporate accounts will stay very, very similar. 

And so, as we look, North Dakota is obviously a state where a 

lot of small businesses will not be subjected to the Affordable Care 

Act, if we want to use that word. And so, you know, the challenge 

in all of this, as we anticipate and we look forward to what the 

changes will be, is that we really do not know what choices people 

will make. There are a lot of assumptions, I think, on both sides 

about what those choices might be. 

I guess, you know, delaying the mandate for an extra year will 

make the opportunity to collect additional information and maybe 

will make changes even more apparent. But I want to just use 

what remaining time I have to talk to Ms. Olafson. 

One of the concerns that I have is small businesses that are not 

affiliated with a trade organization or an entity that may be like 

the Chamber of Commerce, do not necessarily have direct access, 

and that is key information. I encourage people to go out on Kaiser 

because I think that is a site that that has independent evaluation. 

People right now hear arguments on both sides. But I am curious, 

if Denver is a region that is affiliated with the Small Business Administration. 

What are you hearing or what are you focusing on in terms of 

our opportunities to get the information out to our rural small businesses, our small manufacturers who may not otherwise have access to information? 

Ms. OLAFSON. Thank you, Chairwoman—I am sorry—thank you, 

Senator. So as I said, we are leveraging all of the resources that 

are available to us. You know, many of our small businesses—and 

we know this from market research—do access information online, 

they coming to us, anyway, over 2 million visitors per month at our 

website. 

But for those businesses that want or need sort of more direct 

on-the-ground resources, we are leveraging our 68 district offices. 

We have both trained those folks so they can serve as resources. 

We have trained our Women’s Business Centers, our SCORE, our 

Small Business Development Centers, so that as our business owners come to us for counseling about access to capital, Government 
42 

contracting, they also know they can get current, accurate information about the health care law. 

So we are trying to build out that network across the board, 

whether it is online, in person engagement, webinars, free 

webinars open to the small business community. 

Senator HEITKAMP. Well, one of the concerns that I have is that 

where you saw in Medicare Part D a big public information campaign which was, in fact, funded by the Federal enactment, we do 

not see that in this situation. So it really is dependent on using 

available resources. 

And I would suggest taking a look at non-traditional ways of getting information out and making sure that that information has a 

level of credibility, because one of the concerns that we have is that 

every time you turn around or every time I visit with folks, I am 

in the spot of having to say, That is not the way I understand it. 

Can I get back to you? Can I get information out there? 

And so, some sites that are readily pointed to with some credibility I am frequently asked questions of could be enormously helpful. 

Ms. OLAFSON. Absolutely, and that is critical. You know, we 

know that business owners are not going to make decisions based 

on misinformation. And so, our role—we really view our role as 

providing facts, cutting through the misinformation, and helping 

business owners make the decision that is best for their individual 

circumstances. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you, Senator Heitkamp. Let me just 

interject here that I really appreciate you pointing out that there 

were no guarantees before the ACA, there are very few guarantees 

after, but there are a few important guarantees. One of them is 

that there are going to be no lifetime caps come January on policies. 

The other one that is—well, lifetime caps is now. The other is 

there will be no annual caps come January. And the other is that 

there is, pre-existing conditions are, you know, irrelevant now and 

that people—so there are some guarantees. But the guarantees 

that Senator Rubio asked about were doctors, which is a legitimate 

question, were not in place before or after the Affordable Care Act. 

And just to clear the record, the Ranking Member submitted a 

document and I want to just make this clear, that we have gotten 

some more information about this, Senator Risch, and the study 

was published in March of 2013, according to this document that 

I am going to put into the record. It was an article written about 

it on April 18th. 

The person that ran the study was Kenny Clan, who is the Chief 

Actuary at a Maryland-based CareFirst Blue Cross/Blue Shield. He 

is not independent. He works for a large insurance company. They 

are actuaries, but most of the actuaries work for insurance companies. And that is just the record. If you want to submit anything 

else, that is fine. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Senator Johnson. 

Senator JOHNSON. Thank you, Madam Chair. There actually was 

one guarantee that certainly sticks in my mind and that was President Obama repeatedly promised that if we passed the health care 

law, the average cost of a family plan would decline by $2,500 a 
43 

year by the end of his first term. In fact, it has increased by about 

$2,370 from 2009 to 2012. Is that correct, Ms. Brooks-LaSure? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Again, I do not believe so. For years, health 

insurance rates have been increasing faster than wages, and in the 

last few years, we have seen that it has slowed. I think it is very 

critical that when we look at these studies, that we are making apples to apples comparisons about the benefits. 

Senator JOHNSON. What do you disagree with, though? That 

President Obama did not make that promise repeatedly? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. No, I am sorry. You had said that rates 

were going up—— 

Senator JOHNSON. Premiums for family plans are up almost 

$2,500, according to a Kaiser study, and we can submit that to the 

record. 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Okay. I guess what I wanted to make clear 

are two points. One, that rates have been going up over time. In 

the last few years, we have seen rates starting to slow. I believe 

the President described that this morning. And second, that it is 

important to compare apples to apples; that when talking about the 

cost of plans, it is important to compare what benefits were being 

offered in the original plan versus the future plans. So there may 

be—— 

Senator JOHNSON. Right now, we are comparing apples to apples 

because when the President made that promise, the average premium was somewhere around $13,000. Now it is over $15,000 for 

the same plan. So that is an apple to apple comparison. That is a 

promise. That is a guarantee that was broken. 

Mr. Iwry, you talked about information that the businesses are 

not able to report to the Government. Specifically, what information, after three-and-a-half years of the implementation of this law, 

are they unable to comply with? 

Mr. IWRY. Senator, the business community has told us that the 

information reporting requirements under the law—— 

Senator JOHNSON. Yes. What type of information? I want to 

know the type of information. 

Mr. IWRY. That the information reporting requirements, which 

include the month-by-month determination of who are full-time employees of the employer, and whether they were offered affordable, 

minimum-value coverage by the employer, and related information 

to determine whether the employer responsibility provision is satisfied and whether the individuals have coverage from the employer 

or not, that that information was something that their systems 

could, with more time, more smoothly and readily provide. 

They also did ask sir, and recognizing where your question is 

coming from, they did ask us whether we could simplify or streamline those information requirements consistent with the statute. 

Senator JOHNSON. Here is some information that I am concerned 

that is not going to be gathered. Senator Shaheen talked about the 

delay in the employer mandate. I am concerned about the delay in 

basically a verification of income, verification of qualification for 

the subsidies, that that is just being waived for the first year of implementation. 

So basically, people could self-report. Is the Treasury Department a little concerned about fraud in that waiver? 
44 

Mr. IWRY. Senator, the Treasury Department is not too concerned 

about the risk of fraud in connection with the verification provision 

that you are referring to because the people at HHS, the officials 

at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, have advised us that the 

verification adjustment, and I will defer to Ms. Brooks-LaSure to 

explain, that the adjustment for one year, for 2014, in the 

verification procedures is rather limited. 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. So if I could just, Senator—— 

Senator JOHNSON. I want to know who in the end is going to 

verify those numbers. What agency within the Federal Government 

is going to verify the qualifications of individuals for subsidies? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. We start, and so, when someone comes to 

the marketplace, they go through a process that is determined 

whether they are eligible. We use data systems from the IRS, SSA, 

other systems, private insurance—a private system where we get 

data from employers. So we are verifying income. 

We were never using the data that Treasury gets in terms of employer reporting because that data is available in 2015 for the first 

year and we need the data at the beginning of open enrollment. So 

on October 1st, we will start verifying whether people are eligible 

for tax credits. 

Senator JOHNSON. So HHS will now have information from the 

IRS on an individual’s income because of the Affordable Care Act. 

Now HHS has that very private income information. 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. There are strict privacy standards. 

Senator JOHNSON. Well, that gives me a lot of comfort. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you very much. Senator Enzi. 

Senator ENZI. Thank you, Madam Chairman. Appreciate you 

holding this hearing. I am not only on the Small Business Committee. I am also on the Finance Committee and on the Health, 

Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee which handles this, so 

I have been to a number of hearings on it. And every time I go to 

one, I get a little more confused. 

I can tell you that in all of the Committees, there is a whole lot 

more interest in what is going to happen, and that is because starting January 1st, all the Senators, all the Congressmen, and all of 

their staff are going to have to go on the exchange to get their insurance, and there are a lot of unanswered questions about that. 

So both sides of the aisle are rather intense on this exchange. 

Some of the questions that they have asked is because we were 

told that it was beta tested, the exchange is beta tested already, 

so one of the people on the other side of the aisle asked, Who tested 

it and if they could have a list. And that is apparently not available. 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. In terms of our testing, thank you, Senator, 

for the question, we are undergoing very rigorous testing. So we at 

HHS are testing with our Federal partners. That has been ongoing 

for the last year. 

Senator ENZI. How do you write the program without having a 

basic plan defined? That is another question that has been asked 

in all three of these Committees. 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. So I am not sure if I am understanding 

your question. 
45 

Senator ENZI. You give the silver plan as being 70 percent, gold 

80 percent, and bronze. But what does that consist of? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. It is based on our standards and our regulation and then states are—— 

Senator ENZI. Can you send me the list of the exact things that 

are on that, not just the general ones like that? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Certainly, but then plans are submitting 

that data to states. They are entering it into SURF and that is 

where the data is. 

Senator ENZI. So far, nobody has provided us with that. Small 

businesses have complained that they have spent thousands of 

hours attending seminars to try and find out how they are going 

to be taken care of on, and, of course, now that has been put off 

for a year. But what they do not understand is what happens to 

their employees now if they do not offer the insurance, employees 

have to go into the exchange. But the amount that they used to 

subsidize will not be subsidizable tax-free anymore, the way we understand it. 

But, Mr. Iwry, you raised something that was new to me, I 

guess. You talked about the full-time equivalency, I guess relating 

to the number of employees that an employer has. I thought it was 

just strictly full-time employees, not full-time equivalencies. Am I 

wrong? 

Mr. IWRY. Senator Enzi, for purposes of determining whether an 

employer is one of the 96 or so percent that are not subject to this 

employer responsibility provision because they are below 50 employees in size, the statute provides for counting the full-time employees, as you say, plus counting the full-time equivalents. 

So if I may answer with an example? 

Senator ENZI. No, I do not need an example. I know what fulltime equivalency means. I just had not—— 

Mr. IWRY. Yes. 

Senator ENZI. That is going to be a surprise to a number of them, 

just as the 30 hours is a surprise. So actually, part-time is only 29 

hours. If they hit that 30-hour mark, they are full-time. How come 

it is 30 hours? Forty hours has always been full-time. Thirty hours 

has always been part-time. A number of employers are pretty concerned about that number. 

Mr. IWRY. Senator, I was not involved in the crafting of that particular provision that set the number at 30. My understanding is 

that one of the reasons that 30 was selected in the legislative process was that there was concern that employers not be induced unduly to reduce employees’ hours from, for example, 40 to 39 if the 

level had been set at 40, and that because there is a lot of variation 

and diversity in practices among small business and larger business, that that might be a very easy thing for employers to do. 

Whereas, while, of course an employer could reduce an employee’s hours from 30 to 29, and there has been talk about that, because a majority of the full-time workers were, I think, thought to 

be working more than 30 hours, that that kind of gaming to avoid 

employer responsibility might be more difficult to do or less readily 

available with 30. 

Senator ENZI. It is not working very well for you, I do not think, 

and it is not working well for the employers or the employees. I 
46 

know a lot of businesses that have—they have cut back to the 29, 

although there are a lot that cut back to the 30 thinking that 

would not be it. They are not aware of the full-time equivalency 

yet, so if they reduced two employees back to that, they still have 

one. 

But the 29 versus 30 hours is very troublesome. I realize that is 

in the law. It is one of those things that people did not know until 

after they had passed out. Thank you, Madam Chair. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you, Senator. Senator Fischer and then 

we will get to Senator Vitter and then we are going to move to our 

second panel. 

Senator FISCHER. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, 

Ranking Member, for holding this hearing today. It is a vitally important hearing. 

In Nebraska, small businesses represent 96.6 percent of all employers and they employ 50 percent of the private sector labor 

force. So the impact of the Affordable Care Act on this sector of my 

state’s economy, not to mention the economy of our country, is of 

great concern to me. I had heard from many small business owners 

and employers who are not seeing the positive effects of the ACA. 

Hours are being reduced, fewer people are being hired, and small 

businesses are afraid to expand with this uncertainty that is facing 

them. 

Ms. Brooks-LaSure, because of the Administration’s delay of the 

requirement to provide employers with a choice of health plans, in 

your testimony you mentioned that the Federal SHOP Exchanges 

will allow—will allow—employers to choose one qualified health 

care plan to offer their employees. 

I have read that the Administration cited ‘‘operational challenges’’ as the reason for this delay. Can you tell me what these 

challenges were? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Sure. Thank you so much, Senator, for the 

question. 

Senator FISCHER. And thank you all for being here. I appreciate 

it. 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. During our comment process where we 

worked through our regulations, we sought comment on employee 

choice, which we certainly think of as a very important part of the 

SHOP. During that comment process, we did receive comments 

from a variety of stakeholders, and based on those comments, we 

learned that many issuers felt that they needed more time to develop the apparatus, basically, necessary to implement employee 

choice, and we were concerned about making sure that there were 

many options available in the SHOPs. 

And so, as a result, we decided that for the Federally-facilitated 

marketplace, as were operating in many states across the country, 

we would wait one year before implementing employee choice because we thought more issuers would participate. And some states 

who are implementing state-based marketplaces are implementing 

employee choice this year. 

Senator FISCHER. Do you think this one-year delay in implementation is going to make a difference, or are we going to be looking 

at another delay coming up? 
47 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. We are committed to 2015. That is what 

our regulations say. That is what we are working on. We just wanted to give all stakeholders more time because we want it to work 

well. 

Senator FISCHER. Would it be fair to say that all stakeholders 

need more time and maybe we should have a delay for individuals 

as well as businesses? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. We have been working very hard throughout the implementation and the passage to really listen to stakeholders. We have given flexibility in many instances where we had 

administrative authority to do so. But we are fully prepared for the 

individual market October 1, and for SHOP for October 1. 

Senator FISCHER. You mentioned earlier that the marketplaces 

will be open by October 1st. Did I hear you correctly on that? 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. Yes. 

Senator FISCHER. Can you tell me if they are going to be open 

in Nebraska by October 1st and where we are there? Because I 

know there is tremendous uncertainty in my state, and observing 

part of our legislative session back home this year, things are not 

settled. 

Ms. BROOKS-LASURE. We are operating the Federally-facilitated 

marketplace in Nebraska. We are on track, as I mentioned. We are 

in the process of certifying plans now, working with them. Plans 

will start to see their data next month and start to be able to make 

sure it is correct. And then in September, we will sign issuer agreements and October 1, people will be able to see them and enroll. 

Senator FISCHER. Thank you. Ms. Olafson, first of all, I want to 

let you know that I met with a number of the staff at the SBA in 

the Omaha metro area and had a great conversation with them recently. And so, I would thank you and thank them for being open 

for that. 

Ms. OLAFSON. That is great to hear. Thank you, Senator. 

Senator FISCHER. You acknowledged in your testimony that the 

SBA has devoted considerable time and resources to the promotion 

of the ACA through events such as Small Business Week and agency-funded resources such as this website. There is no line item to 

fund this. And so, can you tell me the amount and the origin of the 

funds that have been used to support these efforts? 

Ms. OLAFSON. So as I mentioned earlier, SBA is leveraging all of 

the resources in our network, all the resources we have at our disposal to get the facts out to the small business community. 

Senator FISCHER. Are you taking from other programs, you know, 

stealing from Peter to pay Paul so you can promote this? 

Ms. OLAFSON. So again, we have a robust network within SBA 

of our counselors, for example, that are meeting every day with 

small business on a variety of issues. This is one of the most critical issues that our counselors are getting questions about and our 

staff, so we are building and leveraging those resources. 

So that if a business owner is coming to us to talk about access 

to capital or health care, we can provide them with that information and those facts and tools to let them know where to go to get 

more information. 

Senator FISCHER. If I could submit some questions to you, could 

you address just what programs are being affected by it, though? 
48 

Ms. OLAFSON. Certainly. We would be happy to talk with you. 

Senator FISCHER. Okay. Thank you so much. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Senator, we are going to try to move along. Let 

me ask you, did the State of Nebraska choose to set up an exchange or you are having to wait for the Federal Exchange? 

Senator FISCHER. On the Federal. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Senator Vitter, do you want to go? And then 

Senator Scott. And then we are going to have to move on to the 

second panel. 

Senator VITTER. Thank you, Madam Chair, and I am eager to 

hear from the actual small businesses as well. I just want to briefly 

say, I share the concerns that have been expressed about this implementation. I think it is nothing short of a train wreck, and that 

is not my phrase. It is another member’s. 

I echo the feeling that if business is being given a reprieve for 

one year or more than individuals, families, middle class families, 

workers should be given the exact same treatment. And also, this 

is a completely unrelated issue, but it is an important Louisiana 

priority for both the Chair and me. 

If the President has that administrative authority here, I would 

also ask him to use exactly the same authority and delay the implementation of completely unworkable flood insurance premiums 

under bigger waters, and I would specifically ask that. But again, 

I join the Chair in begin eager to hear from small businesses and 

I look forward to the second panel. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Senator Scott. 

Senator SCOTT. Thank you, Senator. I will make this a short 

question. Ms. Olafson, I believe there was a survey done by the 

NFIB earlier this year that found that the impact of the tax on providers, the $100 billion to tax, started, I think, next year. It starts 

at about $8 billion and it goes up over the years. 

If the small business community is, in fact, the economic engine 

that we see of recent, their survey suggests that private sector employment should fall about 146,000 to 262,000 because of the new 

tax. How is the Small Business Administration going to respond 

and how do we help change that direction? 

Ms. OLAFSON. So, thank you, Senator, for your question. You 

know, I think—and I cannot emphasize this enough. We have been 

hearing for years that access to affordable health care is one of the 

top concerns for business owners, and that as you have heard from 

many of us today, that often, historically, small businesses were 

paying as much as 18 percent more. 

And so, we know that there are many mechanisms and reforms 

within this law that help to bring down costs for small business, 

including the rule that requires insurance companies to cover—to 

spend at least 80 percent of dollars on health care, and the rate 

review mechanisms. 

As far as that particular provision you are talking about, I believe it is the health insurance assessment. I would certainly defer 

to my colleagues at Treasury for more nuanced information about 

that. But we know that—you know, we have been hearing this concern from the business community and the Affordable Care Act is 

helping to level the playing field for the first time for small businesses. 
49 

Senator SCOTT. I would just suggest that having owned a business, and I was an Allstate agent for the last 14 or 15 years in 

business ownership, I will tell you that the notion that the ACA is 

somehow going to create a more competitive environment is inconsistent with the reality faced by many of the businesses that I have 

been talking to, and I quote one specifically, a guy named Gary 

Chastain, who owns a bunch of Moe’s franchises in Charleston, 

when you talk to him about talking to insurance agents about what 

they anticipate on the market looking like, he gets six different answers from six different agents. 

So very consistently, the thing that seems to be most consistent 

about the ACA and its impact on small businesses is the lack of 

consistency that they are receiving. So I think we are in for a hard 

road as we see the inconsistencies of the Act, and its impact on 

businesses will be, I think, dire. 

Ms. OLAFSON. Well, and part of the challenge is, you know, really 

to make sure that business owners understand the facts, because 

as I have said before, we talk to business owners every day. There 

is still a lot of misinformation. I mean, a lot of business owners still 

think that they may be impacted by something like share responsibility without realizing sort of what are the exact facts around 

that. 

And that is our mission. You know, we are here to give that information to the hands of business owners, recognizing these are 

business decisions at the end of the day, but we need them to have 

the right information and the tools to make the best, most informed decision. 

Senator SCOTT. I think the fact that the regulatory environment 

seems to be still in creation is a part of the challenge that many 

business owners face today as it relates to the ACA and the inability to understand what has not yet been filled in on the pages of 

the regulations, perhaps, provides a great opportunity for discontentment than does the lack of clarity going forward on the 

plans that will be available, though that in and of itself is still uncertain as well. 

Mr. IWRY. Senator, may I? 

Senator SCOTT. Chime in, yes, sir, absolutely. 

Mr. IWRY. Treasury has issued a comprehensive proposed regulations on the employer responsibility provisions generally out of concern for the point you are making, that we do want small businesses and employers generally to have guidance that is clear and 

comprehensible and workable for them. 

And, Senator, we had four rounds of guidance in writing at the 

sub-regulatory level and then written comments on those concepts 

from the small and large business community and all stakeholders 

who were interested in the public process, and it was tremendously 

useful to get that feedback from small and larger businesses in 

order to enable us to put rules out that would enable them to go 

ahead and make their own best decisions about how to comply. 

Senator SCOTT. Yes, sir. I would say that I do not question the 

good intentions. There was some statement sometime about the 

road somewhere is paved with good intentions. I am not quite sure 

where that road leads, but I will tell you that from the folks—Senator Risch, you may know where that road leads. 
50 

Senator RISCH. I do. 

Senator SCOTT. Well, we will talk about that later. What we have 

learned, however, is that when you talk to business owners about 

the implementation and the challenges that they face, I spoke with 

a CPA just yesterday at a small firm with about four or five employees. And their coverage is leaving South Carolina because of 

the inability to understand the path forward. 

So the number of insurers available in states are becoming fewer 

insurers are available in states, not more, and I believe will cause 

more pressure on the rates in states. And so, you will see, in the 

end, higher rates. You will see the new health insurance tax, the 

HIT, coming into play which is only a pass-through down to employers that will help to pay for a part of their employees’ premiums. 

And so, the pressure on small businesses will only increase. But 

I think I am out of time. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Yes, but thank you so much. I think it has been 

an excellent line of questioning and I think we have gotten some 

things very clear. As we go to the next panel, I want to just put 

some things into the record to clarify statements that were made, 

and if the Minority wants to put anything in addition to this 

record, because while we are all entitled to our opinion, as Chair 

of this Committee, I really would like to get some facts on the 

record about small business. 

The Ranking Member referred to a study. I am going to put the 

entire study into the record. It is here. The date on it is clear. The 

study focused solely on claims and not actuarial premiums which 

consumers will be paying. Kristi Bohn, the actuary who worked on 

the study, acknowledged it did not attempt to estimate the effects 

of subsidies, insurance, insurer competition, or other factors that 

could offset the increases. I am going to put the entire study in the 

record and some articles that were written about it. People can 

make their own determinations. 

[The information follows:] 
51 

Annual Premiums for Insurance 

Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research & Educational Trust 

Employer Health Benefits 

Summary of Findings, Annual Surveys 2008 through 2012 
52 

S MMARY 0 FIND r-.;GS 

EMPLOYER-SPONSORED INSURANCE: THE LEADING SOURCE OF HEALTH lNSURANCf, COVERING ABOUT 158 MILLION NONElDERLY 

PEOPLE IN AMERICA,l To PROVIDE CURRENT INfORMATION ABOUT THE NATURE OF EMPLOYER-SPONSORED HEALTH 

THE KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION (KAiSER) AND THE HEALTH RrSEAlKH & EDUCATIONAL TRUST {HRET) CONDUCT AN ANNUAL 

NATJONAl SURVEY OF NONFEDEHAL PRIVATE AND PUBLIC EMPLOY!::RS WITH THREE OR MORE WORKERS. 

A 

Average Health Insurance Premiums and Worker Contributions for Family 

Coverage, 1999-2008 

Net",'T)""'>"9"'''''''''''''"'''''"' 

premnJmciuetolm,nd'ng 

$12,680 
53 

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 

EMPLOYER-SPONSORED INSURANCE IS THE LEADiNG SOURCE OF HEALTH INSURANCE, COVERING ABOUT 159 MllUON NONELOERLY 

PEOPLE IN AMERlCA.1 To PHOVlDE CURRENT INFORMATION ABOUT THE NATURE OF EMPLOYER-SPONSORED HEALTH 8EN[FlTS, 

fHE KAiSrR FAMILY FOUNDAT!ON (KAISER) AND THE HEALTH RESEARCH & EDUCATIONAL TRUST (HRET) CONDUCT AN ANNUAL 

NATIONAL SURVEY OF NONFEDERAl PRIVATE AND PUBLIC (MPLOYERS WITH THREE OR MORE WORKERS. THIS IS THE ELEVENTH 

KA1SERlHRET SURVEY AND HEAL TH BFNHiT iNFORMATION f-OR 2009. 

Average Annual Health Insurance Premiums and Worker Contributions 

for Family Coverag~, 1999-2009 

II Employer Con'tribution • Worker Contributio11 
54 

A 

EMPLOYER-SPONSORED iNSURANCE is THE LEA01NG SOURCE OF HEALTH INSURANCE, COVERiNG ABOUT 157 MILUON NONEl DERl Y 

PEOPLE IN AMER1CA.' To PflOVIDf CURRENT lNFORMATJON ABOUT THE NATURE OF EMPLOYER-SPONSORED HEALTH BENEFiTS, 

THE KAISrR FAMiLY FOUNDATION (KAISER) AND THE HEALTH RESEARCH & EDUCATIONAL TRUST (HRET) CONDuer AN ANNUAL 

NATIONAL SURVEY OF NONFEDERAl PRIVATE AND PUBLIC EMPLOYE:RS WlTH THREE OR MORE WORKERS. THIS is THE TWELfTH 

KA!SfR/HRET ~URVEY AND REFLECTS HEALTH BENEFIT iNfORMATION fOil 2010. 

Average Annual Heaith Insurance Premiums and Worker Contributions 

for Family COlf.erage, 2000-2010 

II EmployerCOflt1ibution Worker Contribution 

FOUNDATlON 
55 

EMPLOYER-SPONSORED INSURANCE 15 THE LEADING SOURCE OF HEALTH INSURANCE, COVERING ABOUT 150 M1LLlON NONElDERLY 

PEOPLE IN M,~ERlCA,l To PROVIDE CURRENT INFORMATION ABOUT THE NATURE OF EMPLOYER-SPONSORED HEALTH BENEFITS, 

THE KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION (KJ\ISfR) AND THE HEALTH RESEARCH & EDUCATIONAL TRUST (HRET) CONDUCT AN ANNUAL 

NATIONAL SURVEY OF NONFEDFRAL PRIVATE AND PUBtiC EMPLOYERS WITH THREE OR MORE WOHKERS, THiS IS THE rHIRTEENTH 

KAISER/HRET SURVEY AND RF:FLf.'CTS HEALTH BENEFIT INFORMATION FOR 2011 < 

Average Annual Health Insurance Premiums and Worker Contributions 

for Family Coverage, 2001-2011 

fAM1LY 
56 

EMPLOYfR-SPONSOR£D !NSURANCE IS THE LEAD!NG SOURCE OF !NSURMKE IN AIlJ1ERICA, COVERING ,ABOUT 149 MILUON 

NONHDERLY PEOPLE.l To PROVIDE CURRENT INFORMAT10N ABOUT THE NATURE OF EMPlOYER-SPONSORED HEALTH BENH1T5, 

THE KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION (KAISER) AND THE HEALTH RESEARCH & EDUCATIONAL TR.UST (HRET) CONDUCT AN ANNUf\L 

NArIONAL SURVEY OF NONFEDERAL PR!VATE AND PUBUC EMPLOYERS WITH THREE OR I'Vl0RE WORKERS. TH1S. IS THE fOURTEENli-\ 

!(A1SEB/HRET SURVEY AND REFLECTS HEALTH BENEFlT INFORMATION FOR 2012, 

savings account or health rcimbufsvmem 

hlr completing health programs Of :lchlC'l .. lng 

biometric targets. 

(23))/b since 2011 and :;8% since 2{)02).2 

workers) than fOf workers in large firms 

Average Annual Health Insurance Premiums and Worker Contributions 

for Family Cov~rageJ 2002-2012 

2e02 

Work;.>r(ontnbl,'\iOn 

(200 or more workers) ($ 15,253 YS, 

$15,980). Average prel'lJiU01S tJ:tf highdeduct.ible hcaith plans ''\Iith a savings 

option (HDHP!SOs) Me lDwer ,hall the 

types for both 

compared to rhe other regions, 

COSt dJikrences, Nineteen percent of (ovc!'cd 

premium). The di.strlbution is slmilar around 

the avcraglC single premium {Exhibit C). 

THE- KA!SfR rOUNDAfJON. 

• EtnployerContrib\Jtion 

th<: same percentages they contributed 

in 2011 and rehtivdy unchanged over 

the past decade. in small firms 

(3-199 worhrs) mntribute ~ 

percentage I-~:H" $ingle coverlg~ compared 

to workers in larger firms (!6% V$.. lBO/c). 

but a hjgher ave:rag<.' ~rCf'nt"ge for family 

cowrag~ (35'!;i) vs. 25%}, 

tDtal premiums, the share of the 

premium contributed by workers \~".ries 

single coverage, 61% 

arc in plam th.u require them w make 

plam that require no comrlhution at all. 

family coveragt:\ 43% of covered workers 

arc in phns that require them to make:.1 

contribution ufless than or equal to a quarter 

of tht' total premium and 14('10 are in phms 

that f"-'quire !l1Ne than halfof the premillm; 
57 

Chair LANDRIEU. Secondly, I am going to refer to something that 

Senator Scott referred to. He talked about an NFIB study. We have 

some information about that I am going to submit. It says that the 

NFIB, the study that he referred to, was funded by the Group for 

Health Insurance Industry that worked on the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. 

[The information follows:] 
58 

Reseal'cbersjind small numher- Ofp(;!()Jj{e u'ill be 

of insurance marJ..~ets, 

mandate, b(!1lejitforpopu/.ation and stability 

'l'he-indh"idual mandat<:,"-the 

requirement that individuals either have 

health insur.:mc(:' ('owragc or pay a fine--

is hoth the best knO\\in and the least 

popular ·component oftheAffortlahlc 

Care Act (ACA).l That people know about 

the mandatt'-amI may even \-YOfTY 

about it-is not surprising, gin_'n both 

the heated political controversy and the 

constitutional challenge -surrounding 

this provision of the law. Wl1at may be 

surprising, however, is that if the. ACA 

were in effect LOday,94 pe'rcent of the 

total population (93 percent of the 

noneloerly population) or 250.3 million 

people out of 268.8 million nonckkrly 

people-would not face .a requlrenwnt to 

nell'(V purcbase insurmce or pay a fine 

In this bricfwc use the l>rban institute's 

Health Insurance Policy Simulalion 

Model CIllPSM) to estimate 111e numbt:r 

and share of Americans potentially 

slloject to th(~ mandate, kkntify their 

insurance status ahsent the ACA, :ind 

simulate eligibility for Medicaid .md 

(:ostdirect comparison of posife!hrm 

coverage with coverage ahsen! rd()rm< 

our analysis tn.~ats the provisions of 

the ACA as if fully implememe{] in 

2011.The tahle presents the results of 

this analysls--..vith estimates of the 

population exempt from the mandate; 

the population potentially affected 

by the mandate. but already con~rt'lt 

by insuranc(~ of some type: and the 

remaining population :required to nc\vly 

purchas(:' coverage or pay a fine. 

St:J.rting from the top, our analysis 

shows that ifthE'ACA \-.-tTt' !lIlly in 

effect in 20 II, 87 A million nonddt'fly 

Amuicans-;);) percent of the 

populati{)n under age 65 ,-vould bt: 

('xplidr!r cxt'mpt from Ihl.:' individual 

rt'spollsibility requirement-These aft' 

people \\rhos{' incomes fall helow 1he 

tax tHing threshokL those for '''hom 

the dirtTt premium of the cost 

available plan exceeds 8 percent of 

famity income,~ and Hm!ocumt:ntcd 

immiguHlts. (Also exempt from the 

mandat(:, but bey()nd our <.~apa('ity t(} 

estimate, are people found to have 

other t'('OlHm1ic hardship or religious 

objection.'" Native Americans, tho~(' 

without coverage for less than three 

months, and incarc~r.nt'L1 indhitluals.) 

Almost three-quarters of the extcmpt 

population already have health in~urance 

coverage ot ~omt' type today; a littk 

more than one-quaner is unin:.un'cI. 

O1'111e remaining IBI millionAmerlcans 

under the age of 6') "vIm are !'Illbjt'(,'t to 

the mandate, 86 percent arc estim.t!ted 

to hay(C health insurance wHilom reform 

tho:;e with 

Covcf:J.ge (employer, l1ongnmp. puhlic) 

'\vithout retfmn \viJ! Ow same type 

of coyeragc under the ACA (data not 

shown). Virtually all of the remaining ') 

percent ",>vill obtain coycmge through 

a different route rdorm than 

they do today (e.g" some of those \ylth 

nongroup n.lycrage touay \vill get an 

employer offer of coyerage under rdorm, 

and \vill take !hat up inste<ld of buying 

nongroup. and vice versa). fn short, the 

\";:{sl majority of tho.sc potentially subject 

to the indhiduJ! :mamlate have coverage 

today rmd ""'ill not obtain a ditTerent type 

of coyerage postrefol'm, 

forty-three percent of the population 

potenthlly suhj(>ct to the individual 

rcsptmsibility requirement receive 

con~t'age through large employers; 

percent receive coverage through 

small employers; and '7 per("ent have 

employer-hased coverage from an 

unobseHTd source (most commonly 

a family memher living in another 

household. or a previous employer); 

almost aU of these people will continue 

to obtain tht'lr coverage through the 

same route once the reforms are fully in 

place. Five percent pun.'Il.1se coverage 

in the nongroup market, and 17 

pt.'rcent haY(~ coverage through a public 

program (e.g., Medicaid, Children's 

Health Insurance Program (CHIP), 

military); again, almost all will continue 

10 do so once the reforms are fuUy in 

place. Although those already covered 

by nongnmp or small group coverage 

will not be newly purchasing: coverage 

under the reforms, some will have their 

coverage broadened somewhat so that it 

satlsfies the ACA's minimum or "c.sscntial 

health lx-ndits" rcquirnm:nts. 

About 26_3 million Americans who art' 

currently uninSlired will he required to 

ne·wl), ohtain coverage or pay a tine. In 

this group. 8.1 million people will he 

f'ligibk to receive free or dose-to-free 

insurance through Medicaid or CHIP 

and can avoid the mandate penalties if 

tIlt}' do so; benet:: our finding that 18.2 

million Amerion.s (6 percent of the total 

population, 7 percent of the noneldedy 

population) ,"vill he reqUired to ne\vly 

.l..Irban Institute 
59 

purcll,lse coverage or l:lCc a penalty Of 

that 18.2 million, 10.9 miHion people 

will be eligible to receive ,suhsidies 

toward private in.surance premiums 

the newly established health inSlllJ.no.' 

exch!:wges, but will have to make parti,d 

contributions toward their coverage. 

About 73 million peopk-2 percent 

of the total popUlation C'; percent of 

the population under age 6<;)-are not 

ofiCrt'd any tlnancial <l<,.<;;i:.,t<U1CC unckr the 

ACA -and will be subject to penalties if 

they do not obtain coverage. 

While the numher of people who ",yill 

be required to nt'wly pUKh;tse covenlj{t" 

or pay ;l penal ty is small compared 

\vith the total population, the- individual 

responsibility requirement will still make 

an important difterence in the premium 

SOu<ce:UroaO!flstihiteana!YSIS HIPSM2011 

levels and long-term stability of the 

oongroup and ~m;!!l g1'OUp insurance 

markets under the ACA. Almost 1 t 

million people uninsured without reform 

and subjed to the mandate wi!! he 

eligihle to purchase subsidized nongroup 

coverage in order to comply ... "ith the 

c-'ovemge requirement; ;-lad many of the 

7 million not eligihle for subsidies ,,,,ill aho t:omply by purchasing cm'Cl,lge 

in the nongroup m:trkt't, ht.'c:.mse they 

'''lin not h<t\T :1c{TSS to employersponsored insurance (ESI), The nongroup 

market now COV('f5 ahoul H million 

people, so SeV{T'JJ million additional 

enrollees brought hy the coyerage 

requirement \vill change premiums in 

the market notiC't~ahly, In addition, the 

consumer protection;.; introduced by 

'Nate: We simulate the pro,lswns of the Affordable care Act fully Implemented til 2011 

1he ACA, which \viU guarantee issue 

of insurance products and prohibit 

premium variations due to health status 

and claims expt'riencc, could lead some 

of those- currently healthy and insured 

in tlwse markets to leave them in the 

absence of the coverage requirement, 

By enconnlging. the currently insured 

healthier individuals to stay in these 

markets and attracting newly insured 

healthy indiYiduals into them as well, the 

indiyidmtl rt'spon::;ihility requirement 

leads to lower premiums and more stahle 

insnnmce markets th.an ,vould be the 

c.a...,c without it We find that pn:miums in 

the nongroup market would be 10 to 20 

perccnt higher on aver..tge '''lithont the 

individual covL'rage requirement.,j 
60 

2&£122 & iUZLiii.Z.iiJUiLL£.£ II £ X.£lkSlJiLlLk£i&&":iJU.UU& JUS &:£ 

Endnotes 

17.Je i'ieU's exprf}ssed are tbose oftlJe atltbors and should not be attrlbuted to tbe Robert 'ijf)odJobnson PoundatioN or tbe 

Urban Institute, its trll.."tees or its fumiers. 

About the Authors and Aclmowle(lm~ne!lts 

Linda J Blumberg is a senior fdImv, '1atthew But'ttgens is a s(;'nior research associate, and Judy Feder is an Urhan Institute Fellow 

in the erhan Institute"s Hc:uth Polk)' Center. This research was funded hy the RobertWoodJohnson Foundation. The authors 

would like to thank Jeremy Roth for research assistance- and John Holahan for helpful ('omments and suggestions. 

About the Urban institute 

The Urhan Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy rescm:h ,md educltional organizalion tbat examines the sodal, economic 

and governance problems facing the nation. For mort' information. visit "\l,i"ilw.urhan.org. 

About the Robert Wood Johnson FOllnri;qtion 

The Robert Wood Johnson l'oumiation focuses 011 the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's 

!;'lrgest philanthropy devoted exclusiydy to health and health cart', the Foundation ''locks with a djyerse group of organizations 

and individuals to idt'ntify solutions and achieve comprt'lwl1sive, measurable and timely change. for 40 years the f2ound;ttion has 

brought experience, commitment and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health carc of 

those it serves. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives 'and gt't the C;11·(' they net'd, the Foundation expects to 

make a difference in your lifetime. For more infixmation, visit WWw.f"v .. 'jforg. 

Pokey 1s$ues 3 
61 

Chair LANDRIEU. And then thirdly, this urban study that I referred to, which is the average business with fewer than 50 employees, if they choose to offer coverage, would find cost per person 

reduced by 7.3 percent. I want to put into the record, this was done 

by four health economists, Linda Bloomberg, Matthew Buettgens, 

Judy Feder, and John Holahan, and that general spending as a 

group was reduced by 1.4 percent. 

[The information follows:] 
62 

-------- Original Message --------

BACKGROUND MEMO: FACTS ABOUT THE NATIONAL FEDERATION 

OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESS (NFIB) 

The National Federation of Independent Business {NFIB} presents itself as a non-partisan, member-driven organization 

that represents small business views. But the facts about NFIB tell a different story: 

NFIB Took Secret Money from the Health Insurance Industry in 2011 and Set Up a Group to Advance Insurers' Health 

Care Agenda Using Small Business as the IIFront Man1J: 

National journal broke the story in May 2013 that NFIB accepted a secret contribution of $850,000 in 2011 from 

America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the leading lobby group for the health insurance industry, to work for repeal of 

a fee on health insurers in the Affordable Care Act. This secret contribution -the second largest contribution NFIB 

received in 2011- makes NFIB's "Stop the HIT" coalition, a group it set up to lobby for repeal of the health insurer fee in 

the name of small businesses, look like a front group for the health insurance industry. Bloomberg Businessweek likened 

the AHIP-NFIB dealings to "message-laundering," concluding: "It's legal for the money to flow anonymously from the 

insurance lobby to the NFl B ... But it's something that the public - and Congress - should keep in mind when evaluating 

the NFIB's claims." Former insurance industry executive Wendell Potter wrote: "NFIB is a nonprofit that calls itself the 

voice of small business but which I know from my days in the insurance industry has often been a voice for my former 

bosses." 

NFIB Took Millions from Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS, Conservative Conduit Group "Donors Trust," and Conservative 

Funder Bradley Foundation in 2010 as it Launched its Lawsuit Against ObamaCare: 

In 2010, as the NFIB launched the lawsuit against DbamaCare that eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court, the group 

accepted a $3.7 million gift from Crossroads GPS, a political organization affiliated with Republican political operative 

Karl Rove that overwhelmingly endorses and financially supports Republican candidates.!l} According to data compiled 

by the Center for Responsive Politics, in 2010 NFIB's Small Business Legal Center received $1.15 million from 

conservative conduit group Donors Trust, a major contributor to the Koch brothers' Americans for Prosperity 

Foundation. The NFIB's legal arm also received a $100,000 contribution from the conservative Lynde and Harry Bradley 

Foundation in 2010, explicitly marked in the Bradley Foundation's IRS filings as intended "to support health-care 

litigation efforts." The Bradley Foundation gave to a range of conservative groups in 2010, including $500,000 to 

Americans for Prosperity Foundation and $95,000 to ALEC. 

NFIB's Political Giving Puts it in the Top Three Most Partisan Supporters of Republican Candidates Among 

OpenSecrets.org "Heavy Hitters," Ahead of Koch Industries and the National Rifle Association: 
63 

In nine ofthe last ten election cycles, NFIB has given 90 percent or more of its political contributions to Republican 

candidates. In the 2012 election cycle, it gave $670,543 to Republican candidates and $11,000 to Democratic candidates, 

a 98 percent to 2 percent split.{2J On the Center for Responsive Politics' "Heavy Hitters" list of top all-time political 

donors since 1989, NFIB ranked third in percentage of contributions given to Republican candidates (93 percent), even 

more lopsided than Koch Industries (91 percent), Exxon Mobil (86 percent), and the National Rifle Association (82 

percent)I3J In contrast, independent polling has found small businesses owners quite evenly divided politically (one poll 

found 33 percent identify as Republicans, 32 percent as Democrats, and 29 percent as Independent).!'1 

In the 2012 Elections, NFIB Made Over $4 Million in Independent Expenditures; Every Dollar Either Supported 

Republicans or Opposed Democrats: 

In the 2012 election cycle, NFIB and its controlled entities spent a total of $4,063,021 influencing elections 

independently of candidates. Every dollar of its independent expenditures was spent either in support of Republican 

candidates ($2,583,943) or against Democratic candidates ($1,479,078).[51 

For more intormation~ visit: www.nfibexposed.ora 

[lJ Dan Eggen, Clash over finanCial disclosure escalates spilling into presidential race The Washington Post, June 23, 2012. 

l2] Center for Responsive Politics, Heavy Hitters: National Federation of Independent Business, OpenSecrets.org. 

[3] Center for Responsive Politics, Heavy Hitters: Top All-Time Donors 1989·2012,OpenSecrets.org. 

[4] Greg Robb Mandelbaum, Whom Does the N.F.!.B. Represent (Besides Its Members)? The New York Times, August 26, 2009. 

[$J Center for Responsive PoliticS, Nationd! Fedn of Independent BUSiness OutSide Spending Summary 2012, OpenSecrets.org. 
64 

Chair LANDRIEU. Now, if there is anything that you want to put 

into the record before we move to the next panel, Senator Risch? 

Senator RISCH. Not at this point. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Okay. Thank you all very much and we will go 

to the second panel. Senator Johnson, if you will permit the Kaiser 

study, to put your Kaiser study reference in the record, please, the 

entirety of it. 

Now, members, I think we are going to have a vote at 4:30 or 

5:00, so I am going to try to move this along as quickly as I can. 

I do want to give everybody an opportunity for questions, so we 

may just do three minutes, but let us see. We have a large panel 

that I am happy to hear because these are small business owners. 

If we could move as quickly as we can just because our time is 

getting short, I would appreciate it. So let me begin. We have six 

distinguished witnesses joining us for today’s second panel. Thank 

you all for being here today. 

Let me start by just referencing and introducing Mr. Lawrence 

Katz. Senator Vitter will do a broader introduction in a minute. 

But he is from our home State of Louisiana. He is the owner of 

Dot’s Diner with six locations in Louisiana. He is the President of 

the City Park, incoming President of City Park Board. I welcome 

him. I am going to turn it over to Senator Vitter for a brief introduction. 

Senator VITTER. Thank you, Madam Chair. First I want to recognize the testimony of another of our constituents, Hugh Raetzsch. 

He is not here, but his testimony is being passed out to members. 

Hugh is President of the Lyons Speciality Company in Port Allen, 

Louisiana, and his testimony not only represents his personal experiences as a small business owner, but also his experiences serving 

as the Chairman of the American Wholesale Marketers Association. 

And then, Madam Chair, as you said, I also certainly want to 

welcome, recognize, and introduce Larry Katz, the Founder and 

President of a great small business in Louisiana, Dot’s Diner. And 

I think we will also see Larry’s testimony goes right to the bottom 

line for small business, and it is very compelling. 

Larry and Dot’s Diner are true Louisiana success stories. Seventeen years ago, he took his life savings and opening his first Dot’s 

Diner restaurant, a small diner with about 20 seats. Through hard 

work and determination, Larry’s business has grown to six locations employing about 85 employees, of which 65 are full-term. 

Through this expansion of the business, Larry has received numerous awards, including Best Diner in New Orleans and Best 

Value in New Orleans. His experience and the threats he now faces 

in terms of increased costs and mandates under Obamacare are exactly what is facing millions of small businesses throughout Louisiana and around the country. 

Chair LANDRIEU. David, try to make it brief. 

Senator VITTER. And so, I really appreciate his sharing his experience because it is better than any study, better than any press 

report. It really goes to the bottom line of what this means to small 

business. So thank you, Larry, for being here. 

Chair LANDRIEU. I would like to introduce Jim Houser. Mr. 

Houser opened Hawthorne Auto Clinic 30 years ago. Hawthorne 
65 

Auto Clinic offers full health care for all 12 full-time employees and 

their families. He also serves on the Oregon Individual Employer 

Consumer Advisory Committee and he will share some of his story 

with us today. 

We are also joined by Jamal Lee, owner of Breasia Studios and 

Audio, Lighting and Video Production Company in Laurel, Maryland. Mr. Lee is going to share with us a heart-wrenching story 

about his wife and business partner of 30 years, suffered from a 

life-threatening illness, and how the Affordable Care Act has affected their business. 

Our next witness is Nancy Clark, a small business owner from 

New Hampshire. I will now turn it over to Senator Shaheen to introduce Ms. Clark. 

Senator SHAHEEN. Thank you, Madam Chair. We are very delighted to have Nancy Clark, who is from North Conway, New 

Hampshire, here today to testify at this hearing. Nancy is the 

owner and president of the Glen Group, which is a full-service advertising agency in a small town in rural New Hampshire. The 

company employs nine employees in North Conway and they all receive health insurance from the company, which has benefitted 

from the premium health care tax credit in the Affordable Care 

Act. 

In addition to her experience as a small business owner, Nancy 

brings a unique perspective because she is a member of the Health 

Exchange Advisory Board in New Hampshire. She is also a board 

member of the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association 

where she chairs a health care committee and served on the Executive Committee of the Mount Washington Valley Economic Council. 

So we are delighted to have you here and I look forward to hearing 

your perspective and the perspective of everyone who is on the 

panel. Thank you. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Kevin Settles joins us here today from Idaho. 

Mr. Settles is a small business owner who was appointed by Governor Otter to serve on Idaho’s Exchange. I will now turn it over 

to my Ranking Member, Senator Risch, to do a further introduction. 

Senator RISCH. Thank you, Madam Chairman. We are glad to 

have Kevin Settles here with us—Kevin, we are glad to have you 

here. Kevin owns Bardenay Restaurant and Distillery with locations in Boise, Eagle, and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He has been written up in USA Today, Wall Street Journal, many other publications. He has been on TV. In 2011, he was named the Idaho 

Restauranteur of the Year. 

More importantly than all of that, or at least equally as important with all of that, he is a member of numerous organizations 

dealing with small businesses. He is also a Commissioner for the 

Idaho Human Rights Commission, and a Board member for the 

Idaho Health Insurance Exchange that is attempting to make this 

monstrosity work. We thank you for your service in Idaho. 

Mr. Settles is angry. I am just really disappointed that the representatives of the Treasury Department, the Department of 

Health and Human Services, and the Small Business Administration, who just gave us all these glowing stories about how wonderful Obamacare is, could not stick around for just a few minutes to 
66 

hear that that is all baloney and how this is actually working on 

the ground. Kevin, thank you for coming, and I know you are going 

to be very candid with us about your thoughts on this. 

Chair LANDRIEU. And our final witness today is William Dennis. 

Mr. Dennis is currently a Senior Research Fellow with the National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation in 

Washington. As part of that employment, he spent five years as a 

staff member for the U.S. House of Representatives. And what 

member was that, Mr. Dennis? 

Mr. DENNIS. Vernon Thomson from Wisconsin. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Great. Ms. Clark, why do we not go ahead and 

start with you? And if we could try to limit your opening remarks 

to four minutes each? You can submit it to the record. If you could 

summarize your remarks so we can really get our questions in? 

STATEMENT OF NANCY CLARK, PRESIDENT, GLEN GROUP, 

INC. 

Ms. CLARK. Sure. Thank you very much for the opportunity to be 

here. I can tell you, I am part of the 96 percent. I am the 96 percent that has benefitted from the Affordable Care Act. I have nine 

employees. I am currently recruiting for two more, which is fantastic, and I have long been an advocate of the improvement in our 

health care system, because as a small business owner, I really believe that a healthy workforce is a more productive workforce. 

And that helps me ensure the success of my business and allows 

me to continue to retain jobs and create new jobs. I absolutely believe that health care should be a right, not a privilege. 

So I instituted a health care plan when I bought my business in 

1997 and have never, ever considered not offering that, even in the 

darkest hours of the recession, and my industry like many others 

got hit pretty hard. When we literally had to turn down the heat 

and shut off the lights, health care was never, ever on the chopping 

block. 

And it is a big expense for me. That is a struggle. Short of payroll, it is my second largest expense. But the good news this year, 

after seeing six years of rising premiums, my premiums actually 

went down for every single employee including the family plans. So 

that, to me, is a really nice step in the right direction. 

And I am a supporter of the Affordable Care Act because I believe it is a step towards a solution. It is a proactive step towards 

no matter what side of the aisle you are on, it is a step towards 

fixing the health care system in our country. And what matters 

most to me is that we are moving forward. We are taking these 

steps forward and we are continuing to provide a mechanism so 

that small employers can offer health care. 

And I have taken advantage of the tax credit ever since its inception three years ago. Now, it has been about $1,100 each year, 

which is not meaningful to a lot of businesses, but it is to mine. 

And it is meaningful to me for two reasons. One, because we had 

a rough few years, and so it has contributed to the bottom line of 

my business. We are not quite break-even yet, but we will be in 

2013. 

And secondly, as I mentioned just a minute ago, it is meaningful 

because it truly helps businesses where it matters most, in our bot-
67 

tom line. But thirdly, I hope once I break even that I can give it 

back to my employees, which I believe was the intent of the tax 

credit, that I can help offset some of their expenses. 

So I am very pleased that I was appointed to the Health Exchange Advisory Board in New Hampshire, both as a small business member, but also I was appointed as a consumer member. 

And we have this diverse great group of people on that Board and 

we are all committed to implementing the exchange component of 

the Affordable Care Act. 

So I am delighted to be a voice at that table and to encourage 

those initiatives to improve our health care in the U.S. So thank 

you so much for your time today. I do really look forward to answering questions you might have as a real business, boots-on-theground owner in the store. So thank you very much for your time. 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Clark follows:] 
68 

Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns 

Wednesday, July 24, 2013 

Testimony of 

Nancy Clark 

T own a small business in New Hampshire, employing 9 people and currently recruiting for two 

additional positions. I have long been an advocate for an improvement in our healthcare system 

because as a small business owner, I believe that health care should be a right, not a privilege. A 

healthy workforce is a more productive workforce ... which helps to ensure the success of my 

business, which in tum, retains and creates new jobs. 

I instituted a healthcare plan when I bought my business in 1997, and have never considered not 

offering it. Even during the darkest days of the recession, when we turned down the heat and 

shut offlights to save money, health care was never ever on the chopping block. I am a 

supporter of the ACA because I believe it is a step towards a solution in fixing our healthcare 

system. It is a huge step forward To me, it doesn't matter what side of the aisle you are 

on .... what matters is that we are taking steps forward, that we are doing something meaningful to 

offset the cost of healthcare and insure that we have a mechanism to provide healthcare. 

I have taken advantage of the tax credit each year since its inception - my tax credit has averaged 

$1100 a year, which for many businesses is not much, but for me it is very meaningful for two 

reasons. 1) I'm able to put that towards my bottom line because we aren't quite break even yet, 

and 2) It is a real and genuine step towards encouraging more businesses like mine to offer 

health care .. .it truly helps small businesses where it matters most - our bottom line. 

I am also pleased to have been appointed to the Health Exchange Advisory Board in NH, as both 

a small business member and a consumer. We have a diverse and positive group of people on 

this board, who are committed to implementing this component of the Affordable Care Act. I'm 

delighted to be a voice at that table to support and encourage initiatives to improve access to 

health care in the U.S. 

Thank you for your time today, and I look forward to answering any questions you may have. 
69 

Bio of Nancy Clark 

Nancy Clark is owner/president of Glen Group, Inc., a full service advertising agency in 

New Hampshire. In addition to her agency experience working with many of the agency's 

business and healthcare clients, Nancy is a member ofthe Health Exchange Advisory Board in 

NH, is currently a NH Business and Industry Association board member and executive 

committee member of the Mt. Washington Valley Economic Council. As a member of the NH 

BrA board, she chairs a healthcare committee as part of the association's strategic planning 

process. She is an EMT affiliated with local ambulancc service, and she & her husband, Rob, 

are licensed emergency foster care parents. As the mother of 4 active boys, she often says that 

she is a "frequent flyer" consumer of the health care system. A graduate of Long Island 

University, with a B.A. in Communications/Journalism, Nancy frequently lectures on business, 

marketing and finance. 
70 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you, Mrs. Clark. Mr. Lee. 

STATEMENT OF JAMAL LEE, DIRECTOR AND CHIEF 

ENGINEER, BREASIA STUDIOS, LLC 

Mr. LEE. Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you so much, Chair 

Landrieu and Ranking Member Risch, as well as the Committee 

members. It is an honor and a pleasure to be a part of this. This 

is an opportunity that allows us to speak our words about very serious issues, this particular issue. 

So my name is Jamal Lee and I am the owner of Breasia Productions. We are an audio, lighting, and video streaming production 

company in Laurel, Maryland. I also sit on the Network Council for 

the Small Business Majority. The Small Business Majority is a national small business advocacy organization that works to find solutions for the larger problems that smaller businesses face today. 

I volunteer my time and entrepreneurial expertise to help the 

Small Business Majority find pragmatic solutions to many issues 

concerning small businesses today. That is kind of what I wanted 

to talk about today. 

I started my career in movie production in movies like Runaway 

Bride and Wedding Crashers, and I worked my way up to be the 

head audio producer and engineer for the Washington Nationals 

baseball team, and then I eventually opened up Breasia Productions, which has been enormously successful at this point. 

Although Breasia Productions has gained a lot of recognition in 

regard to the kind of work that we do for the MEs and the inaugural galas and things of that nature, a feature on Oprah Winfrey 

and that sort of thing. But as a new business owner, I knew I could 

not afford $400 to $600 in premiums for health care for my employees. With great regret, I chose against, at the time, having health 

insurance because the prices were astronomical, in my opinion. In 

fact, I did not have coverage since college in my mid-20s or early 

20s. 

When I needed a medical procedure done, I actually left the 

country and flew to a neighboring country to have my procedures 

completed. And I would vacation and I would shop and I would 

dine and I would have the procedures done and it would still be 

less, the whole trip would be less than what I would pay for the 

procedure here in my own backyard. That is a hard pill to swallow 

for me because I am a patriotic and I love my country. I believe 

we live in the best country on the planet. 

I considered it a blessing to learn of Governor O’Malley’s Working Family and Small Business Health Care Coverage Act of 2007. 

I was eligible for the small business grant that helped me to make 

health insurance more affordable, and I am fortunate to live in 

Maryland. Maryland is a state that has made small business coverage a priority. 

Beyond this, for me, it is very personal, this entire issue because 

of my business manager, Nailah Govern. She fell ill last year and 

she needed emergency surgery, and I found her face down on the 

floor and she was gasping for air. In fact, she was dying. 

The doctor said that if I had not rushed her to the hospital when 

we had gotten her there, that she would not be with us. Without 

the Affordable Care Act, she would have been, I believe, shifted 
71 

around from medical system to medical system receiving—not receiving the immediate treatment that I believe she required at the 

moment. 

Because of that support of the affordable health care, today she 

is with me and I actually made her my wife. I think she had to 

marry me because I saved her life. 

So in all that to say, I really appreciate the time that we have 

here today. Ask any questions. We are right in the midst of the firing squad, if you will, and it is difficult, but we are here to help 

grow the economy and build our workforce, and I believe that we 

are the backbone of the economy right now. So we really need the 

assistance of what we have in place. Thanks. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Lee follows:] 
72 

STATEMENT :FOR THE RECORD 

BEFORE THE SENATE SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP 

COMMITTEE 

ON 

SMAU~ BUSINESSES AND HEALTHCARE 

JULY 24, 2013 

JAMAL LEE 

OWNER 

BREASIA STUDIOS 

Good morning, Chair Landrieu, Ranking Member Risch and members of the committee. 

My name is Jamal Lee, I'm the owner of Breasia Studios, an audio, lighting, and video production 

company in Laurel, Maryland. I'm also a member of Small Business Majority's Network Council. 

Small Business Majority is a national small business advocacy organization that works to find 

solutions to the biggest problems faring small businesses today. As a network council member, I 

volunteer my time aud entrepreneurial expertise to help Small Business Majority find pragmatic 

solutions to many of those problems-one of which is the risiug cost of health insurance. That's what 

I'd like to talk to you about today. 

I stalted my career working lighting on various movie sets and concerts, eventually becoming the 

audio producer for the Washington Nationals. In 2005, I Breasia SJudios in my mother's Baltimore, 

Maryland basement. I worked hard and we did well, and it wasn't long before we moved to a space in 

Laurel that could accommodate new equipment and added employees. 

Although Breasia Studios was gaining recognition, there was stnI one major obstacle to overcome: 

health insurance. As a new business owner, 1 knew I couldn't afford to provide health care to my 

employees. In fact, I didn't even have insurance and hadn't since I was in my 20S. In order to have 

any procedures done I chose to leave the country because it was too expensive here in America. 

Luckily, I discovered that, thanks to the Governor's Working Families and Small Business Health 

Coverage Act of 2007, I was eligible for a small husiness grant that helped make health insurance 

more affordable. I'm lucky enough to live in Maryland, a state that has made small business coverage 

a priority, but I strongly believe affordable healthca!'e should be accessible for everyone. The 

Affordable Care Act, especially the small business provisions, will help me to continue to provide 

coverage for my employees. In fact, I've already received a healthcare tax credit thauks to the new 

law. 

What's more, my wife and bmdness partner, Nailah Gobern, almost died in December 2011. I actually 

found her lying on the floor gasping for air. I don't want to think about what could have happened if 

she didn't have the coverage that has been made availahle through the recent adjustments in the law. 

1820 Jefferson PI NW, Suite 400 • Washington, DC 20036 • (202) 828-8357 • www.smallbusinessmajority.org 
73 

Without the Affordable Care Act, she would have just been sbifted around through the medical 

system and probably not have received the treatment that she needed. She almost died as it was. 

I always wanted health insurance and being self-employed we couldn't afford it. We don't want to go 

baek to that. I'm looking forward to full implementation of the Affordable Care Act next year when 

our state exchange opens and additional cost containment provisions go into effect. I may finally 

st31t to have the certainty and stahility I need when it comes to health insurance premiums and 

chokes of plans. 

Benefits of the ACA for my small business 

The high cost of health insurance has been one of my top business eoneerns from the start. Costs 

have continued to skyrocket while quality of coverage has decreased, The status quo was completely 

unacceptable. Doing nothing would have wreaked havoc on my and other small business owners' 

bottom lines and our ability to create jobs. Small Business Majority commissioned MIT economist 

Jonathan Gruber to conduct an analysis on the consequences of doing nothing. Gruber's analysis 

found that, without reform, small employers would pay $2,4 trillion in healthcare costs by 2018, 

costing 178,000 jobs, $834 billion in small business wages and $52.1 billion in profits. 

Those numbers show why passage of the ACA was so important. 

There have been objections from small business owners about this law, but I believe that that 

discontent is largely based on misinformation and m}ths. One myth I hear all the time is that small 

businesses will go out of business because they'll be required to provide eastly health insurance to 

their employees. That's just not the case. Lets look at the numbers: 96% of all businesses in this 

country have fewer than 50 full-time employees, which means they won't be required to offer 

insurance at all. Of the 4% who do have more than 50 employees, 96% of them already offer 

insurance. So, that leaves 0.02% of small businesses that have more than 50 full-time employees and 

don't offer insurance that will be impacted. That's a very small segment of our community. 

Going back to the majority of small businesses, I'm one of those employers with fewer than 50 fulltime-equivalent employees. Starting next year, I'll be able to use Ollr state small business health 

insurance exchange to purchase coverage. This is huge. In Maryland, we don't have a lot of choice in 

insurance providers. In fact, we only have three. The Small Business Health Options (SHOP) 

exchange will allow business O\\'ners like me to pool our buying power when purchasing insurance. 

With a larger pool of businesses, ideally we will have more insurers offering coverage, and therefore 

more options to choose from. Presumably, this will make the market more competitive and I expect 

prices to come down as a result. Simply knowing I'll be able to shop for other plans as insurers 

change and costs fluctuate makes me feel more secure. 

Another way the 1aw win help me personally and reiu in eosts across the system is that up until now, 

a huge and largely unknown cost associated witb private health insurance has been a hidden cost 

passed onto the insured when the uninsured receive medical care. VVbcn an uninsured individual 

receives care they can't fully pay for, health providers recoup a portion of unpaid-for care by passing 

the costs on to the insured with higher rates and premium costs. When everyone is required to have 

insurance, there won't be the need to pass those costs on. 

Many provisions of the ACA are key to making health insurance more accessible and affordable for 

smal1 businesses like mine. In addition to the exchanges, a multitude of cost containment provisions 

win go into effect next year that "'IFill help lower costs throughout the system. And as a businessman, 

it's important to me the country balance its books. The ACA helps lower costs while reducing the 

federal deficit by more than $200 million by 2020 and more than $1 trillion over the 10 years after 

that. 

Conclusion 

1820 Jefferson PI NW, Suite 400 • Washington, DC 20036 • (202) 828-8357 • www.smallbusinessmajority.org 
74 

The ACA isn't p(~lfcet and it won't solve all of our health insurance problems overnight. However, it is 

the first meaningful law in decades that meets many of small businesses' core needs in regards to 

rising health care costs. In this fragile economy, policies that allow us to spend less on health 

premiums so we can keep more of our profits to reinvest in our companies and create jobs are what 

we need the most. 

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to address the committee today. 

1820 lefferson PI NW, Suite 400· Washington, DC 20036· (202) 828-8357 • www.smallbusinessmajority.org 
75 

Jamal Lee started his career by working lighting on various movie sets and concerts, 

eventually becoming the audio producer for the Washington Nationals. He has also worked 

the Technical Emmys featuring Oprah. In 2005, Jamal's strong entrepreneurial spirit led 

him to create his own recording and production studio. He knew the 9 to 5 life wasn't for 

him, and after getting his feet wet in sound production, Jamal set up Breasia Studios in his 

mother's Baltimore, Maryland basement. Despite humble beginnings, the studio grew 

quickly. It wasn't long before Jamal moved to a space in Laurel that could accommodate 

new equipment and added employees-who were becoming a necessary part of his 

business. With a growing number of clients based in Washington, D.C., Breasia Studios 

continues to flourish. 
76 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you, Mr. Lee. To make this more fair, 

you all sat sort of pro and con. I am going to go to Mr. Settles and 

then come back. So, Mr. Settles, please proceed. 

STATEMENT OF KEVIN SETTLES, PRESIDENT AND CEO, 

BARDENAY RESTAURANT & DISTILLERY 

Mr. SETTLES. Chairwoman Landrieu and Ranking Member Risch, 

members of the Committee, I would like to thank you for your time 

today. My testimony today will focus on some of the issues that my 

company has been struggling with while trying to understand the 

health care law. I want to ensure that my company, Bardenay, is 

fully compliant with the law while remaining healthy and vibrant. 

These issues are the definition of a full-time employee; (2) employee classifications, and that is full-time, part-time, variable 

hours, seasonal; (3) auto-enrollment; and (4) non-discrimination 

rules. After more than three years, there is still a tremendous 

amount of uncertainty surrounding the laws. This uncertainly has 

been a key factor in extending the longest time period without expansion in all my years as an independent businessman. 

Bardenay is operated for the long run. We do not make long-term 

commitments to unmanageable expenses, and we cannot know how 

to manage for PPACA until all of its rules are known. While the 

law’s definition of a full-time employee of 30 hours has been published for some time now, how it actually applies to my operation 

is trickier to calculate. 

My restaurants are very busy places and it takes a well-trained 

staff of restaurant professionals to make them run. We are also 

very much affected by the seasons. The number of people it takes 

to run my restaurants in the winter is much lower than in the 

summer. While we do hire some people to work just through the 

summer, we have many more that want to work year-around, but 

vary the hours that they work to fit the seasons. 

This is where the Federally defined classifications of full-time, 

variable hour, and seasonal come into play. These rules will affect 

our ability to allow our employees to have the variable hour schedules that they find so attractive. The hours they work are often 

based upon their needs. Maybe they are returning to college. We 

have a lot of parents who are splitting child care duties. 

This is the freedom that has caused a number of my employees 

to decline health insurance because to get it through my company, 

you have to work a fixed schedule and that does not fit their lifestyle. And in our industry, lifestyle is a critical factor in attracting 

employees. It is our ability to use the work schedules to determine—pardon me. 

Our ability to use it when determining work schedules is diminished under the law. With the significant added cost to insurance 

and penalties for not offering it, we cannot let them inadvertently 

slip between part-time and full-time. Since many of our employees 

like to work about 30 hours a week, their schedules will have to 

be managed very closely. 

When it comes to auto enrollment, this is the specific provision 

that has stopped me from looking at expanding. While I now know 

that we are exempt from it for now, it is the uncertainty regarding 

how this rule would be applied, combined with not knowing what 
77 

a policy is going to cost, that has stopped me from looking into expansion. 

As an employer, life gets a lot more complex when you pass 50 

full-time equivalents in employees. I have discussed this issue with 

the CEOs of the three largest health insurance providers in Idaho 

and they have confirmed that you need to be covering at least 400 

employees to get the best rates. 

For now, Bardenay is subject to the requirements to offer coverage under the health care law, but we do not qualify for the best 

rates and yet, we are too large to take advantage of the Exchanges 

that are being set up. 

When it comes to the non-discrimination rules, I have to be careful that I do not offer a better policy to my CFO, who has an 

M.B.A., than I do to any other employee. Today’s restaurants are 

very sophisticated businesses and its employees must have a variety of skill sets for it to succeed. 

Restaurants are the place where many people learn to work. Our 

staff varies from young people, working their first job, to industry 

veterans with college degrees. I need to ensure that I can retain 

my highly skilled staff by providing them with the benefits that 

they expect. 

To meet the law’s requirements, we may end up asking participating employees to contribute financially. The law allows for this 

and sets out the terms for calculating the maximum employee contribution. The danger is that we need a certain percentage of the 

eligible employees to participate or the carrier will decline to bind 

coverage. In Idaho, that rate is generally 75 percent to 80 percent 

of the eligible people that will have to participate. 

Since the law has passed, Bardenay has thrived, yet we have 

been conservative in our actions. We have sat on the sidelines and 

worked on our internal system so that we are ready to grow if that 

still seems prudent once we know the full impact of the law. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Can you try to wrap up, Mr. Settles? 

Mr. SETTLES. In closing, I would like to state that I am not 

against offering health care coverage. We have offered it to our salaried staff since shortly before we opened and we picked up 100 

percent of the cost. Since the health care law has passed, the cost 

of that policy has doubled, and it would have gone up higher except 

we have allowed the deductible to triple—actually, it has gone up 

fourfold. 

So that kind of price increase is not sustainable. More than three 

years after the law’s enactment, we still do not know if it will make 

it easier for employers like me to cover more employees or not, and 

we do not know—for those of us with the goal of growing a business, and the thing has just gotten much more complex. Thank 

you. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Settles follows:] 
78 

the 

Restaurant Association 

HEARING: IMPLEMENTATION OF TIlE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT: UNDERSTANDING 

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS 

BEFORE: 

By: 

DATE: 

COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP 

U.S. SENATE 

KEVIN SETTIJiS 

PRESIDENT AND CEO 

BARDENAY RESTAURANT & DISTILLERY 

JULY 24, 2013 
79 

National Restaurant Association 

"Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

Page 2 

Statement for the hearing 

"Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: 

Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

Before the 

Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 

U.S. Senate 

By 

Kevin Settles, 

President and CEO, 

Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery 

On behalf of the 

National Restaurant Association 

July 24, 2013 

Chairwoman Landrieu, Ranking member Risch, and members of the Senate Committee 

on Small Business and Entrepreneurship; thank you for the opportunity to testify today on the 

Affordable Care Act's implementation and the concerns of small businesses like mine. 

My name is Kevin Settles and I own and operate Bardenay Restaurants & Distilleries 

with three locations: Boise, Eagle and Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. I'm honored to share the 

perspective of my company and the National Restaurant Association, where I serve on the 

organization's Board of Directors. 

I have spent a lot of time studying the impacts of this law on my business and was 

appointed by Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter to Idaho's Health Insurance Exchange Board as one 

of four small employer business interests. 

Today, my testimony will focus on some ofthe issues that my company has been 

struggling with while trying to understand the health care law. I want to ensure that Bardenay is 

fully compliant with the law, while remaining healthy and vibrant. These issues are: 

• The definition of a full-time employee; 

• Employee Classifications - such as full time, part time, variable hour and seasonal; 

• The determination of who is a small or large employer; 

• Auto Enrollment; 
80 

National Restaurant Association 

"Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

Page 3 

Non-discrimination rules; 

Employer reporting; 

• Communicating with employees; and 

• Policy costs. 

Even after more than three years, there is still a tremendous amount of uncertainty, which has 

been a key factor in extending what for me is the longest time period without expansion in my 

years as an independent businessman. Bardenay is operated for the long run, which means that 

we do not make long-term commitments to unmanageable expenses. One can only manage the 

law's effects once all of the rules are known. 

BARNENAY RESTAURANT & DISTILLERY 

Bardenay Restaurant and Distillery is a cornerstone of Idaho's restaurant and bar industry, 

with three locations that capture the spirit of Idaho and the Northwest. Employing about 200 

people, Bardenay is a small business with a goal of being the employer of choice in our industry. 

As the nation's first restaurant distillery, Bardenay has set an industry precedent as the 

full serviee restaurant and bar with the ability to create handcrafted liquor on-site. We made 

history on April 25, 2000, when we served the first cocktail to included spirits distilled in a 

restaurant in the U.S. 

THE RESTAURANT AND FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY 

The National Restaurant Association is the leading trade association for the restaurant 

and foodservice industry. Its mission is to help members like me establish customer loyalty, 

build rewarding careers, and achieve financial success. The industry is comprised of 980,000 

restaurant and foodservice outlets employing 13.1 million people who serve 130 million guests 

daily. Restaurants are job-creators. While small businesses comprise the majority of restaurants, 

the industry as a whole is the nation's second-largest private-sector employer, employing about 

ten percent of the U.S. workforce. 1 

The unique characteristics of our workforce create compliance challenges for restaurant 

and foodscrvice operators within this law. It's difficult for restaurants to determine how the law 

impacts them and what they must do to comply. Many of the determinations employers must 

makc to figure out how the law impacts them - for example the applicable large employer 

calculation - are much more complicated for restaurants than for other businesses that have more 

stable workforces with less turnover. 

t 2013 Restaurant Industry Forecast. 
81 

National Restaurant Association 

"Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

Page 4 

Restaurants are employers of choice for many looking for flexible work schedules and 

the ability to pick up extra shifts as available. As a result, we employ a high proportion of pal1-

time and seasonal employees. We are also an industry of small businesses - more than seven 

out of ten eating and drinking establishments are single-unit operators. Much of our workforce 

could be considered "young invincibles," as 43 percent of employees are under age 26.2 Hence, 

high turnover is the norm. In addition, the restaurant business model produces relatively low 

profit margins of only four to six percent before taxes, with labor costs being one of the most 

significant line items for a restaurant. 3 

Business owners crave cel1ainty, because it enables us to plan for the future and make 

decisions that benefit our employees, customers, and communities. One of the most difficult 

things to predict about the impact of this law is the choices employees will make. 

Will they accept restaurant operators' offers of minimum essential coverage more than 

they do today? 

Will our young workforce choose to pay the individual mandate tax penalty instead of 

accepting the employer's offer of coverage in 2015, 2016 and beyond? 

Will exchange coverage be less expensive than what our operators can afford to offer 

under the law? 

With the younger, healthier population of the workforce, we may find that more team members 

will favor the tax penalty because it is less expensive than employer-sponsored coverage. This 

provides less cel1ainty for employers to predictively model. 

COMPLYING WITH THE HEALTH CARE LAW IS CHAI_LENGING FOR RESTAURANT AND 

FOODSERVICE OPERA TORS GIVEN THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF TIm INDUSTRY 

Since the law was enacted in 2010, the National Restaurant Association has taken steps to 

educate America's restaurants about the requirements of the law and the details of the Federal 

agencies' guidance and regulations. Through the National Restaurant Association Health Care 

Knowledge Center website (Restaurant.orglhealthcare), we offer one place where restaurant 

operators of every size can go to better understand the law's requirements and determine its 

impact on their employees and businesses. 

The National Restaurant Association has actively participated in the regulatory process, 

from the beginning, to ensure that the implementing regulations and Federal agencies' guidance 

consider the implications for businesses that are not just one type or size. As co-leaders of the 

Employers for Flexibility in Health Care (E-Flex) coalition, we have partnered with other 

businesses and organizations with similar workforce characteristics. Together we advocate for 

2 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. 

32013 Restaurant [ndustly Forecast. 
82 

National Restaurant Association 

"Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

Page 5 

greater flexibility and options within the implementing regulations, especially for those that 

employ many part-time, seasonal, or temporary employees. 

The overarching challenge restaurant and foodservice operators face in complying with 

the law is to first understand its complicated and interwoven requirements. By far, the definition 

of "full-time employee" under the law poses the greatest challenge. It does not reflect current 

workforce practices and could have a detrimental impact on a restaurant operator's ability to 

offer flexible schedules for his or her employees. 

In addition, the applicable large employer determination is too complex. It stifles smaller 

employers' ability to manage their workforces, expand their businesses and prepare to offer 

health care coverage. Finally, the automatic enrollment provision could cause financial hardship 

and greater confusion about the law for some employees, without increasing their access to 

coverage. 

All of these factors combine to complicate what a restaurant and foodservice operator 

must consider when adapting their business to comply with the law. 

ApPUCABLE LARGE EMPLOYER DETERMINA nON 

To determine the law's impact on a restaurant, the employer must first determine if they 

are considered small or large under the definitions of the law. The statute prescribes a very 

specific calculation that must be used by employers to determine if they are an applicable large 

employer and hence subject to the Shared Responsibility for Employers and Employer Reporting 

provisions. Due to the structure of many restaurant companies, determining the employer may 

be more complicated than expected. 

Aggregation rules in the law require employers to apply the long-standing Common 

Control Clause4 in the Internal Revenue Code (Tax Code) to determine if they are considered 

one or mUltiple employers for the purposes ofthe health care law. These rules have been part of 

the Tax Code for years, but this is the first time that many restaurateurs, especially smaller 

operators, have had to understand how these complicated regulations apply to their businesses. 

The Treasury Department has not issued, nor to our knowledge plans to issue, guidance to help 

smaller operators understand how these rules apply to them. Restaurant and food service 

operators are forced to hire expensive tax advisors to determine how the complicated rules and 

regulations associated with this section ofthe Tax Code apply to their specific situations. Often, 

entrepreneurs own multiple restaurant entities with various partners. Though these restaurateurs 

consider each operation to be a separate small business, many are discovering that, for the 

purposes of the health care law, all of the businesses can be considered one employer due to 

common ownership. 

4 Internal Revenue Code, §414 (b),(c),(m),(o). 
83 

National Restaurant Association 

"Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

Page 6 

Once a restaurant or foodservice operator determines what cntities are considered a singlc 

employer, they must determine their applicable large employer status annually. For somc 

restaurants, like Bardenay, it is clear that we have more than 50 full-time equivalent (FTE) 

employees employed on business days in a calendar year. However, many small businesses will 

have to complete this calculation annually to determine their responsibilities under the law. That 

is not so casy given the number of employees' hours of service that must be tracked due to the 

labor intensive nature of the business. 

Unfortunately, operators on the cusp of 50 full-time equivalent employees are struggling 

to understand how to complete this complicated calculation each year. An employer must 

consider each employee's hours of service in all 12 calendar months each year. Immediately 

after they achieve this cumbersome calculation at the end of the year, they must begin to offer 

coverage January 1 st. 

Smaller restaurant and foodservice operators need clarification on when such employers 

must offer coverage in future years. Will small businesses just reaching the applicable large 

employer threshold on December 31, 2015, for example, be able to offer coverage a day later on 

January I, 20l6? Currently, the law does not allow any time to shop for coverage or conduct 

open enrollment once a small employer determines they are now a large employer. Congress 

should allow small businesses an administrative period betwecn determining large employer 

status and offer of coverage, before it creates further confusion, cspecially in the second year of 

implementation and beyond. 

The applicable large employer determination is complicated. Employers must determine 

all employees' hours of service each calendar month, calculate the number of FTEs per month, 

and finally average each month over a full calendar year to determine the employer's status for 

the following year. The calculation is as follows: 

1. An employer must first look at the number offull-time employees employed each 

calendar month, defined as 30 hours a week on average or 130 hours of service per 

calendar month. 

2. The employer must then consider the hours of service for all other employees, 

including part-time and seasonal, counting no more than 120 hours of service per 

person. The hours of service for all others arc aggregated for that calcndar month and 

divided by 120. 

3. This second step is added to the number of full-time employees for a total full-time 

equivalent employee calculation for one calendar month. 
84 

National Restaurant Association 

"Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

Page 7 

4. An employer must complete the same calculation for the remaining I I calendar 

months and average the number over 12 calendar months to determine their status for 

the following calendar year. 

This annual determination is administratively burdensome, especially for those employers just 

above or below the 50 FTE threshold who must most closely mon'itor their status - most likely 

smaller businesses. Many restaurant operators rely on third-party vendors to develop technology 

or solutions to help them comply with these types of requirements but, in addition to the added 

costs and time this requires, vendors are backlogged and solutions are not easily accessible at this 

time. 

Congress should simplify this calculation and help small busincsses more easily 

determine their status under the law. A more workable definition of large employer is needed as 

the current calculation stifles smaller employers' ability to manage their workforces, plan to 

expand their businesses, and prepare to provide health coverage. 

OFFERING COVERAGE TO FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES 

The health care law requires employers subject to the Shared Responsibility for 

Employers provision to offer a certain level of coverage to their full-time employees and their 

dependents, or face potential penalties. The statute defines a full-time employee as someone 

who averages 30 hours a week in any given month. 

This 30-hour threshold is not based on existing laws or traditional business practices. In 

fact, the Fair Labor Standards Act does not define full-time employment. It simply requires 

employers to pay overtime when nonexempt employees work more than a 40-hour workweck. 

As a result, 40 hours per week is generally considered full-time in many U.S. industries. In the 

restaurant and foodservice industry, operators have traditionally used a 40-hour definition of fulltime. Adopting such a dcfinition in this law would also provide employers the flexibility to 

comply with the law in a way that best fits their workforce and business models. 

Compliance based on a 30-hour a week definition is further complicated by the fact that, 

for restaurant and food service opcrators who are applicable large employers, it is not easy to 

predict which hourly staff might work 30 hours a week on average and which will not. Hourly 

employees are scheduled for more or less hours depending on several factors, including customer 

traffic flows. 
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One reason so many Americans arc drawn to restaurant jobs is the flexibility to change 

your hours to suit your own personal needs. However, under this law, for the first time, the 

federal government has drawn a bright line as to who is considered full-time and who is 

considered part-time. As a result, employers with variable workforces and flexible scheduling 

must alter their practices and be very deliberate about scheduling hours. The reason being that 

the law imposes a greater financial impact than before in the form of potential liability for 

employer penalties if employees who work full-time hours are not offered coverage. If the 

definition is not changed to align with workforce patterns, the flexibility so many employees 

value will no longer be as widely available in the industry. This could result in significant 

structural changes to our labor market. 

At Bardenay, we have redefined who is a full-time employee because of the definition 

within this law. And it will have an impact on my employees' ability to pick up extra hours 

when they would like them. We will be requiring full time employees to work a full 40 hours. 

At the rates we are currently paying for insurance, our costs per employee that we provide 

insurance to will increase by over $3.00 per hour. To ensure that we obtain maximum value for 

this benefit, we have already set up our scheduling program to alert us when an employee is 

close to crossing over from the vmiable classification to full time. 

The National Restaurant Association supports efforts, such as Senators Susan Collins' 

and Joe Donnelly's bipartisan bill S. 1188, and Congressman Todd Young's bill H.R. 2575, that 

would define a full-time employee under the Affordable Care Act as someone working 40 hours 

or more a week. 

We appreciate that the Treasury Department, in its January 2nd proposed rule, recognized 

that it may be difficult for applicable large employers (0 determine employees' status as full-time 

or part-time on a monthly basis, causing employee chum between employer coverage and the 

exchange or other programs. Such coverage instability is not in our employees' best interests. 

We are pleased that the Lookback Measurement Method is an option that applicable large 

employers may use. 

While the Lookback Measurement Method's implementing rules are complex, it could be 

helpful for both employers and employees. Employers will be better able to predict costs and 

accurately offer coverage to employees as required. Employees whose hours fluctuate (variable 

hour and seasonal employees) have the peace of mind of knowing that if their hours do decrease 

from onc month to the next, coverage will not be cut short before the end of their stability period. 

CHALLENGES FOR ApPLICABLE LARGE EMPLOYERS OFFERING COVERAGE TO THEIR FULLTIME EMPLOYEES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS 

Oncc an applicable large employer has determined to whom coverage must be offered, hc 

or she must make sure that the coverage is of 60 percent minimum value and considered 

affordable to the employee, or face potential employer penalties. 
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Minimum value is generally understood to be a 60 percent actuarial test; a measure of the 

richness of the plan's offered benefits. This is a critical test for employers especially relating to 

what the employer's group health plan covers and hence what the premium cost will be in 2014. 

Business owners strive for certainty, and that means the ability to plan for their future costs. 

Employers are eager to know what their premium costs will be under the new law. Minimum 

value is necessary to determining that infOimation. 

On February 25, 2013 the Health and Human Services Department included the 

Minimum Value Calculator, one of the acceptable methods to determine a plan's value, in its 

Final Rule: Standards Related to Essential Health Benefits, Actuarial Value, and Accreditation. 

Minimum value can now be detennined using this calculator or other options, but it is still 

difficult to anticipate premium costs this far in advance. 

Why? Rates are not usually available until a few months before the employer's plan year 

bcgins because insurance companies provide quotes based on the most current data with the 

greatest amount of claims history. This gives operators a short timeframe to budget and make 

business decisions in advance of the new plan year. Restaurant operators are eager to see 

premiums for 2014 and better evaluate the impact and costs associated with the employer 

requirements for voluntary compliance and then full implementation in 2015. 

I employ about 200 people with 60-90 of them full-time employees, depending on the 

season. We currently provide insurance to our full time, salaried staff. Since the health care law 

passed, the cost of that insurance has doubled and our deductible has gone from $500 to $2,000. 

This policy renews September I and our initial quote was for it to go up another 11% this year. 

No other cost has ever increased at this rate, not even close. 

Insurance has been offered to key hourly employees in the past. Their flexible hours and 

freedom that affords has caused them to decline our offer of coverage as it would require a fixed 

schedule. What many do not realize, is that some employees are not looking to restaurants to 

offer them health care coverage. That is their personal choice. They have the hours they need to 

work and live the lifestyle they choose. The problem is that under this law, with the significant 

added cost of insurance or penalties, we cannot let them inadvertently fluctuate between parttime and full-time. 

The cost of health care coverage has long been a major concern for restaurant and 

foodservice operators. Many of us are subject to the requirement to otler coverage under the law, 

but are not large enough to qualify for large group rates, yet too large to use the Exchanges being 

set up for small employers. I have discussed the issue with the CEO's of the three largest 

insurers in Idaho and they confirmed that employers sitting between 50 and 400 employees are in 

the least desirable position in regards to the health care law. 

To help us manage this new cost, we may end up asking participating employees to 

contribute financially. The law allows for this and sets out terms for calculating the maximum 

employee contribution. The danger is that we need a certain percentage of eligible employees to 

participate or the carrier will decline to bind coverage. In Idaho, that participation rate is 

generally 75 to 80 percent. Ask our employees to contribute too much so they decline coverage 
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and we could find ourselves unable to purchase the insurance that will soon be required by law. 

The Department of Health and Human Services recently issued a proposed rule5 which clarified 

that guaranteed availability and renewability apply in the individual, small group and large group 

markets. If the rule is finalized with this language, it should mean that participation rate 

restrictions will not be allowed for businesses purchasing group health plans like me, but it may 

also increase premiums. 

In addition, Idaho's exchange will impose a 2.5 percent fee on each policy sold within the 

exchange. Since all policies in the state, whether sold on or off the exchange, must be sold for 

the same rate, that fee will be applied to all policies. This means that even though my company 

cannot utilize the Exchange, the policy costs will be higher due to it. 

Speaking of cost, employers must also ensure at least one of their plans is affordable to 

their full-time employees or face potential penalties. A full-time employee's contribution toward 

the cost of the premium for single-only coverage cannot be more than 9.5 percent of their 

household income to be considered affordable. Employers will not know household income -

which the statute specifies as the general standard nor do they want to know this information 

for privacy reasons. Hence, they needed a way to estimate before a plan is offered if it will be 

affordable to employees or potentially trigger an employer penalty. 

What employers do know are the wages they pay their employees. Almost always, 

employees' wages will be a stricter test than household income. Employers are begrudgingly 

willing to accept a stricter test in the form of wages so that they know they are complying with 

the law and are provided protection from penalty under a safe harbor. The Treasury 

Department's proposed rule allows employers to use one of three Affordability Safe Harbors 

based on Form W-2 wages, Rate of Payor Federal Poverty Line. The option of utilizing these 

methods will be helpful to employers as they determine at what level to set contribution rates and 

their ability to continue to offer coverage to their employees. 

I believe that Bardenay will have to go by percentage of pay rate even though that will 

end up as a variable amount. Even though many of my employees have been with us long 

enough for us to use the income from company issued W-2's, if their hours are less and we do 

not adjust, we could be penalized. 

The law speaks to affordability for employees but is silent regarding whether the 

coverage required to comply with the Shared Responsibility for Employers section of the law is 

affordable to employers. As restaurant and foodservice operators implement this law, 

considering all of the interlocking provisions, some will be faced with difficult business 

decisions between offering coverage they cannot afford with a finite dollar for benefits, and 

paying a penalty - an option they do not want to take, but that is equally unaffordable to them as 

well. 

5 Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Proposed Rule: Patient 

Protection and Affordable Care Act; Program Integrity: Exchange, SHOP, Premium Stabilization Programs, and 

Market Standards (CMS-99S7-P), June 19, 2013. 
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We encourage policymakers to address the cost of coverage so that the employersponsored system of health care coverage will be maintained, and businesses aren't forced to 

choose between plans they cannot afford and pcnalties they cannot afford. 

AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENT 

Applicable large employers who employ 200 or more full-time employees are also 

subject to the Automatic Enrollmcnt provision of the law. This duplicative mandate requires 

these employers to enroll new and current full-time employees in their lowest cost plan if the 

employees have not opted out of the coverage. 

This provision also interacts with the prohibition on waiting periods longer than 90 days 

and effectively means that on the 91 S

( day, employers must enroll a new full-time hire in their 

lowest cost plan if the employce does not opt out by that deadline. Employee premium 

contributions will begin to be collected. 

r share the concern many of my restaurant industry colleagues that this could cause 

financial hardship and greater confusion about the law, especially for our young employees. 

Since 43 percent of restaurant employees are under age 26, and therefore more likely to change 

jobs frequently or enroll in their parents' plans, many are likely to inadvertently miss opt-out 

deadlines and will be automatically enrolled in their employer's health plan. This would cause 

significant, unexpected and, most importantly, unnecessary financial hardship. 

Automatically enrolling an employee and then shortly thereafter removing them from the 

plan when the employee opts out increases costs without increasing our employee's access to 

coverage as the law intended. Since the health care law's employer Shared Responsibility 

provision alrcady subjects large employers to potential penalties if they fail to offer affordable 

health care coverage to full-time employees and their dependents, the auto-enrollment mandate is 

redundant. It adds a layer of bureaucracy and, burdens businesses without incrcasing employees' 

access to covcrage. 

Some compare automatically enrolling employees in health benefit plans to automatically 

enrolling them in a 40 I (k) plan, but this isn't a good parallel. The financial contribution 

associated with health benefits can be much larger, for example: 9.5 percent of household 

income toward the cost of the premium for employecs of applicable large employers versus an 

average 3 percent automatic 401(k) contribution.6 The financial burden on employees of 

automatic enrollment in health benefit plans would be much greater than that of 401(k) plans. 

Additionally, 401(k) rules allow employees to access their contributions when they opt out of 

automatic enrollment; however, health benefit premium contributions cannot be retrieved. 

6 "Disparities in Automatic Enrollment Availability," Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2010. 
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Restaurateurs will educate their employees about how this provision impacts them, but if 

an employee misses the 90-day opt out deadline, a premium contribution is a significant amount 

of money, which can be a serious financial burden. Since the same full-time employees must be 

offered coverage by the same employers subject to the Automatic Enrollment provision and the 

Shared Responsibilily for Employer provisions, we believe the automatic provision is 

unnecessary and should be eliminated. 

The National Restaurant Association supports H.R. 1254, legislation introduced by 

Congressman Richard Hudson, together with Congressman Robert Pittenger, that would 

eliminate the automatic enrollment requirement that could hurt both employees and employers. 

While I now know that we are exempt from Auto Enrollment until I expand, it was the 

uncertainty regarding how this rule would be applied, combined with not knowing what a policy 

would cost, that has stopped me from looking into expansion. As an employer, life gets more 

complex when you pass 50 FTE's and you do not gain a cost advantage due to size until you 

exceed 400 FTE's. 

NONDISCRIMINATION RULES Now WILL ApPI"Y TO FULLy-INSURED PLANS 

The health care law applies the nondiscrimination rules that currently apply to selffunded plans to fully-insured plans in the future. These rules state that a plan cannot offer 

benefits in favor of their highly-compensated individuals over other employees. This rule is not 

in effect as the Treasury Department has put implementation on hold until further guidance has 

been issued in this complex area. Under the law, these rules apply to all insured plans, regardless 

of where they are offered by an applicable large employer or a small business. I am watching 

this rule closely as it could impact what future plan offerings and compliance with the law. 

Current group health plan participation rules often forces operators to carve out the group 

of employees who will participate in the plan. In our members' experience, these are almost 

always a group that would be considered in the top 25 percent based on compensation. 

However, management carve-outs are not just for upper level executives who may 

receive richer benefit plans than the rest of the employees. In the restaurant and foodservice 

industry, management-only plans are sometimes the only option that operators have to provide 

health care coverage to those employees who want to buy it and pass participation requirements 

at the same time. As a result, these plans are quite common in the industry. 

The rules the Treasury Department writes to apply non-discrimination testing to fullyinsured plans could have an impact on our industry. Regardless of how they are written, 

restaurant and foodservice operators will need sufficient transition time to apply these rules as it 

could create upheaval for plans and employers alike. 

With the new non-discrimination rules set to apply to group health plans like the ones I 

purchase, I must be careful not to offer a better policy to my CFO with an MBA than I do to any 

other employee. Today's restaurants are very sophisticated business and its employees must 
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have a variety of skill sets for it to succeed. While Restaurants are still the place where many 

people learn to work, our staff varies from young people without much work experience or those 

with a troubled past to people with college degrees. I need to ensure that I can retain my highly 

skilled staff while not breaking the bank. To avoid this, we may end up asking participating 

employees to contribute financially. 

ApPLICABLE LARGE EMPLOYER REpORTING REQUIREMENTS 

Thc employer reporting requirements are a key area of implementation for employers: 

the required information reporting under Tax Code §6055 and §6056 from the Internal Revenue 

Service and the Treasury Department. These employer reporting requirements are a critical link 

in the chain of the law's implementation. They represent what could be a significant employer 

administrative burden and compliance cost. 

The Administration's July 2nd announcement and subsequent July 9th IRS Notice 2013-45 

provides transition relief and voluntary compliance in 2014 for the Employer Reporting 

requirements under Tax Code Sections 6055 and 6056, and hence the Employer Shared 

Responsibility requirements under Tax Code Section 4980H. 

The restaurant and foodservice industry welcomes this transition relief after asking the 

Administration and Congress for more time to receive, understand, and comply with the complex 

implementing regulations for Employer Reporting under Sections 6055 and 6056. As carly as 

October 2011, the National Restaurant Association, as part of the E-Flex coalition, submitted 

comments to the Administration requesting transition relief and time to implement the reporting 

requirements under Tax Code Sections 6055 and 6056 once the rules were issued. The proposed 

rule from the Treasury Department concerning Tax Code Section 4980H was published in the 

Federal Register on January 2,2013 to implement the employer mandate, but employers have 

been waiting for the also critical proposed rules on Tax Code Sections 6055 and 6056. 

Employers need the rules for these reporting requirements to set up the systems that will 

track data on each full-time employee and their dependents to then report this data to the IRS 

annually. While the first report was not originally required to be submitted to the IRS until 

January 31, 2015, six months (July-Dec 2013) was too short a time frame for employers to 

receive the rule, set up systems or engage vendors to develop information technology systems 

that would begin tracking the necessary data as of January 1,2014. 

We welcome the transition relief and await the proposed rule on Tax Code Sections 6055 

and 6056 that the Administration stated it plans to issue later this summer7 Regarding those 

rules, of particular concern is the flow of information and the timing of reporting employers must 

make to multiple levels and layers of government. Streamlining employer reporting will help 

7 "Continuing to Implement the ACA in a Careful, Thoughtful Manner," Mark Mazur, Treasury Notes Blog, July 2, 

2013: http://www.treasury.gov/conneetlbloglPages/Continuing-to-Implement-the-ACA-in-a-Careful-ThoughtfulManner-.aspx 
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ease employer administrative burden and simplify the process. The restaurant and foodservice 

industry, along with other employer groups, have advocated for a single, annual reporting 

process by employers to the Treasury Department each January 31 st that would provide 

prospective general plan information and wage information for the affordability safe harbors, as 

well as retrospective reporting as required by Tax Code Section 6056 on individual full-time 

employees and their dependents. 

While my comments revolve around the unknowns of this law, there is one certainty; the 

workload in accounting will go up, significantly. To minimize the impact, we have increased the 

required skillset for office assistants - thcy must have experience in accounting - and are 

working with our timekeeping and accounting software provider to try to make reporting as easy 

as possible. Possibly the most positive aspect of transition relief is the added time to understand 

the required reports and I urge that the Treasury Department release the proposed rule as soon as 

possible. 

COMMUNICATING THE LAW'S IMPACT TO OUR EMPLOYEES 

I have made a concerted effort to educate not only myself, but my statio If the people 

responsible for implementing the law cannot launch it in time due to its complexity, how can 

anyone else possibly understand it. My staff is as informed as they can be with the information 

available. They know that some may benefit and some may not but they all know that everyone 

will pay at least something for this law. 

CONCLUSION 

Since enactment of the law, the industry has worked to constructively shape the 

implementing regulations of the health care law. Nevertheless, there are limits to what can be 

achieved through the regulatory process alone. Ultimately, the law cannot stand as it is today 

given the challenges restaurant and foodservice operators face in implementing it. 

Congrcss must address key definitions in the law: The law should more accurately reflect 

restaurant and foodservice operators' needs - and our employees' desire for flexible hours. 

We ask you to simplify the applicable large employer determination and remove the 

unnecessary burdens on small businesses, who must closely track their status from year-to-year. 

And we ask you to eliminate the duplicative automatic enrollment provision, as it has the 

potential to confuse and financially harm employees while burdening employers, without 

increasing employee's access to coverage. 

In closing, I would like to state that I am not against offering health care insurance to my 

employees. I have been able to provide insurance for employees that have had serious illnesses 

and that is very satisfying. When discussions about the law started, I thought great, the U.S. has 

the largest economy in the world and we spend 9% more of our gross domestic production than 
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any other country on healthcare, find the money in there. More than three years after its 

enactment, we still do not know what will happen. What I do know is that for those of us with a 

goal of growing a business, things have gotten much more complex. 

Thank you again for the opportunity to testify before you today regarding small business 

concerns as we implement the health care law. 

This law is one of the most significant requirements our industry has had to comply with 

that most any can remember. While we appreciate the transition relief, giving us thc opportunity 

to receive and understand the rules and then implement them, the industry still faces challenges 

only Congress can address: the definition of full-time employee, the determination of who is an 

applicable large employer under the law, and the elimination of the automatic enrollment 

provision. 

We are both proud and grateful for the responsibility of serving America's communities 

creatingjobs, boosting the economy, and serving our customers. We are committed to working 

with Congress to find solutions that foster job growth and truly benefit the communities we 

servc. 
93 

Bio of Kevin Settles 

Kevin Settles owns and operates the successful Bardenay restaurant & distillery 

operations with location in Boise, Eagle and Coeur d'Alene, ID. He and his businesses 

have earned nationwide recognition in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Fortune, 

Forbes, Inc., Market Watch, National Public Radio and Modem Marvels, an A&E 

Television Network show on the History Channel. In 2011, he was named Idaho 

Restaurateur of the year. 

Kevin is a member of the National Restaurant Associations Board of Directors, Past 

President of the Idaho Lodging and Restaurant Associations Board of Directors, 

Secretary of the Bogus Basin Recreational Association Board of Directors, a 

Commissioner for the Idaho Human Rights Commission and a Board Member for the 

Idaho Health Insurance Exchange. 
94 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you. 

Mr. Katz. 

STATEMENT OF LAWRENCE K. KATZ, PRESIDENT AND CEO, 

JOMAR CAFE ́ , INC., DBA DOT’S DINER 

Mr. KATZ. Good afternoon, Madam Chair Landrieu, Ranking 

Member Risch, and the other distinguished members of the Committee. My name is Larry Katz and I am the owner of the Dot’s 

Diner Restaurant Group based in Metairie, Louisiana. I would like 

to thank Senator Vitter for his invitation to appear today. 

While there is no question that the Federal Government needs 

to reform and strengthen our health care system, I believe that the 

law as currently written will negatively impact job growth, startup expansions, and raise prices, not just of health care, but of all 

products and services that we buy. 

It certainly has had a direct effect on my company, and I anticipate it will leave me in a position of being less competitive than 

other local restaurants going forward. I will detail these observations, but first of all let me tell you a short history of Dot’s and 

me. 

After college, I moved to New Orleans and took a job with a 

clothing manufacturer, eventually becoming President. In 1996, the 

company was sold. Not wanting to continue with the new concern, 

my dream was to own my own company. I cashed in my whole life 

insurance, calculated credit card availability, and emptied my entire savings into my dream. With less than $200,000, I opened the first Dot’s Diner Restaurant. Well, fast-forward 12 months. I had stopped sleeping, was 

down to less than $10,000 in savings, and at that point, I had just 

a few options. Second-mortgage our home or declare bankruptcy. 

The third option of admitting to my wife that I had made a mistake was off the table. 

By the grace of God, perseverance, and some good luck, we broke 

even that week. It was in April 1997 and I can remember the day 

like it was yesterday. The following week we made a few hundred 

dollars and the tide had been turned. Today I own six diners, employ 85 people, and I am proud that I constantly get calls from 

landlords asking us to consider opening a store in their area. 

We offer paid holidays, vacation, dental, vision, term life, and 

health insurance. We currently employ 65 FTEs and, thus, will not 

be able to benefit for most of the subsidies and tax credits offered 

to similar companies under the ACA. And in addition to not benefitting, we will be hurt by virtue of being over the 50 employee 

limit. 

Smaller restaurant companies will now have their employees covered by the Exchanges at little or no cost to them, while larger 

companies generally offer health insurance and will not be impacted as much. Well, we are caught in this unintended donut hole 

and, thus, will be saddled with the options of either dropping our 

current health insurance plans and pay the penalty, or cover 100 

percent of our employees and incur its result in much higher cost. 

While I have, unfortunately, made the decision to quit offering 

coverage as soon as the employer mandate kicks in. As the penalty, 

while huge, is less than the cost of offering the required coverage 
95 

to all of our employees. So beginning January 1, 2015, my employees and I will become part of the Federal system and the company 

will be saddled with a $70,000 after tax penalty. At inception, I will 

be forced to raise my prices between 2 and 3 percent to cover these 

expenses. 

The biggest issue to me, though, is the two major business decisions I am facing. One option is either selling or closing the two 

least profitable diners. This action would jettison 12 FTEs. At that 

point, I would juggle the hours of the remaining employees to get 

us under the 50-person limit. And sadly, I have made the calculation that the corporation would be better off if I were to do exactly 

this, as the penalty owed would be less than the profit I would lose 

if I were to close them. 

So is it not a shameful position to be put into? I, the business 

owner, am now forced to put 16 people out of work just to save 

himself from the negative effects of the ACA. Fearful of the future, 

I am also currently in the process of having Dot’s valued and will 

consider selling the entire company based on what I learn from this 

evaluation. 

So after 17 years, the first few facing bankruptcy, the next eight 

investing 100 percent of our profits back into the company to fuel 

growth, I now strongly am considering getting rid of my life’s work 

and dream. As to expansion, that option is off the table. I want no 

part of adding employees over the 50-person limit. 

I recently went to look at a new restaurant location. The rent, 

the demographics would be perfect. My instincts tell me that it 

would be our best location, and with all that, I decided not to open 

a restaurant there. Why? Because I determined that the prospect 

of adding 15 more employees and permanently assuring myself of 

being over the 50-person employee limit would be more harmful 

than the profits I might gain from opening the diner. 

So in conclusion, with all the benefits that one side of this Committee truly believes will happen, I wanted to point out the very 

real side effects to this Act, the loss of jobs, the raising of prices, 

no expansion, and the forcing of employees into the Federal Exchanges. Thank you all for the opportunity today to speak about 

this critical issue facing our country and its small businesses. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Katz follows:] 
96 

Written Testimony 

Of 

Mr. Lawrence K. "Larry" Katz 

President & CEO, Dots Diner 

Before the 

U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship 

Wednesday, July 24, 2013 

Good afternoon Madam Chair Landrieu, Ranking Member Risch and the other 

distinguished members of the Committee. My name is Larry Katz and I am the owner of 

the Dots Diner restaurant group, based in Metairie, Louisiana. I would like to thank 

Senator Vitter for his invitation to appear today to allow me to share my concerns of how 

the Affordable Care Act will negatively impact my business and equally as importantly, 

negatively effect its' employces. 

While there is no question that the federal government needs to reform and strengthen our 

health care system, I believe that the law as currently written will negatively impact job 

growth, startups & expansions and raise prices, not just of health care, but of all products 

and services that we buy. It certainly has had a direct effect on my company and I 

anticipate it will leave me in a position of being less competitive with other local 

restaurants going forward. 

I will detail these observations, but first allow me to tell you a short history of Dots Diner 

and me. 

After graduating from college, I moved to New Orleans and took ajob with a clothing 

manufacturer, eventually becoming president. In 1996, the company was sold. 

Not wanting to continue with the new concern, my dream was to own my own company. 

I cashed in my Whole Life insurance, calculated credit card availability and emptied my 

life savings into my dream. With less than $200,000.00, I opened the first Dots Diner 

restaurant. 

Fast forward 12 months: I had stopped sleeping and was down to less than $10,000.00 in 

savings. At that point, I considered two options: 2nd mortgage our home or declaring 

bankruptcy. The third option, of admitting to my wife that I had made a mistake, was off 

the table. 

Well, by the grace of God, perseverance and some good luck, we broke even that week. 

It was in April 1997 and I can remember that day like it was yesterday. The following 

week, we made a few hundred dollars and the tide had been turned. 
97 

Today, I own 6 Diners, employ 85 people and I am proud that we constantly get calls 

from landlords asking us to consider opening a store in their area. 

We have paid holidays, vacation, dental, vision, term life and health insurance. We 

currently employ 65 FTE's and thus, will not be able to benefit from most of the 

subsidies and tax credits offered to smaller companies under the ACA. 

In addition to not benefiting, we will be hurt by being over thc 50 employee limit. 

Smaller restaurant companies will now have their employees covered by the National 

Exchanges at no costs to them, while larger companies generally offcr health insurance 

and will not be impacted as much. We are caught in this unintended donut hole. And 

thus, will be saddled with the options of either dropping our current health insurance 

plans and pay the penalty, or cover 100% of our employecs and incur its resultant much 

higher costs. 

I have unfortunately made the decision to quit offering coverage as soon as thc employer 

mandate kicks in, as the penalty, while huge, is less than thc costs of offcring the required 

coveragc to all of our employees. So, beginning January 1,2015, my employccs and I 

will become a part ofthe federal system and the company will be saddled with a 

$70,000.00 after tax penalty. At inception I will be forced to raise my prices between 2-

3% to cover these added expenses. 

The biggest issue to me is the two major business decisions I am facing. One option is 

either selling or closing the two least profitable diners. This action would jettison 12 

FTE's. At that point I would juggle the hours of the remaining employees to get us under 

the 50 person limit. Sadly, I have made the caleulation that the corporation would be 

bctter off ifI were to do exactly this, as the rcsultant penalty would be less than the profit 

I would lose ifI were to close them. 

So, isn't it a shameful position to be put into? I, the busincss owner, am now forced to 

put 16 people out of work just to save himself from the negative effects of the ACA. 

Fearful of the future, I also currently am in the proccss of having Dots valued and will 

consider selling the entire company based on what I learn from this evaluation. So after 

17 years, the first few facing bankruptcy, the next eight investing 100% of our profits 

back into the company to fuel growth, I now am strongly considering getting rid of my 

life's work and dream. 

As to expansion; that option is off the table. I want no part of adding employees over the 

50 person limit. I recently went to look at a possible new restaurant location. The rent, 

location and the demos would be perfect. My instinct tells me that it would be our best 

location. With all that, I decided not to open a restaurant there. Why? Because, I 

determined that the prospect of adding 15 more employees and permanently assuring 

myself of being over the 50 person employee limit would be morc harmful than the 

profits I might gain from opening the diner. 
98 

So, in conclusion, with all the benefits that one side of this committee truly believes will 

happen, I wantcd to point out thc very real side effects to this act; the loss of jobs, the 

raising of prices, no expansion and the forcing of employees into the Federal exchanges. 

Thank you all for the opportunity to speak today about this critical issue facing our 

country and its small businesses. 
99 

Bio of Lawrence ("Larry") K. Katz 

Lawrence K. "Larry" Katz graduated from Ohio University in 1977 with a BSC. He worked for 

19 years in the Clothing manufacturing business prior to founding the Dots Diner group of 

restaurants in 1996. Starting with one twenty seat diner, he has grown the chain into a modem 

day New Orleans institution with six diners, four of which are open around the clock, Dots 

employs 85 people and serves thousands of hungry patrons each day. Dots Diner has 

consistently been honored as one of the "Best Diners in New Orleans" and also been voted the 

"Best Value in New Orleans" numerous times. 

Mr. Katz is very active in the local community. He is a cofounder ofthe Jefferson Chamber of 

Commerce and Jefferson Dollars for Scholars. Larry is a Past Chairman of the Chamber of 

Commerce in East Jefferson and he currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Louisiana 

Lottery Corporation, New Orleans City Park, Greate; New Orleans Expressway Commission 

and WYES-TV. He also recently served as past chair of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality 

Award Board of Overseers and as the Small business representative to the US Travel and 

Tourism Advisory Board. 
100 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you, Mr. Katz. Mr. Houser. 

STATEMENT OF JIM HOUSER, OWNER, HAWTHORNE AUTO 

CLINIC, INC. 

Mr. HOUSER. Thank you, Chair Landrieu, Ranking Member 

Risch, and esteemed Senators. My name is Jim Houser. I am an 

ASC certified master automotive technician and co-owner of Hawthorne Auto Clinic of Portland, Oregon. I am also co-Chair of the 

Main Street Alliance of Oregon, and a member of the Executive 

Committee of the Main Street Alliance National Network, a nationwide network of state and locally-based small business groups. 

When my wife and I opened Hawthorne Auto Clinic 30 years ago, 

we made the commitment to offer those who worked with us a good 

benefits package, including comprehensive health insurance. We 

are in a high skill field where being able to offer good benefits to 

keep good people is very important. We would not want our best 

customers to even think of going anywhere else, and the same 

holds true for our staff. 

The business case for our decision to offer full health insurance 

coverage is underscored by the fact that the average tenure of our 

full-time staff is now almost 20 years. Plus, we are an aging profession. These factors make health care coverage critically important 

for the success of our business. 

Before the Affordable Care Act, in many ways, the health care 

cost dilemma for our business resembled the case of the proverbial 

frog in the pot of cold water gradually heated. By 2009, health care 

costs for our nine full-time employees and their families had doubled in just eight years, to equal over 20 percent of payroll. That 

year we paid over $100,000 for our insurance coverage. This increase far exceeded increases for any other business cost and was 

not possible to pass on to our customers. 

Clearly, we could not cut our employees’ pay by passing the cost 

on to them and still expect to retain the loyalty we had earned over 

the past many years, so we kept paying even as rates rose rapidly, 

often by double digits, from one year to the next. 

Now, however, we have seen a reversal of the trend of skyrocketing rates that we had absorbed from 2000 to 2010. In 2011, 

and again in 2012, for the first time in my memory, our health insurance premiums actually declined and by over 3 percent. 

In Oregon, 22 different insurance carriers have applied to and 

been accepted by Cover Oregon. That is our Exchange. And many 

of these carriers have already lowered their premium requests in 

order to match the competition created by our new Exchange. I 

have the privilege of serving on the Consumer Advisory Committee 

of Cover Oregon and I am proud that we are setting an example 

for how the Affordable Care Act, when fully implemented, can help 

small businesses and consumers afford quality coverage. 

Rate review rules are giving states new tools to protect small 

businesses and other insurance customers from unreasonable rate 

increases. United Health customers save $274 per person when the 

Oregon Insurance Commission knocked back their 16 percent proposed increase to 10 percent. The 80/20 Rule is ensuring that small 

businesses get real value for our premium dollars. 
101 

Requiring insurers to issue rebate checks when they fail to spend 

at least 80 percent of premiums on medical care, has returned millions of dollars to consumers throughout the country in the form of 

lower premiums and rebates. In Oregon, Regents had to return 

$499 per rate payer. 

Thanks to the law’s small business health care tax credit, our 

business received a credit of $12,900. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that the percentage of employers with between three 

and nine employees offering health care coverage has risen from 46 

percent in 2009 to 59 percent in 2010, in part due to the small 

business tax credit. 

Here is the bottom line. The Affordable Care Act has been like 

a time machine for our small business. Insurance premium decreases, combined with the small business tax credit, have rolled 

our health care costs to what we were paying in 2007. Our customers have been returning, our business has been slowly recovering from the recession, health insurance pricing certainty has 

now enabled us to add two more full-time employees, including an 

Afghanistan war vet, an almost 25 percent increase in our prior 

staffing. 

We cannot go backward, we must go forward, and thank you very 

much. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Houser follows:] 
102 

Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns 

Statement on Behalf of the Main Street Alliance 

By 

.JimHouscr 

Co-owner, Hawthornc Auto Clinic, Portland, Oregon 

Co-Chair, Main Street Alliance of Oregon 

United States Senate 

Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship 

July 24,2013 
103 

Good afternoon, Chair Landrieu, Ranking Member Risch, and esteemed Senators. My name is 

Jim Houser and I am an ASE Certified Master Automotive Technician and co-owner of 

Hawthorne Auto Clinic in Portland, Oregon. I am also co-chair of the Main Street Alliance of 

Oregon and a member of the executive committee of the Main Street Alliance national network, 

a nationwide network of state and locally based small business groups that works to provide 

small business owners a voice on the most pressing public policy issues facing our businesses 

and our local economies. 

When my wife, Liz Dally, also a Certified Master Technician, and I opened Hawthorne Auto 

Clinic 30 years ago, we made the commitment to offer those who worked with us a good benefits 

package, including comprehensive health insurance. 

Health care is a major issue for small businesses like ours, and especially for those of us in the 

auto repair industry. We're in a high-skill field where being able to offer good benefits to keep 

good people is very important. In the same way that we wouldn't want our best customers to 

even think of going anywhere else, the same holds true for our staff. The business case for our 

decision to offer full health coverage is underscored by the fact that the average tenure for our 

Full-Time staff is now almost 20 years. Plus, we're an aging profession. These factors make 

health care coverage critically important for the success of our business. 

Of the 49 million Americans living without health coverage (up from 40 million in 2000), an 

outsized majority -- about 60 percent -- work for small businesses, according to the nonprofit 

Employee Benefit Research Institute. Millions of small businesses together power the American 

economy. During economic crises, like the Great Recession we still struggle with, these 

businesses operate close to the margin, or don't survive at all. But their innovation and 

entrepreneurship put them in the lead in helping our economy recover. 

For American small businesses, health care has been an unrelenting headache, with: 

• Small businesses' health care costs growing 129% since 2000, 

• Workers in small businesses paying an average of 18% more for premiums than those 

with larger firms, and 

• Administrative costs eating up two and halftimes more ofthcir premiums than larger 

businesses pay. 

In many ways the health care cost dilemma for our business resembled the case ofthe proverbial 

frog in the pot of cold water gradually heated. By 2009, health care costs for our 9 full-time 

employees and their families had doubled in just 8 years to equal over 20% of payroll. That year, 

we paid over $100,000 for our health insurance coverage. This increase far exceeded increases 

for any other of our business costs, and was not possible to pass on to our customers. But clearly 

we couldn't cut our employees' pay by passing the costs on to them and still expect to retain the 
104 

loyalty we had carned over the past many years. So we kept paying even as rates rose rapidly, 

often by double digits fTom onc year to the next. 

Now, I know some insurance lobbyists claim the new health care law is driving up premiums. 

But that claim just doesn't pass inspection. It's not what we're observing in states that are 

assertively implementing the new law and taking advantage of opportunities to put downward 

pressure on premiums. And it's not my own experience, either - in fact, my experience is the 

opposite. 

Consider my home state of Oregon, where twenty-two different insurance carriers have applied 

to and been accepted by Cover Oregon (the name of our state exchange) and many of these 

carriers have already lowered their premium requests in order to match the competition created 

by our new health insurance exchange. 

Our neighbor to the south, California, has witnessed lower than expected insurance rates and 

robust health plan participation where Covered California has been able to negotiate with 

insurers to keep rates for individual health plans to no more than 2% above the rate small 

businesses pay now. 

As for my own experience, we've already seen a reversal of the trend of skyrocketing rates we 

had to absorb from 2000 to 2010. In 2011, for the first time in my memory, our health insurance 

premiums actually declined, and by over 3%. You might think this was a fluke, but it wasn't: 

when 2012 rolled around, our premiums declined another 3%. 

These decreases are due in part to provisions in the new health care law requiring insurers to 

cover preventative services with no deduetibles or copays. As my mechanics will tell you, our 

customers who have us regularly perform preventative maintenance on their vehiclcs rarely get 

towed in for unanticipated, expensive repairs. It is much more cost effective for a health care 

provider to spend $200 on a preventative procedure like getting a patient's blood pressure under 

control than to spend $50,000 for the ER response to a stroke. 

The Affordable Care Act, the ACA, has also allowed our 25-year-old under-employed daughter 

to rejoin our health plan, sharing our health care risk over a larger, healthier pool of enrollees. 

The ACA is working for small business. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that the 

percentage of employers with between three and nine employees offering health coverage has 

risen from 46 percent in 2009 to 59 percent in 2010- in part due to the ACA's small business tax 

credits. And, the Urban Institute estimates that small employers will pay 7.9% less for health 

insurance by 2019 as a result of the ACA. 

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, this is what American small businesses have to look forward 

to in the next few years: 
105 

• Small business health insurance tax credits. Our business received a tax credit of $12,903. 

That, combined with lower rates, has rolled our rates back to what they were six years 

ago. 

• Health insurance marketplaces with more choices and more bargaining power for small 

businesses and individuals. It is predicted that as many as 970,000 people will enroll in 

Oregon's new health insurance exchange (Cover Oregon) by 2016. I have had the 

privilege of serving on the Consumer Advisory Committee of Cover Oregon, and I'm 

pleased that we are setting an example for how the Affordable Care Act, when fully 

implemented, can help small businesses and consumers afford quality coverage. 

• Rate review rules that give states new tools to protect small businesses and other 

insurance customers from unreasonable rate increases. Oregon's rate review process has 

dramatically cut the rates carriers were proposing for individuals and small businesses. 

Regence customers saved $12.5 million, or over $200 per person, when the state cut back 

Regence's proposed 22.1 % increase to 12.8%. United HealthCare customers saved $274 

per person when the state knocked back their 16.8% proposed increase to 10%. 

• The "80/20 Rule" that ensures that small businesses get real value for our premium 

dollars. Requiring insures to issue rebate checks when they fail to spend at least 80 

percent of premiums on medical care has returned millions of dollars throughout the 

country, in the form of both lower premiums and rcbates. In Oregon, Regence had to 

retum $499 per rate payer. 

Small businesses are the economic engine ofthis country and we, and our employees, will bear 

the fruit of the Affordable Care Act or bear the brunt of any attempts to weaken our new health 

care refonns. The ACA has been like a time machine for our small business. Insurance premium 

decreases, combined with the Small Business Tax Credit, have rolled our health care costs back 

to what we were paying in 2007. Our customers have been returning and our business has been 

slowly recovering from the Great Recession. Health insurance pricing certainty has now enabled 

us to add two more Full-Time employees (including an Afghanistan War vet), an almost 25% 

increase in our prior staffing level. 

Before I conclude, I would like to say a brief word about both opportunities to strengthen the law 

as well as politically motivated efforts to undermine it. 

There are provisions of the law which can and ought to be strengthened. Limits placed on 

eligibility for the small business tax credit have resulted in too few firms being able to take 

advantage of this benefit like our business has. I commend Senator Begich for including 

measures to expand and simplify this tax credit in recently introduced legislation. 

There has been much discussion of the employer shared responsibility provision of the 

Affordable Care Act, and the Administration's recent decision to delay it. I would like to point 

out that the argument that this provision will have negative consequences on small business has 

been grossly exaggerated, while its benefits have been largely ignored. 
106 

• First, it simply must be emphasized that employer shared responsibility rules do not apply 

to a business with under 50 employees. This means that over 95% of businesses in this 

country will not be affected by this provision of the law. Among the small fraction of 

finns with 50 or more employees, 94% of these linns already provide health insurance. 

So this provision will affect a very small percentage of all finns - and an even smaller 

percentage of true, Main Street small businesses. 

• Second, allow me to observe that embedded in the premiums that our business and 

indeed everyone with insurance - pays is a "hidden tax" to pay for uncompensated care 

provided to the employees of other businesses who fail to provide insurance. How is it 

fair for small business owners like myself to subsidize the costs of businesses that, 

though they are much larger than mine, fail to take responsibility for offering insurance 

to full-time employecs? The employer responsibility provision helps to level the 

playing field. The short delay of this provision for practical implementation reasons 

should not be used as an excuse to erode the law's premise of shared responsibility. 

It is frustrating for small business owners to witness so much attention inside the beltway being 

paid to rehashing old political debates about the law, and not enough to educating small business 

owners about how to take advantage of the law's significant benefits or working eollaboratively 

on practical ways to strengthen those benefits. Nevertheless, I have optimism that this kind of 

collaboration is possible from my experience serving on the Consumer Advisory Committee for 

our state's exchange, whieh is co-chaired by NFIB of Oregon's Vice-Chair and a fellow small 

business owner. 

In closing, if American small businesses are to lead our country back to prosperity, Congress will 

need to continue to work to get control of skyrocketing health care costs. Small businesses need 

customers who have the family-wage jobs and income to afford our goods and services, and 

small businesses need to be able to control our health care costs so we can hire the workers 

necessary to grow our economy. To accomplish these goals we must strengthen, not weaken, 

provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. 

Thank you for considering my remarks. 
107 

Bio of Jim Houser 

* Along with wife, Liz Dally, Jim opened Hawthorne Auto Clinic 30 years ago. 

* Hawthorne Auto Clinic offers full health care coverage for all 12 full-time employees and their 

families. (Proportional for part-time) 

• Jim is co-chair of the Main Street Alliance of Oregon, a network of small business owners 

(now over 1400 state wide) that works to provide small businesses a voice on the most pressing 

public policy issues of Oregon. 

• In 2009 Jim traveled to Washington, DC with other Oregon small business owners to meet 

with Oregon's congressional delegation, share his business's story, and discuss provisions to 

include in health reform to meet the needs of small businesses. 

* Jim hosted health care events at his business with membcrs ofthe Oregon congressional 

delegation. 

* Jim's business, along with over 4 million other small busincsses, now qualifies for the new 

health premium tax credit in thc Affordable Care Act 

* In September 20 I 0 Jim was invited to join an informal gathering with President Obama 

commemorating the 6-month anniversary of the ACA. 

• Jim was invited by First Lady Michele Obama to the 2011 State ofthe Union Address, and was 

recognized by President Obama for his business's commitment to providing health insurance for 

his employees. 

* Jim serves on the Cover Oregon (health exchange) Individual and Employer Consumer 

Advisory Committee, providing input on exchange development from a small business 

perspective. 

* During the recent Oregon legislative session, Jim testified about health care before legislative 

committees, preparing and presenting detailed testimony on key decisions to be made in the 

structure and functions of the health insurance exchange in order to ensure that it meets the needs 

of small businesses. 

* In addition to his personal experience as a business owner, from 1983 to its demise in 2002, 

Jim was a member of GO Garage Parts, Inc., an automotive parts buying and member services 

cooperati ve, which administered health insurance for over 200 small automoti ve service business 

members. As Board Chair from 1989 to 2002, Jim helped increase GO Garage membership, 

including in its health insurance plans, by over 50%. 
108 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you. Mr. Dennis. 

STATEMENT OF WILLIAM J. DENNIS, JR., SENIOR RESEARCH 

FELLOW, NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESS 

Mr. DENNIS. Thank you, Madam Chairman, Senator Risch, members of the Committee. On July 2nd, the Administration announced 

a one-year delay in the reporting requirements of the employer 

mandate, and hence, the mandate itself. I think the first small 

business reaction was one of relief. Small businesses were pleased 

because there has been so little specific information from which to 

make concrete business decisions. 

The law is complex. There are many non-decisions, important 

provisions of the law on which there has been no guidance, no regulations. And the communication has been terrible, quite frankly, 

for the small business population. 

But there was a second reaction and that second reaction was 

that nothing has happened. The substance has not changed. The 

lack of confidence, which is continuing to dampen economic output, 

in part caused by the uncertainty surrounding ACA, has not 

changed either. So small business continues with minimal hiring, 

minimal investment, and not performing particularly well economically. 

The one thing the delay did was provide an opportunity to assess 

the problems and make revisions to the Act itself, and I hope you 

will take the opportunity to think about some of these things. I 

have listed just five potential issues. Some of the gentlemen here 

have also listed some as well. I do not want to repeat, so let me 

just say first, the definition of full-time, part-time is an obvious 

issue, both for employers large and small, and employees as well 

as employers. 

I also have some questions about Section 6055 and Section 6056, 

reporting requirements that Mr. Iwry made some comments about. 

There have never been any rules put forward on these sections, but 

the law lays out substantial reporting requirements. Clearly, those 

that must offer are covered by the mandate. 

However, we also think that small employers who are not covered are going to have substantial reporting requirements because 

the information they have is necessary for some other parts of the 

Act. So if someone else is going to provide the information, fine. We 

will be more than happy. But I will believe it when I see it. 

Business aggregation rules. I think this is the sleeper. Few know 

about them. The issue is what is a single business, and in a sense, 

it is quite simple. If I own a business here and if I own a business 

there, I just add up the employees for purposes of ACA. If I am 

over 50, I have to offer. 

The problem is that there are many businesses that have multiple owners and many owners have multiple businesses. So that 

leaves us to the tender mercies of the ERISA rules, and the ERISA 

rules are some of the most complex we have, requiring very fine 

interpretations by employee benefit specialists. I do not know 

where small business owners are going to get advice from that. 

We have the $100 billion HIT tax. If you can believe it or not, 

this was an idea to make insurers pay for extra business that was 
109 

generated by ACA. The practical effect, however, is to pass those 

costs on to those in the small group market. Now, do not trust me. 

The Joint Tax Committee, the CBO, and most economists will tell 

you that. 

We tax only those offering small firms, precisely the firms that 

we want to encourage. Precisely the behavior we want to encourage 

we are taxing. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Try to wrap up, please. 

Mr. DENNIS. Okay. In essence, the primary issue about this is 

cost, and I am sure we will talk a little bit about health insurance 

cost and how we get to it as we proceed in the discussion. Coost 

clearly remains a problem. Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Dennis follows:] 
110 

Testimony of 

Mr. William J. Dennis, Jr. 

before the 

Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship 

on the subject of 

the Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: 

Understanding Small Business Concerns 

on the date of 

July 24, 2013 
111 

Chairwoman Landrieu, Ranking Member Risch, and Members of the Committee, thank you for the 

opportunity to present NFIB views on the current state of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and offer 

suggestions to improve the current condition of the law and its implementation. 

On July 2, the Administration surreptitiously announced postponement of: (i) the information reporting 

requirements that apply to insurance companies, self-insuring employers, and certain other entities that 

provide minimum essential health coverage under section 6055 of the Internal Revenue Code (the 

"Code"); (ii) the information reporting requirements that apply to applicable large employers under 

section 6056 of the Code, and (iii) the employer shared responsibility provisions under section 4980H of 

the Code.',' Effectively, the Administration had failed to produce regulations implementing certain data 

collection provisions of the Affordable Care Act, thereby effectively rendering the so-called employer 

mandate provisions of the Act temporarily unenforceable, and hence moot. The reprieve is to last one 

year. 

All communication NFIB has had to date with its members and other small business owners indicates 

that this Administration decision was well-received. Small-business owners seemed relieved. The 

reason is that the reprieve gives them another year to obtain the specific information necessary to 

translate the glowing generalities that pass for a communications program into the explicit facts that 

allow them to make business decisions. Quite frankly, the Administration's communication with smallbusiness owners about ACA requirements has been terrible. But in fairness to those charged with that 

portion of the program, it is very difficult to communicate the content of a "no decision". 

The Administration indicated that it would provide further guidance in the next few weeks.3 One can 

only hope that that the guidance will be clear, specific, and soon. Unless the Administration acts shortly, 

we may be looking at the same situation next year at this time. 

I do not need to remind Members of this Committee that getting useful and correct information to five 

and one-million small employers let another one-half million starting every year is no modest task. They 

typically do not paw through the Federal Register or Treasury blogs in their limited spare time. Small 

employers are most likely to discover what government requires of them through trusted secondary 

channels.' Those channels include accountants and lawyers, other affected business owners, and trade 

websites. A necessary process is therefore "teaching the teachers" before understanding and 

compliance can be expected from the population. The key points of contacts must first understand 

what the ACA requires, not in generalities, but in specifics. (They now are simply passing on the 

contents of no decisions.) Only then can they pass useful information to their colleagues and clients. 

Some might suggest that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or some other agency of government simply 

send notices to all affected taxpayers containing compliance instructions (once they have been 

developed) and all would be satisfied. Indeed, wide dissemination of that nature would be helpful. But 

1 Mark J. Mazur, "Continuing to Implement the ACA in a Careful, Thoughtful Manner," blog post, July 2,2013. 

www.treasury.gov /connect/blog/P ages!Continuing-to-lmplement-the-ACA-in-a-Ca reful-Thoughtful-Manner Accessed 

7/5/2013. 

2 Testimony of J. Mark !wry, Senior Advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Retirement and Health Policy, 

U.S. Department of the Treasury, Before the Subcommittee on Health, House Committee on Ways and Means Committee, July 

17,2013. 

3 Mazur, QIh.91:.; Iwry, m9t 4 Regulation, NatianalSmall Business Poll, (ed.) William J. Dennis, Jr'l NFIB Research Foundation, Vol. 12, Iss. 6, 2012. 

2 
112 

don't expect immediate awareness and knowledge as a result. Despite broad outreach by the IRS,' 

including mailing over four million post cards about the small-business health insurance tax credit in 

2011: only about half of eligible small businesses were even aware of the credit shortly thereafter/ let 

alone familiar enough to know ifthey were eligible. 

Relief is the initial reaction of affected small-business owners from the one-year delay in the employer 

mandate. The second reaction is a bit different. It is recognition that, despite the reprieve, nothing has 

fundamentally changed, both in terms of the law per se and the general lack of confidence, in part 

stemming from the ACA, that dampens economic growth. Small business continues to be in an 

economic holding pattern.' Economic activity remains tepid. Plans to invest and hire remain low by 

historical standards (last 40 years). Nothing on the horizon portends an abrupt positive change, 

including the one-year delay. Moreover, the current postponement of the employer mandate 

exacerbates questions in light of prior delays, such as delay of competition within most SHOP exchanges, 

about the ability of this Administration or any Administration, to implement and administer ACA in any 

type of cost-effective and fair manner. 

Hopefully, the Congress will use the reprieve to recognize some of the problems it has created in the 

Affordable Care Act and make reasonable efforts to change them. You would not only help small 

business, but the people attempting to implement the Act. I list below just five examples of needed 

changes, specifically focused on small business: 1. definition of part-time employee - the 30/35 hour 

question, 2. Section 6055 and Section 6056 record-keeping rules, 3. business aggregation rules, 4. the 

HIT tax, and 5. the mandate per se. Let me briefly address each. 

1. Definition of "Port-Time Employee" 

Employers with more than 50 employees must offer coverage to full-time employees or pay a penalty; 

the same does not apply to part-time employees. These employers may choose to offer part-time 

employees health insurance or not. The ACA defines a full-time employee as working 30 hours or more 

a week. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (8LS) classifies full-time employees as working 35 hours a week 

or more and part-time employees as 1 - 34 hours per week.' That is also common use of the terms in 

the private sector, although some place the division at 40 hours. The federal government in the Fair 

Labor Standards Act even makes it policy to require additional compensation (overtime pay) only after 

40 hours. 

The ACA's differential classification has already caused employers to start juggling hiring practices and 

forcing the hours of many employees to fall beneath the 30 hour standard.'o We have seen employers 

reduce or announce reduction in hours to escape the mandate, and not just small employers as 

illustrated by the actions of the Commonwealth of Virginia" and some colleges.l2 This is not simply an 

5 Small Employer Health Tax Credit: Factors Contributing to low Use and Complexity, Government Accountability Office (GAO12-549), May 2012, p. 16. 

6 http://www.irs.gov/publirsMnews/health care postcard notice.pdf Accessed 7/8/2013 

7 Small Employer Health Tax Credit: Factors Contributing to low Use and Complexity, 9..12! cit. 

B Small Business Economic Trends, (ed.) William C. Dunkelberg and Holly Wade, NFIB Research Foundation, series. 

9 http://www.bls.gov/cps/lfcharacteristics.htmtffullpart Accessed 7/8/2013 

ill Obamacare Putting Millions of Part-time Workers at Risk of Seeing Cut Hours: Study, Huffington Post, July 9, 2013. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/07/part-time-workers-obamacaren3210321.htmIAccessed 7/9/2013 

11 Bill Sizemore, "Va. workers' part~time hours capped due to health law/' PilotOnline.com, Feb. 8, 2013. 

http://hamptonroads.com!2013!02Istate-workers-parttime-hours-capped-due-health-Iaw Accessed 7/8/2013. 

12 Colleen Flaherty, "So Close Yet So Far:' Inside Higher Ed., Nov. 20, 2012, 

www.insidehighered.com!newsI2012111/20/college-cuts-ad iuncts-hours-avoid-affordable-care-act-costs Accessed 7/8/2013. 

3 
113 

administrative and cost issue for offering employers, large and small, but an income issue for employees 

who would like to work more hours for an employer, but are now effectively barred from doing so. 

While it is too early to claim definitive evidence of an impact from the ACA definition," one must note 

that the only net new employment (seasonally adjusted) this year (January - June) has been part-time, 

with the trend exacerbated in June." 

2. Sections 6055 and 6056 Paperwark 

Postponement of the employer mandate was technically a delay in the promulgation of the paperwork/ 

reporting in Sections 6055 and 6056 of the Act. Those provisions require among other things a listing of 

the names and addresses, etc., of employees and the firm's offer/lack thereof of "adequate and 

affordable" health insurance. A major purpose of the list is for the government to determine which 

firms pay what penalty, if any, for failure to offer, and which employees pay what penalty, if any, for 

failure to carry the mandated insurance. The information from these reports appear critical to 

enforcement on both businesses and individuals. 

I need not reiterate here small-business owners' absolute distain for paperwork and record-keeping. 

However, in the current context, they have two principal concerns regarding these two sections of ACA, 

and their implementing rules which have yet to be proposed. The first is who is covered? The second is 

what paperwork and reporting will be reqUired? 

Section 6056 covers those businesses required to offer, including small businesses with 50 employees or 

more. These enterprises automatically incur the new reporting burden, whatever it eventually is. 

However, the fate of offering small businesses with fewer than 50 employees is less clear, while it is 

even murkier for non-offering businesses employing fewer than 50. 

The Administration in testimony before the Health Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means 

Committee referred to information reporting requirements that apply to insurance companies, selfinsuring employers, and certain other entities (italics added) that provide minimum essential health 

coverage.15 Section 6055(b)(2)(C) refers to the small group market offered through an exchange and the 

small business tax credit. Further, without reports on employees and offers of "adequate and 

affordable" insurance, government has no way of knowing which employees are potentially liable for 

penalties as well as their eligibility for subsidies in the exchange. NFIB interprets these factors 

collectively to mean that small businesses (fewer than 50 employees) offering employee health 

insurance must report, though the Administration's witness at the Ways and Means hearing referred to 

many groups except small business." 

Statute language would seem to exclude reporting by non-offering small employers. The only possible 

motivation to require this group to report would be to demonstrate that the employee has no 

13 The Labor Center at the University of California-Berkeley estimates from Current Population Survey data (March, 2010-2012) 

that 8.9 percent of employees have jobs working 30-36 hours per week. However, the authors consider about 3.1 percent (2.3 

million) vulnerable to work reduction because they are below 400 percent of the Federal Poverty level and do not have 

insurance through their own employer. These data apply only to firms with 100 or more employees. The number would rise in 

absolute, if not in percentage, terms by including small employers. See, David Graham~Squire and Ken Jacobs, Data Brief 

Which workers are most at risk of reduced hours under the Affordab!e Care Act?, February, 2013. 

http://laborcenteLberkeley.edu/press/coverage reduced hours aca13.shtml. Accessed 7/16/2013. 

14 http://www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cpseea06.pdf Accessed 7/19/13. 

l!;lwry,.9.I1:.cit. 

16 lwry, oR.cit. 

4 
114 

employment-based insurance and therefore has not refused an employer's offer. This would appear a 

stretch thereby allowing us to assume that the reporting requirements do not apply to these employers. 

The second issue is the paperwork/reporting that IRS will require. As a general rule, the less paper and 

the less frequent the better. Additionally, it would be helpful to piggy-back on existing paperwork to the 

extent possible. An extension of the W-2 filing is the obvious candidate. The names, addresses, and 

TIN's of all employees are already part ofthat filing. The statute also requires 6055 and 6056 reports to 

be filed by January 31, the same date W-2's are to be mailed to employees. There is also already a 

small, but new requirement on the W-2 pertaining to health insurance (implementation temporarily 

postponed for businesses with fewer than 250 employees). The issue that is not clear is whether the 

added ACA reporting requirements piggy-backed on the W-2 is too much at one time. We have no 

current information to assist with that question. 

Small employers will not be happy whenever the IRS promulgates its ACA paperwork requirements. 

Businesses of all sizes will have to make adjustments to the way they maintain records. Reprogramming 

computers and/or purchasing new software will be additional costs. But the longer the lead time 

(assuming rational requirements), the easier it will be for everyone concerned. So, moving forward on 

these requirements with all deliberate speed, at least to the extent of offering insights about what will 

be demanded, seem warranted. 

3. Business Aggregation Rules 

The New York Times recently carried an article about a small business owner in Maryland struggling to 

find the right mix offull- and part-time employees to crawl under ACA's 50 employee employer mandate 

level." The business apparently could not survive if it were compelled to offer employees health 

insurance or pay a fine. The owner thought he had found a formula. But in an almost throw-away line, 

the article mentioned that the owner and his family obtained their health insurance through a much 

smaller business they owned across the street. It apparently did not occur to either the business owner 

or the Times reporter that the owner was likely subject to the business aggregation rules, and therefore 

was likely to have more than 50 employees under ACA, despite his view to the contrary. 

The business aggregation rules define a single business unit in instances where a firm may have different 

locations or operating units. For example, if John Doe owns a retail store in Virginia with 35 full-time 

employees and a repair shop in Maryland with 15 full-time employees, the firm is a single business with 

50 employees for purposes of ACA. The rules' presumed purpose is to prohibit small employers from 

subdividing their firms into multiple parts in order to avoid the mandate. The provision appears 

unknown to most owners and is likely to trip up many small-business owners due to its opacity, the 

number of firms potentially affected, and its complexity. 

An aggregation rule might work if the world consisted of individual small employers owning individual 

small firms, such as the example cited above.'8 But the world consists of many single firms with multiple 

17 Abby Goodnough, "At Restaurant Delay is Help on Health law," New York Times, July9, 2013, 

htto:Umobile.nvtimes.comI2013/07 110/us/at·restaura nt -delay-is-help-on-health-law. htm! ?oagewanted-2. Accessed 

7/11/2013. 

18 Opinion has been voiced that ACA impacts only about 3-4 percent of small businesses. That number is apparently derived 

from the proportion of employers who have 50 employees or more. However, that opinion is misinformed. Small offering 

fjrms will be directly impacted by ACA's reporting requirements. A substantia!, but unknown, number will also be impacted by 

the business aggregation rules. Others have been impacted by required changes in the benefits that must be included in the 

health plans they offer (or would have offered). AI! are supposed to provlde employees information aboutthe exchanges. 

5 
115 

owners and many single owners with multiple firms. For example, just 35 percent of small businesses 

employing 20 or more people have a single owner (counting a husband/wife combination as a single 

person).'9 Reverse the situation and one finds that 39 percent of people owning a small business with 

20 or more employees also hold a 10 percent or more share in at least one other venture, separate and 

distinct from the enterprise about which they were initially interviewed. Adding to the complication is 

the degree of control owners have over each business. For example, 70 percent who have family 

member owners indicate that these family member/owners actively participate in the firm's critical 

decisions.'o At the same time, owners are likely to participate in the critical decisions of a second firm 

they own, though they are somewhat less likely to participate in the critical decisions of a third firm that 

they own." 

The rules proposed to handle these complexities and determine the meaning of a single business entity 

are ERISA rules. The practical problem is that ERISA rules are intricate, meant for interpretation by legal 

specialists in employment benefits law, not for the general public or even for attorneys generally. That 

means that perhaps as many as 100,000 small businesses should have an interpretation from a specialist 

in benefits law to be confident about his or her status. That is not likely to happen. 

4. HIT Tax 

The ACA included as one of its revenue raisers an annual "fee" on insurer beginnings in 2014. The "fee", 

a euphemism for tax, is substantial. It is designed to collect over $100 billion in the next ten years. A 

predetermined amount of revenue will be collected each year: $8 billion in 2014, $11.3 billion in 2015 

and 2016, $13.9 billion in 2017, and $14.3 billion or more annually in years 2018 and beyond. The tax is 

not only large, but astonishingly discriminatory. The tax formally falls on the sale of fully-insured health 

plans, hence the name HIT tax, which means it falls on plans sold in the small group market, a market 

consisting of business owners having fewer than 50 employees. As a result, the HIT Tax targets anly 

small-business owners who offer, a behavior that ACA specifically, and health policy generally, intends 

to encourage. 

The critical point is that this tax, ostensibly an industry fee targeted at health insurers, will ultimately be 

shifted. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) explicitly asserted that this tax/fee/surcharge "would be 

largely passed through to consumers in the form of higher premiums for private coverage."" A March 

2011 report by former Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Holtz-Eakin concurred in that 

view" as did the Joint Committee on Taxation (JeT) in a letter to Senator Jon Kyl dated June 3rd, 2011. 24 

The JeT estimates the HIT tax would raise premiums offered by covered entities by 2.0 percent to 2.5 

percent" and the Holtz-Eakin by as much as 3 percent, a price increase that cumulatively amounts to 

nearly $5,000 per family overthe current decade.'· 

19 Business Structure, National Small Business Poll, (ed.) William J. Dennis, Jr., NFIB Research Foundation, Vol. 4, Iss. 7, 2004. 

20 Businesses Within Families, National Small Business Poll, ted,) William J. Dennis, Jr., NF!8 Research Foundation, Vol. 12, Iss. 4, 

2012. 

"Ibid. 

22An Analysis of Health Insurance Premiums Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, (ongressionalBudget Office, 

November 30, 2009, pp.15-16. 

23Holtz-Eakin, Douglas, "Higher Costs and the Affordable Care Act: The Case of the Premium Tax/, American Action Forum, 

March 9, 2011. 

24 Barthold, Thomas A., letter to Senator Jon Kyl, Joint Committee on Taxation, Washington, DC, June 3, 2011. 

25 Ibid. 

26 Ho!tz~Eakin, QQ..,. fit 

6 
116 

The NFIB Research Foundation modeled the impact of the HIT tax earlier this year to determine its broad 

economic effects.'7 Simulations were run using various assumed health insurance inflation rates. 

Depending on the assumed inflation rate, the HIT tax is forecast to reduce private sector employment by 

between 146,000 and 262,000 jobs in 2022. Approximately 59 percent of the jobs lost would be in small 

firms. We could not estimate the impact on health insurance offers that result from the higher 

premiums. 

5. The Employer Mandate Per Se 

The employer mandate has been effectively postponed. So, to come full-circle, it is fair to ask why it 

exists at all. If it is simply a means to raise revenue, most would not consider it good tax policy. But if it 

is a means to increase health insurance coverage, it is creating huge dislocations and considerable costs 

for little if any return. Ninety-eight (98) percent of employers with more than 200 employees currently 

offer health insurance; about 60 percent under 50 employees do, including half among the 3-9 

employee group." Small-employers, who have much lower rates of coverage, are not required to offer. 

Thus, the mandate adds a minimal number of people to the covered population. A recent paper from 

the Urban Institute'gestimated that postponement of the mandate would impact only about one million 

people (out of about 160 million). The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has not yet made a direct 

estimate, but interpreting their net numbers yields an estimate of about two million.'o Unless one 

assumes that large employers would soon start massively dumping of their health plans, coverage is 

largely unaffected by elimination of the employer mandate." 

The current tie between health insurance and employment arose from a quirk of historical 

circumstance, not from a rational policy decision about health. The ACA freezes that quirk and 

continues to lock health insurance to employment. But, the future is another direction, a direction with 

greater flexibility, one in which individuals have their own insurance and carry it with them from job to 

job and in and out of employment. The ACA's employer mandate therefore is in sum a strike against a 

rational future. 

Reflection 

Small-business owners became interested in health years ago due to the rapid increase in health 

insurance costs," costs that they recognized were rising unsustainably even when others did not. What 

will happen to small business rates? Some will likely benefit; some likely will not. Everyone will have an 

example that aligns with their expectations. But the real issue is what will be the rate trend for small 

employers overall. 

27 Michael J. Chow, "Effects of the PPACA Health Insurance Premium Tax on Small Businesses and Their Employees: An Update," 

NFlB Research Foundation, March 19,2013, 

http://www.nfib.com/Portals/O/PDFfAIIUsers/research/studies/ppaca/health-insurance-tax-study-nfib-2013-03.pdf. Accessed 

7/20/13. 

28 Kaiser Family Foundation, 2012 Employer Health Benefits Survey, September, 2012. 

http://kaiseriamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.comi2013/03/8345-employer-health-benefits-annual-sufvey-full-report-Q9I2.pdf 

Accessed 7/20/2013. 

29 Linda J. Blumberg, John Holahan, and Mathew Beuttgens, "It's No Contest: The ACA's Employer Mandate Has Far Less Effect 

on Coverage and Costs Than the Individual Mandate," Urban Institute, July 15, 2013, endnote 16. 

http://www.urban.org/publications/412865.html. Accessed 7/16/2013. 

30 CSO and JeT's Estimates of the Effects of the Affordable Care Act on the Number of People Obtaining Employment-Based 

Health Insurance, Congressional Budget Office, March, 2012. 

31 Blumberg, gt~ QQ.:.£lL. 

32 Holly Wade, Small Business Problems and Priorities, NFIB Research Foundation, August 2012, Table 5. 

htto:/lwww.nfib.com/Portals/O/PDF/AIlUsers/research/studies!small-business-problems-priorlties-2012-nfib.pdf. Accessed 

7/20/2013. 

7 
117 

The small business health insurance tax credit has been put forward as one way the ACA will help 

owners with health insurance costs. While "free money" is always welcome, the credit is essentially a 

windfall (rather than an incentive) for eligible small business owners and a "bait and switch" for those 

who actually use it as incentive. The credit was touted as a good deal for four million eligible small 

businesses," But after reading the fine print, the number eligible was actually 244,094 for the full credit 

and 1,165,505 for a partial credit," The GAO confirmed the credit's minimal use and identified several 

reasons for it, including the perfectly reasonable requirement that one had to purchase health insurance 

before attaining eligibility." But, the credit pretty much became a bait and switch. Announcements 

about the credit forgot to mention that it is temporary. It is available for two years once SHOP exchange 

opens. Thus, the owner gets the credit once he or she committed to purchase health insurance. The 

unspoken caveat is that once ensnarled, it will be very difficult to drop it should circumstances warrant. 

The IRS Web page touting the credit, for example, explains the benefits in some detail, but fails to 

mention that it expires." The credit will be helpful to some small businesses, despite its inherent 

problems, and that is welcome. But as a serious attempt to alleviate small-business owners' health 

insurance costs, it is a bit of a farce. 

Cone/usion 

The postponement of the employer mandate has been helpful to small employers. It gives them 

breathing space to be able to determine what is required of them under the ACA. But it has also been 

helpful in another respect: it has given all parties a chance to reflect on the shortcomings of the law as 

enacted. While we may disagree on the severity of those shortcomings and precisely what they are, I 

know of no one who argues that improvements cannot be made. This hearing provides a good place to 

identify the needed improvements that directly impact small business. 

33 http://www.whitehouse.gov/heafth-care-meeting/questions/smaII-business-G. Accessed 7/20/2013. 

34 William J. Dennis, Jr., Small Business and Health Insurance: One Year After Enactment of PPACA, NFIB Research Foundation, 

July, 2011. 

35 Small Employer Health Tax Credit: Factors Contributing to low Use and Complexity, ~ cit. 

36http://www.irs.gov/uac/Small-Business-Health-Care-T ax-Credit-for-Sma!I-Employers. Accessed 7/18/13. 

8 
118 

Rio of WILLIAM J. DENNIS, JR. 

William J. (Denny) Dennis, Jr. is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the NFIB Research 

Foundation in Washington, D.C., and directs its activities. He has been employed since 1976 in 

various research capacities by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the 

nation's largcst small business trade association. Prior to his employment at NFIB, Dennis spcnt 

over five years as a professional staffmembcr in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Dennis is founder and editor of the National Small Busincss Poll (2001- ), member of the 

National Advisory Committee of The State of the USA project (formerly, the Key National 

Indicators Initiative (2003 - 2009), and member of the International Reference Group, Swedish 

Entrepreneurship Forum (formerly Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research) (1997 - ). 

He is a former President of the International Council for Small Business (1996 97) and VicePresident for Research and Publications (1993 - 95); Team Lcader for Entrepreneurship 

Research Consortium, (1996 2002), co-author of Small Business Economic Trends, (1986 

2000), a member of the Business Research Advisory Committee, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 

(1982 - 2007), and, member of two panels for the National Academies of Science (High Schools 

and the Changing Workplace, and the Mathematical Sciences Education Board). 

Dennis received the Academy of Management's (entrepreneurship division) Advocate Award for 

outstanding contributions to the field of entrepreneurship (2006) and the U.S. Small Business 

Administration's Special Advocacy Award for Research (1998). He was named a Wilford White 

Fellow by the International Council for Small Business (2000) and a Justin Longenecker Fellow 

by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (1989). 

In 20 10, Dennis was named a senior scholar at the Center for Entreprencurial Excellence (CFEE) 

at The George Washington University. A year later, he was appointed to the Commonwealth of 

Virginia's Board of Professional and Occupational Rcgulation. 

Dennis has published in the major academic small business and entrepreneurship journals, and 

was assigned to write the Senior Scholar's paper on entrepreneurship and public policy for the 

Unitcd States Association for Small Busincss and Entrepreneurship (2005). He has also testified 

on policy issues before a variety of committees in the U.S. House of Representative and the U.S. 

Senate as well as before state legislative bodies. His principal research interest lies in smallcr 

firms and public policy. 
119 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you all very much. There still have not 

been votes that have been called. I intend to try to keep this hearing open at least until 5:00 or 5:15, if that is okay with the members. We are just going to go through a round of questioning three 

to four minutes each and we will try to do the best we can. 

Mr. Katz, let me start with you. I really, really appreciate the 

story of which you have built your business, and as I opened my— 

I mean, the risk that you took to open your business and the success of your business in Louisiana, we are very blessed to have so 

many people like you in our state that are working hard. 

When I opened this hearing, I called out specifically that you 

would be, I think, in this group of businesses in Louisiana. There 

are 67,000 small businesses with fewer than 50 people that will not 

be affected at all. You referred to those in your testimony. And 

then there are 3,800 businesses, yours included, that have between 

50 and 249 employees, and you fall in that group. 

Now, you testified that you did provide health insurance to 

your—and dental and vision. I read your testimony. Did you provide before the Health Insurance Act, insurance for all your employees or just a portion of your employees? 

Mr. KATZ. We offer it, Senator. 

Chair LANDRIEU. You offered it before the Affordable Care Act? 

Mr. KATZ. Some of the benefits we pay for. The health insurance 

is the employees’ options. 

Chair LANDRIEU. So try to clarify that. 

Mr. KATZ. Sure. 

Chair LANDRIEU. You did not provide health insurance for your 

employees before? 

Mr. KATZ. We do not pay 100 percent of it. The ones who elect 

to take it pay about a third. We pay two-thirds. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Okay. So for those that chose to pay it, they 

paid a third and you paid two-thirds—— 

Mr. KATZ. Correct. 

Chair LANDRIEU. [continuing]. Before the Affordable Care Act. 

And what percentage of your workers chose to participate? 

Mr. KATZ. Of the eligible workers, today it is about 50 percent. 

Chair LANDRIEU. So 50 percent did not, for whatever reasons. 

They did not think they could afford it? 

Mr. KATZ. Some were covered by their spouse. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Some were covered by their spouse, et cetera, 

et cetera. 

Mr. KATZ. Either they could not afford it. 

Chair LANDRIEU. I want to acknowledge that even as the ACA 

passed, I had some, you know, serious concerns about the group of 

companies like yours that would get caught. It is a small number, 

but it is an important number, between 50 and 240. As you said, 

the larger companies can take advantage of the lower rates for 

groups. The smaller companies will be able to pool their assets 

through the Exchange. And then companies like yours will have a 

challenge. 

So I am going to really read the testimony that you have submitted to this and see if we can come up with some solutions to 

help you all, because we most certainly do not want businesses to 
120 

close, we want businesses to expand, and we want to be very focused on some of the issues that you raised. 

Mr. Settles, let me ask you this. You did testify sort of in opposition to the bill. I want to just be clear that in your testimony, 

though, you did serve on the Idaho Health Care Law. You did advocate for the creation of the Exchange. Have you changed your position or could you try to clarify that for me? 

Mr. SETTLES. Chairman Landrieu—— 

Chair LANDRIEU. You advocated for the creation of the Exchange? 

Mr. SETTLES. I did. You know, historically, Idaho has had some 

of the lowest health care rates in the Nation, and so it did not 

make any sense to me to let an organization that had much higher 

average rates take over our state system. So I was very involved 

in the Governor’s task force that looked into this. Although we still, 

we lose a lot of control, we are able to make a few decisions that 

we think can help us drive down the cost. 

An example of that is that—there are fewer participating in the 

Federal Exchange, there is a 3.5 percent fee that is attached to all 

policies to help cover that, and they are not just the policies in the 

Exchange because all policies have to be priced the same in and out 

of the Exchange. In Idaho, we set that at 1.5 percent and we are 

hoping we can drive it lower. 

Chair LANDRIEU. So by setting up your own Exchange as opposed 

to sitting on the sidelines and letting the Federal Government do 

it, you were able to drive down cost? 

Mr. SETTLES. Absolutely. You know, you have people that are 

saying, Well, we are just going to kill this thing, but I am a business owner that has a significant out-of-pocket cost as this thing 

goes forward, and I cannot just stand back and say, I am going to 

kill it. I am going to be there to try and minimize the cost and 

take—— 

Chair LANDRIEU. And try to make it work? And I think that is 

admirable. How many employees do you have? 

Mr. SETTLES. We issue about 200 paychecks every pay period, 

but about 60 of those would be considered full-time under the law. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Okay. My time has expired. Senator Risch. 

Senator RISCH. Thank you. First of all, Mr. Katz, your story is 

compelling. I cannot apologize for the Federal Government. If I 

could, I would. We could have killed that bill with one vote in this 

body. One vote would have stopped that bill from becoming law and 

you would not have had to have been in the position that you are 

in. It is really heartbreaking to hear what you went through living 

the American dream and now winding up in the position that you 

are in. 

Mr. Settles, so that we do not leave any question about this, 

there was a dynamic argument in Idaho whether or not to adopt 

the state Exchange, is that right? 

Mr. SETTLES. Oh, it was ugly, very dynamic. 

Senator RISCH. Even the people that voted for it did not really 

want it, but the Federal Government told them, they said, ‘‘Do you 

want to be shot or do you want to be hung, either way, you are 

going to have an Exchange.’’ Is that a fair way to look at it? 
121 

Mr. SETTLES. You know, it was the Supreme Court ruling when 

you finally heard a lot of people say, Okay, we do not like this, we 

are going to plug our nose and vote for it. 

Senator RISCH. Do what we have to do to—— 

Mr. SETTLES. Yes. 

Senator RISCH [continuing]. To cut our losses. People in Idaho 

were pretty happy, were they not, with what they had compared 

to what they are facing now. Is that a fair statement? 

Mr. SETTLES. You know, like I said, historically, mandates are 

what make a policy more expensive. Our neighboring state has 

over 100-something mandates added to their policies, things that 

have to be covered. We had four total. That is about as low as you 

can get. So under health care now, we have to add some things 

that were not in. Every policy in our state is going to have a component for pediatric dental. I have not had a baby tooth for years. 

But it is built into the cost of all policies. So those are the kind 

of things that we really want to try and have some control over. 

Senator RISCH. And this business about being able to keep your 

policy if you like your policy, that is all out the window. 

Mr. SETTLES. Well—— 

Senator RISCH. That was a joke, I guess, at the time it was promoted. 

Mr. SETTLES. I actually asked the CEOs of two of our largest carriers. The day before I flew out here we were in a meeting for the 

Health Exchange Board. They actually have a fair number of clients that have the Legacy policies. For me, the first year it passed 

I was looking at a 50 percent increase if I did not do something. 

So I gave up the right to have a Legacy policy. 

What is the advantage of having a Legacy policy if you are going 

to be subject to those kinds of price increases every year? 

Senator RISCH. I am told that with the Exchange being set up, 

there are some issues with choice, that there is only going to be one 

choice of plan. Am I right or am I wrong on that? 

Mr. SETTLES. You know, I think that our carriers are going to be 

very competitive getting into the market, and the choice part, there 

is a component under the law that allows Exchanges to be set up 

so an employer could allow their employees to choose a certain 

metal plan, silver plan, but from different carriers. 

I am not sure I really see the value of that. It is called dis-aggregation and it is one of the first things that was backed away from 

the Federal Exchanges because it is so hard to manage, because 

then all of a sudden you start to figure out, how does the money 

get from the person paying the policy to the insurer? 

Does it start to have to flow through our health Exchange? And 

if our health Exchange actually has to start collecting premiums, 

it becomes a much bigger monster. 

Senator RISCH. Mr. Settles, on behalf of all Idahoans, thank you 

for trying to diminish the tremendous damage that has been done 

by this law. Thank you very much. I yield back my time. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Senator Shaheen. 

Senator SHAHEEN. Thank you, Madam Chair. Mr. Settles, I was 

interested in your comment about pediatric dental coverage because I do not have any baby teeth either, but my grandchildren 

sure have a lot. So I assume that the policy you are referring to 
122 

would require coverage for children as opposed to adults, but that 

everybody might be paying towards that. 

Mr. SETTLES. When they start to—when they calculate what they 

want to charge for a plan, they have to figure out all their potential 

costs, and because of the—the plans have to be like-like inside and 

out of the Exchange, et cetera, the discussion has been, Well, this 

plan has to have pediatric dental, so we have got to bury it in 

there. If this plan has to cost the same, then it has to be in all policies. 

And so, maybe they will drive down the ultimate rate for pediatric, but everybody picks it up. It is just like the 3.5 percent. You 

are paying to support the health care Exchange whether you can 

use it or not. 

Senator SHAHEEN [presiding]. You know, listening to the panel, 

it really struck me that this is a law that is working very well for 

some people, to the extent that it has been implemented to date, 

and for other people it is not working very well. Mr. Settles and 

Mr. Katz, I can tell you that many of the concerns you have raised 

I have heard from small business people, particularly in the hospitality industry in New Hampshire. 

I guess my hope is that we can look at what is not working very 

well and try and address that in a way that is much more positive, 

but recognize that the system that we had sure was not working 

for an awful lot of people. It was not working in terms of coverage 

and it was not working in terms of cost. In a lot of places, it was 

not working in terms of quality either. 

So that is certainly my hope going forward and that is what I 

intend to work on. But let me go back to you, Nancy, and I wonder 

if you could talk about the—you talked a little bit about this in 

your statement, but the challenge of health care costs in general 

as a small business. What other options, in the absence of ACA or 

some other option to address health care costs, how you would try 

and control that and whether you would be able to stay competitive 

without some way to control health care costs. 

Ms. CLARK. I can—I would control my expenses other ways. I 

have no—I had no control over health care costs at all. It was a 

necessary evil to doing business. So that is why I was delighted 

that my premiums went down this year. But in order for me to be 

competitive as a professional industry in rural New Hampshire, I 

have to offer that as a benefit, likewise I offer 401(k) as well. 

But I control other expenses, not health care, but as I said, this 

year, and I am positive about the Exchange offering more choice 

down the road. Thank you. 

Senator SHAHEEN. And can you talk a little bit about—because 

the earlier panel talked about some of the efforts under way to 

make sure that businesses know about what is in the health care 

law and how to take advantage of what can be helpful and how to 

understand other requirements. Can you talk about how you 

learned about the tax credit and how hard that was to implement? 

Ms. CLARK. How I learned about the tax credit is because I am 

so involved in health care and fixing the health care system. And 

I have an accountant who does my taxes, so it is not at all hard 

to implement, for him at all, and if it was hard for him, I would 

have moved to a different accountant. So we hire experts. I hire 
123 

people that are smarter than me. So yeah, it has not been an issue 

at all. 

Senator SHAHEEN. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Senator Vitter. 

Senator VITTER. Thank you. Thank you again, Mr. Katz. I think 

your testimony went right to the bottom line of a lot of small businesses. I would like to ask you to summarize what you went over 

in terms of the unfortunate cut-backs, sales, a possible closing two 

restaurants you are facing. 

And then spend more time, focus on a different category. If these 

impediments and costs did not face you, absent the Obamacare 

law, what would you probably be doing in terms of opportunities, 

in terms of the new location you described, et cetera. 

Mr. KATZ. Well, I think along with Mr. Settles, I would be aggressively expanding at this point, Senator. Part of the problem is 

the cost. The other problem is the uncertainty, and we just do not 

know. And the issue—my concern today is, I almost think it is a 

house of cards, because we know the penalty is going to be $2,000, 

but it is irrational to think that it is going to remain that. 

And so, if I have to put my faith in myself to keep me in business 

or the Federal Government to not set rates to put me out of business, I am going to make my own decisions. And so, we have talked 

about it a little bit, but the global issue to me is, I never—I grew 

up thinking to be in the 96th percentile was good and the 4th percentile was bad, and I never knew how true that was until I have 

heard today, because I really want to get into the 96th percentile 

and get out of the 4th. 

Chair LANDRIEU. [presiding]. I would like to help you. 

Mr. KATZ. And whether, if it cannot be done away with, whether 

that is increasing the definition of what a full-time employee is, 

maybe expanding to help some of these small businesses. The biggest issue to me is what I am faced with. You get the 48 or 49 people, do you want to go any higher? Do you want to hire anyone? 

Do you want to open another business? And you have got to have 

an awfully profitable business in order to say yes to that question. 

So my 15 or 16 employees, it is a crime, but that is going to happen tens of thousands of times. There are lots of people like me 

making these same decisions today, and that is my biggest concern, 

is what is going to happen going forward. 

Senator VITTER. Thank you. That is all I have. Thank you. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Senator Rubio. 

Senator RUBIO. Thank you. Mr. Katz, I, too, am inspired by your 

story. It really is the epitome of what it means to succeed in America. This story is amazing. So you basically cashed out your life insurance, you took out your credit card availability, you emptied 

your life savings, and with that, you opened these restaurants and 

then you struggled at the beginning to make it. But today, you own 

six diners, you employ 85 people, 65 of them full-time, right? 

Mr. KATZ. Correct. 

Senator RUBIO. And you offer them today paid holidays, vacation, 

dental, vision, term life, and health insurance? 

Mr. KATZ. Correct. 

Senator RUBIO. Is it correct to say your employees are happy 

with that coverage that they are getting? 
124 

Mr. KATZ. I think so. We have very low turn-over for our industry. 

Chair LANDRIEU. It is 50 percent that have it. You offer it, but 

50 percent have it. 

Mr. KATZ. Correct, correct. 

Chair LANDRIEU. But the other 50 percent do not. 

Mr. KATZ. Well, most of them are ineligible because of the hour 

requirement, Senator. 

Chair LANDRIEU. But they do not have—50 percent of your employees have it, 50 person do not. 

Mr. KATZ. Yes. I would think a percentage of those do. Some of 

are covered by Medicaid. Some have other ways, through their 

spouses, of having coverage. 

Chair LANDRIEU. But they do not have your coverage. 

Mr. KATZ. They do not have my coverage, that is correct. 

Senator RUBIO. But the point is, you have a large number of employees that are currently covered by health insurance and are 

happy with that insurance? 

Mr. KATZ. Correct. 

Senator RUBIO. Okay. When the mandate kicks in, what are you 

going to do with that insurance? 

Mr. KATZ. Day one, I am going to have to drop it. 

Senator RUBIO. Okay. So is it fair to say that these employees 

that now have coverage and are happy with it are no longer going 

to have that coverage? 

Mr. KATZ. Not through our company, correct. 

Senator RUBIO. Earlier I heard statements made that that would 

be a choice, that people would make that choice. So let me ask you, 

were it not for Obamacare, would you have made that choice? 

Mr. KATZ. No. We would have continued it. 

Senator RUBIO. You have also discussed in your testimony, in 

your written testimony that I have read, about some of the decisions you are going to have to make. You described that one of your 

options is that you may have to close or sell two of your diners, 

right? 

Mr. KATZ. Correct. 

Senator RUBIO. Is that because of Obamacare? 

Mr. KATZ. Correct. 

Senator RUBIO. How many people would that—how many people 

will lose their jobs if you have to make that decision? 

Mr. KATZ. Sixteen FTEs will get me to 49 and that is apparently 

the magic number. 

Senator RUBIO. So 16 people may lose their jobs if you have to 

make—— 

Mr. KATZ. Slightly more than that because some of those are 

going to be part-time people. 

Senator RUBIO. So is it fair to say that 16 people could potentially lose their jobs because of Obamacare? 

Mr. KATZ. Well, it is not just fair. It is an accurate statement, 

sir. 

Senator RUBIO. And you also, like most businesses, would like to 

grow, right? 

Mr. KATZ. Correct. 
125 

Senator RUBIO. In fact, you have identified a location that you 

may want to expand to, right? 

Mr. KATZ. Correct. 

Senator RUBIO. And everything you know about your business 

tells you, I should expand, this is exactly the right location? 

Mr. KATZ. Correct. 

Senator RUBIO. Are you going to do that? 

Mr. KATZ. No, sir. 

Senator RUBIO. Why? 

Mr. KATZ. Because that will permanently—if I add 15 people, the 

after-tax penalty is going to be $30,000. So you are looking at 

roughly $42,000, $45,000 in profit that is going to go to that. I am 

looking at—my gut tells me it will be good. It could be unsuccessful. But the least, it might make us $40,000, $50,000. 

So I am looking at the option. Do I want to open a restaurant, 

invest a half million dollars or more to make $50,000, $60,000, 

$70,000 knowing that almost 50 of that is going to go to the Federal Government? So the odds are not in my favor. 

Senator RUBIO. If you open that new restaurant, how many new 

people would you hire? 

Mr. KATZ. Fifteen to 20 people, at least 15 FTEs. 

Senator RUBIO. Okay. So there is a new business that is not 

going to open at least because of Obamacare? 

Mr. KATZ. Correct. 

Senator RUBIO. And there are 15 or 16 people that are potentially unemployed today or looking for a job that will not be able 

to find one because of Obamacare? 

Mr. KATZ. Correct. 

Senator RUBIO. There are 15 or 16 jobs that are not going to be 

created because of Obamacare? 

Mr. KATZ. Correct. 

Senator RUBIO. Had it not been for Obamacare, you would have 

probably created those jobs? 

Mr. KATZ. Yes, Senator. 

Senator RUBIO. Okay. Thank you. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you, Senator Rubio. I would just mention that there are three other businesses that are expanding because of the Affordable Care Act, one that is decreasing, and Mr. 

Settles, we are not sure what you are doing, but you are just trying 

to make it work in Idaho, and Mr. Dennis, you are opposed to it 

completely. 

This has been a very, very instructive panel and I really do appreciate all the witnesses here testifying. 

Senator RISCH. Madam Chairman, to comment—— 

Chair LANDRIEU. Could I finish, please? I really appreciate all 

the businesses that have testified, you know, how it is affecting you 

positively, how it is affecting you negatively. It is a debate that is 

continuing to go on in this Congress. 

As the Chair of this Committee, I really hope that we can continue to improve on a law that will provide, hopefully, affordable 

insurance for every family and every business with the shared responsibility for individuals, for business, and for the Government. 

So I thank you all very much. Senator Risch. 
126 

Senator RISCH. Madam Chairman, you know, I think it is a 

shame and really an embarrassment for the United States of America when the Federal Government passes laws that create winners 

and losers in the marketplace. It ought to be governed by the marketplace. It ought to be free people. It ought to be Americans that 

decide this, not the Federal Government doing this. 

I am glad to hear that you want to help do something about this. 

You can help us move this to where we do no harm. Let us go back 

to what we had, which does not do the harm that has been described by these people here. The situation in America today is that 

it is just disgusting that the Federal Government having botched 

this as badly as it has. And we are going to work at it. 

Thank you all for what you do in the free enterprise system. God 

bless you and keep up the good work. 

Chair LANDRIEU. Thank you, Senator Risch, but we are not going 

to go back to the time before people had affordable insurance, and 

there are many businesses that are growing and expanding their 

employment because of this Act. There are some glitches that need 

to be fixed. There are some, probably, good ideas. Mr. Katz suggested a few. We are going to follow up with you to see how that 

is done. 

We will not go back to a time when businesses cannot afford insurance and cannot grow because of it, or lose their coverage because they get sick or they have a disabled child and their whole 

firm loses coverage because one child is born with Down’s Syndrome. I can assure you we are not going back. Thank you. 

Senator RISCH. Madam Chairman, I sincerely hope you can fix 

this mess. 

Chair LANDRIEU. The record is closed. 

[Whereupon, at 4:58 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.] 
(127) 

APPENDIX MATERIAL SUBMITTED 
128 

Summary of Testimony- Larry Katz 

Founder and Owner of Dots Diner 

Lawrence K. "Larry" Katz is testifYing on Dots Diner at the invitation of Senator Vitter. Katz 

currently serves as vice chairman of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Commission, and on the boards 

of City Park, WYES television and the Pelican State Pachyderm Club. He also has served as chairman 

of the East Jefferson Council of the Chamber of Commerce and has volunteered with Jefferson Dollars 

for Scholars. Katz is on the Jefferson Parish Planning Advisory Board, the Jefferson Parish Long 

Range Planning Committee and the Jefferson Parish Charter Advisory Committee. He has donated a 

combined total of$6,657 to David Vitter, Bill Cassidy, and other republican members from Louisiana. 

Background on Company 

• Katz owns 6 Diners and employs 85 people. 

They currently have 65 full time equivalents (FTE). Therefore he will be caught in the "over 

50 employee limit." Beginning January 1,2015, he will pay the $70,000 penalty which he will 

make up a 2-3% to cover these added expenses. 

• With less than $200,000.00, Larry opened the first Dots Diner restaurant. In 12 months, he 

was down to less than $10,000.00 in savings. At that point, he considered two options: 2nd 

mortgage his home or declaring bankruptcy. 

Finally he broke even and the following week, he made a few hundred dollars and the tide had 

been turned. 

Summary of Testimony 

Katz successfully owns and operates 6 diners in the Greater New Orleans Area with plans to 

open a seventh location. 

His diners employ over 50 FTEs, and he cannot take advantage of the tax credits for small 

companies under the ACA. 

He faces the decision of limiting his expansion and shuttering two of his six diners or paying the 

penalty. which he estimates will raise his food prices 3 percent. 

He is also having his company valued so that he has the option of selling the Dot's Diners; this is an 

option he would not have considered if the ACA was not going to cost his company so much starting in 

2015. 

Larry Katz Conclusions 

Katz recommends full repeal of the Affordable Care Act. His testimony is meant to provide a 

real world example of the consequences of the law as it is written. 

He would like to be able to take advantage of the tax credits if available to him without 

limiting the options for growth of his diners. 

• He believes that the impacts of this law as written hurt small businesses and creates conditions 

for the loss of jobs, the raising of prices, and the forcing of employees into the Federal 

exchanges. 
129 

Post-Hearing Questions for the Record 

"Implementation o/the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

July 24, 2013 

Questions for Ms. Olafson: 

From Ranking Member Risch 

Ms. Olafson, you mentioned that the SBA is building and leveraging resources to promote the 

ACA, through events and other agency-funded resources such as its website, health care blog, 

webinar trainings, and e-newsletter. Can you share the amount and origin of funds that have 

been used to support each of these efforts? If these efforts have been undertaken in 

partnership or co-sponsorship with outside entities, can you please provide documentation 

of such relationship(s) (i.e. co-sponsorship agreements, contracts, etc.)? Have you been 

instructed to oversee the SBA's efforts on educating small businesses about the law? If so, 

could you please explain what specifically you have been tasked with? Finally, could you 

provide a list of all SBA employees or contractors who perform each of these outreach 

efforts, including their grade or salary? 

Answer: 

SBA is working with a range of entities and stakeholders acrass the country to help small 

businesses better prepare for the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. This includes 

working with our federal agency partners, our network of business counselors, community 

organizations, trade graups, and other small business stakeholders to help educate small 

businesses abaut the Affordable Care Act and the benefits available under the law. 

SBA is using its Salaries and Expenses operating account to fund the small business ACA 

educational effarts, which include online outreach as well as train-the-trainers and in person 

assistance. SBA does not separately track the amount of employee time used in engaging in 

ACA educational efforts in its annual Cost Allocation Survey. Health care efforts and activity are 

not collected by SBA on Entrepreneurial Development Management Information System or other 

SBA information collections. We understand that these educational efforts generally involve 

minimal use of time for most SBA employees. 

SBA has entered into one co-sponsorship agreement with Small Business Majority to co-sponsor 

weekly small business webinars praviding educational information on what the Affordable Care 

Act means for small business owners. These no-cost webinars have been offered every Thursday 

since July 18, 2013 and are open to all small business owners across the country. A signed copy 

of the co-sponsorship agreement is attoched. 

The Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and the Department 

of the Treasury are the primary Federal agencies tasked with implementation of the ACA. 

However, as you know, ACA implementation raises many issues of interest to small business. 

Some of these were discussed in the recent CRS Report: The Affordable Care Act and Small 

Business: Economic Issues, is available at http://www.{as.orq/sgP/crs/misc/R43181.pdf. 
130 

My role as Senior Policy Advisor to the Administrator includes coordinating the Agency's 

education and outreach efforts on the Affordable Care Act. In this capacity, I perform a variety 

of tasks, including praviding pragram advice and assistance to agency management and SBA 

employees on what the ACA means to small business, participating in interagency meetings, and 

working with a range of stakeholder groups. Other SBA employees are providing minimal staff 

time in support of the educational efforts, such as responding to questions from stakeholders 

during counseling sessions and participoting in voluntary training events. 

Ms. Olafson, in your testimony, you assert that "hundreds of thousands" of small businesses 

have already benefitted from small business tax credits that provide up to 35 percent of premium 

costs of health insurance, otherwise known as the small business health tax credit. Although 

originally estimated that 1.4 to four million small businesses would be eligible for the credit, 

GAO reports that in the tax year 20 I 0, only 170,300 small businesses actually claimed it, with 

only 28, I 00 claiming the full credit. Where did you receive this "hundreds of thousands" 

figure that you cited? Could you provide the precise number of small businesses that have 

claimed the full credit? 

Answer: 

The Affordable Care Act helps level the playing field for small businesses, expanding their 

bargaining power and their ability to offer the kind of benefit packages that attract and retain 

top-quality workers. Through the Affordable Care Act, small businesses have had access to 

historic tax credits since 2010. The GAO estimate pertains to tax year 2010 alone. Since then, 

additional employers have claimed the credit. According to the Department of Treasury, the 

Agency responsible for implementing the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit, roughly 

200,000 employers have claimed the credit each year. 

From Senator Deb Fischer 

During our conversation at last week's hearing, you mentioned that the Small Business 

Administration is leveraging all the resources in its network and at its disposal to get the facts 

about the ACA to the small business community. While I understand the SBA's intent to answer 

questions asked of it by small businesses which are rightfully concerned by this law, what is the 

provision of law which authorizes the SBA to promote and provide materials about the 

ACA? Will you provide me with the list of SBA programs and accounts which are being 

used as part ofthis effort? Finally, what is the amount of resources being used by the SBA 

to dispense information about the ACA which would have otherwise been used for another 

purpose? 

Answer: 
131 

The Small Business Act, Section 8(b)(1)(a), provides the Administrator with the authority to 

provide information to small businesses related to their management, financial, and operational 

concerns. In addition, the mission of the SBA is to counsel, assist and protect the interests of 

small business, and we are warking every day to help educate small business owners about a 

range of issues-from accessing the loans that can help them start a business, to helping them 

tap into the federal supply chain. This includes informing business owners on ways the 

Affordable Care Act may benefit and impact their business. 

Several SBA resource partners are providing educational caunseling and training on ACA related 

issues, including Small Business Development Centers, Women's Business Centers, Veterans 

Business Opportunity Centers, and SCORE. The funding for these programs are in SBA's Salaries 

and Expenses appropriation account. SBA is also leveraging the expertise of its Regional and 

District Offices as well as its web and social media team to help educate small businesses on 

ACA. 

As stated previously, SBA daes not track employee time expended an ACA educational efforts in 

its annual Cost Allocatian Survey. Generally, SBA's ACA education and outreach activities 

involve a minimal use of employee time. SBA does have on staff a Senior Policy Advisor to the 

Administrator, who is primarily devoted to ACA educational efforts. The educational effort 

undertaken by SBA is similar to previous Agency efforts to assist small businesses with key issues 

that are relevant to the small business community, such as Y2K in 2000 and various small 

business tax changes in the past. The apprapriatian accaunt that SBA uses ta pay far all noncredit activities is Salaries and Expenses (73-0100). 
132 

1. Partlas 

COSPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT 

between 

U.S. Small Business Administration 

OffIce of Communications & Public Liaison 

and 

Small Business Majority 

110114th Strut. NW. Suite 1001 

Washington. DC 20005 

Authorization No: 13·2110.118 

This cospol1!lOl'ship ageement ('Agreement") Is between the U.S. Sma. Business Administration ('SSA') 

and the following cosponsor(s) (individually a 'Cosponsor" or collectively the 'Cosponsonl1: 

Small Business Majority (SBM) 

110114th Street, NW, Suite 1001 

Washington, DC 20005 

Description of Cosponsor: Small Business Majority Is a 501 (cX3) non-proflt entity 

founded and run by small business owners to focus on solving the biggest problems 

facing small buslnasses today. 

2. Purpose 

The purpose of this Agreement Is to describe the rights and responsibilities of each Cosponsor regarding 

the activity described below pursuant to SBA's cosponsorship authority, 15 U.S.C. section 633(h) and 13 

C.F.R. Part 106. The Agreement encompasses this document, all Attachments and applicable laws and 

regulations. Except es properly amended, this Agreement Is the final and complete agreement of the 

Cosponsors. It does not authori%e the expenditure of any funds, other than by express terms of this 

Agreement nor does It create special consideration by SSA regarding any other matter. This Agreement 

shall not limit any Cosponsor from participating in slmUar activities or arrangements wtth other entities. 

3. Cosponsored Actfvlty 

a) Name of actIvlty/event(s): Affordable Care Act Weekly Weblnar Series 

b) Oate(s): Weekly, beginning during mld·July 2013 - Decsmber 31; 2013 

c) Place: Online at www,smallbusinessmalorl!y.oro 

d) Estimated Number of Attendees: 300 per weblner 

e) Estimated Direct Cost of Cosponsored Activity: $1,000 for SBM online expenses 

f) Summary of evenVactlvlty: SBA and SBM will cosponsor a weekly weblnar providing 

educational Information on what the Affordable Care Act means for small business owners. Content will include Information on the small business health cere tax credit, the SHOP 

marketplaces. and employer shared responsibHIty provisions, along with other Federal 

resources on where individuals can go to learn more about what parts of the law may apply 10 

their businesses. 
133 

4. Coaponsors' ResponslbllHles 

The Cosponsors agree that each will do the following In support of the cosponsored activity: 

(a)SSAwllI: 

Provide SBM with template presentation, Including content, to be used for all webinars. 

• Work in conjunction with SBM to modHy the template presentation as necessary. 

IdentHy subject-matter-experts to present on weblnar topics as deemed appropriate by the 

SBAandSBM. 

Promote the cosponsored activity to small business through regional and national mediums, 

Including but not limited to SBA's website. 

Maintain final approval over all draft content and marketing materials, including Information 

posted to SBM's website. 

• Work with S8M to ldentHy particular weblnars to be archived and hosted for on-demand 

viewing throughout the cosponsorship period. 

(b)SBM will: 

• Work In conjunction with SBA to modHy SBA's template presentation as necessary. o Assume primary role of weblnar hosting Including technology support and registration portal. 

o Identify subject-matter-experts to present on weblnar topics as deemed appropriate by the 

SBAandSBM. 

• SSM will ensure that all webinars are accessible to aD members of the public pursuant to 

SectIon 508 of the RehablUtation Act. 

ProvIde SBA a list of attendees, including contact information. for each presentation following 

each week's weblnar. S8M will also provide aggregate data Iotals of webloar participants to 

the SBA upon the conclusion of each weblnar in the series and a total upon the conclusion of 

the cosponsored activity. 

Record all webinars and work with SBA to ldentHy particular weblnars to be archived and 

hosted for on-demand viewing throughOut the cosponsorship period. All archived 

cosponsored materials will comply with Section 508 of the RehabBllation Act. 

Promote the cosponsored activity through its public relations efforts, Including but not Ilmlled 

to SSM's web site, emalls, and other mediums. All releases to be approved by SBA prior to 

release. 

5. Budgllt and F_ 

A budget Showing estimated direct costs and anticipated sources of funds is attached and will be followed 

to the extent prectlcable (Attachment A). The Cosponsors agree that no fees will be charged to 

participants for the cosponsored actMties outlined in this Agreement. 

6. Appropriate Recognition 

Each Cosponsor will be given appropriate recognition for cosponsorship of the actlvMy outlined In this 

Agreement. however such recognition does not constitute an express or Implied endorsement by SBA of 

any of the opinions, products or services of any Cosponsor, lis subsldlartes or lis contractors. As such, all 

appropriate disclaimers and authorization numbers win be visible on ali Cosponsored Materials. SSA has 

the right to determine what constitutes appropriate recognHlon, In lis reasonable discretion. 

7. Cosponsored MlIlerie' 

Cosponsored material refars to all print and elactronic materials used to promote the cosponsored activity 

or material used during or as the cosponsored activity. This Includes, but Is not IImHed to, flyers, 

brochures. maHers, emaH promotional pieces, web pages, cosponsored promotionalltems, or any other 

physical. print or electronic item bearing SBA's name or logo. 

2 
134 

B. U •• of SBA Logo 

Each Cosponsor agrees to use its name and logo In connection wfth SSA's on cosponsored materials or 

in factual publicity only for the cosponsored activity as outlined In this Agreement. Factual publicity 

includes dates. times, locations, purposes, agendas, fees and speakers Involved wfth the activity. Any 

materials, print or eIactronlc, bearing SBA's logo must include the appropriate disclaimers as ouUined in 

paragraph 10 and be approved In advance by SSA's Responsible Program Official. 

9. W.b ActIvity 

SSM wlH create a web site located at www.smallbusjnessmaiorjly.oroto maintain information about the 

schedule for the cosponsored webiners, host the weblnars and coordinate reglstratlon for the webinars. 

SBM agnIBS thens will be no commerclal advertisements or commerclal promotions of any kind, Including 

ItS own products or services, displayed on this cosponsored site. SSA further agrees that the 

cosponsonsd website will comply with applicable Federal law, including Section 508 of the RehabPltation 

Act (29 U.S.C. § 794d). 

10. Disclaimers 

All cosponsored materials. print or electronic, bearing the SSA name or logo must be approved In 

advance by SSA's Responsible Program OffIcial and contain the following statement(s): 

1. Cosponsorship Authorization # 13-211 1l-118. SSA's partlcipatlon In this cosponsored activity is 

not an endorsement 01 the views. opinions, products or services of any cosponsor or other person 

or entity. All SSA programs and services ens extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. 

2. Reasonable arrangements fO[ persons with disebllities will be made If requested at least two 

weeks in advance. Conlect: Rhett Suttle - (202)535-3224 

3. This Web site Is provided as a public service under Cosponsorship Authorfzatlon # 13-2111l-118. 

It is nol an ofIIcial U.S. govemment Web site and may contain links to non-U.S. government 

information. Inclusion of such links does not constitute or Imply an endorsement by SSA. SSA is 

not nssponsible for the content, accuracy, relevance. timeliness or completeness of linked 

information. Please use caution when considering a product. service or opinion offered by a 

Unked Web site. 

11. UC-Ing of Coaponsored Material 

To the extent SSA and SBM agree to archive any cosponsored webinars. SSA will possess an 

Irrevocable, non-excluslve. worldwide. royalty-tree license to use any copyrighted cosponsorship matarlal 

developed for the cosponsorship outlined In this Agreement. SBM will be responsible for obtaining all 

rights. feee and clearances, If necassery. for the purpose of SSA's license. Should SSA decide to use 

copyrighted cosponsored material after the term of thIS Agreement, SSA will rernova SSM's logo but 

nstaln e copyright notice on all prlnt or electronic versions of the material. 

12. PoIntII of Contac:t 

The respective Points of Contact for this Cosponsorship will be Rhett Buttle for SSM and Chris Van Es for 

SSA These indlvlduats wlU facilitate contact between the Cosponsors to plan, organiZe and execute the 

actlvity{s) contemplated in this Agreement 

13. Tenn. Amendment and Termination 

This Agreement will take effect upon signature of au Cosponsors and will remain In effeclthrough January 

31,2014. This Agnsement can only be amended In writing. Any Cosponsor may tenninate its 

participation in the ac:tIvity upon 30 calendar days advance written notice to the other Cosponsors. Such 

termination Will not require changes to materials alnsady produced, and will not entitle the terminating 

cosponsor to a nstum of funds or property contributed. 

3 
135 

14. Signature 

Each of the persons signing this Agreement represents that he/she has the authorHy to enter Into this 

Agreement on behalf of the entity involved. 

SSA: 

........ -... ~­It Suttle 

VICe President . 

Small Business MaJorHy 

4 
136 

Direct expen ... 

Weblnar Technology Setup 

Total Expenses 

Sources of Income 

S8M 

Attachment A - Proposed Budget 

5 

In-kind 

$1000 

$1000 

In-kind 

$1000 
137 

Attachment B 

Draft Agenda 

Affordable Care Act 101 

1:00PM Welcome and Introductions 

1:05PM Affordable Care Act 101 : What Small Business Owners Need to Know 

• Overview 

• Small Business Health Care Tax Credit 

SHOP Marketplaces 

Employer Shared Responsibility 

1:45 PM 

2:00PM 

Questions 

ClOSing 

July 18, 2013 

July 25,2013 

August 1, 2013 

August8,2013 

August15,2013 

August 22, 2013 

August 29, 2013 

September 5, 2013 

September 12,2013 

September 19, 2013 

September 26, 2013 

October 3, 2013 

October 10, 2013 

October 17, 2013 

October 24, 2013 

October 31, 2013 

Draft Schedule 

Webinars wHl continue Into November end December as needed 

6 
138 

Post-Hearing Questions for the Record 

"Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

July 24, 2013 

Questions for Mr. Dennis: 

From Ranking Member Riscb 

Mr. Dennis, in testimony provided during the hearing, the small business health tax credit was 

lauded as a way the ACA addresses its disproportionate impact on small businesses. According 

to a recent GAO report, the credit is far too small and claiming it is far too complicated for the 

small businesses it seeks to help. According to GAO, out of the projected four million small 

businesses estimated to be eligible for the credit, only 28,000 have claimed the full credit. While 

the IRS offers "3 Simple Steps" on its website, those three steps become 15 calculations, II of 

which are based on seven worksheets, some of which require mUltiple columns of information. 

Does NFm feel that this credit or other so-called "market initiatives" help small businesses 

face the complexity or cost of this law? Could you speak to how small businesses with 

limited resources and wherewithal are supposed to claim the credit when GAO estimates it 

takes professional tax preparers up to five hours on average to gather the necessary 

documentation and perform the calculation? 

Dennis Answer - There are at least two important points to recognize about the credit. The first 

is that the credit is very narrowly drawn, making it difficult to use and of comparatively little 

value to individual small businesses that are able to take advantage of it. There are four 

eligibility criteria: employee-size, average wages paid, an offer of employee health insurance, 

and at least halfofthe insurance paid by the employer. NFIB estimated in 2011 that about 

245,000 small, employing businesses are eligible for the full-credit and 1.165 million for the 

partial credit, rather than the four million projected by the Administration. We are correct. 

The second point is that the credit serves as a windfall, not as an incentive. Awareness of the 

credit is low, less than half had ever heard ofthe credit by mid-2OI I and only 23 percent of those 

who had, thought that they would benefit from it and many of those are ineligible. Low initial 

use as reported by GAO supports the NFlB awareness data. The numbers aware of credit should 

rise over time, but then the credit expires. Further, the credit is of insufficient size to stimulate a 

business to commit to a purchase of employee health insurance. GAO reports the average credit 

claimed to be $2,748 per firm while Kaiser reports the cost of health insurance in 2012 averaged 

$15,745 (family) or $5,615 per employee. The credit's size is scheduled to increase, but only 

those using a SHOP exchange will be eligible. Another factor affecting the credit's incentive 

effect is that the credit is temporary and will expire. The purchase of employee health insurance, 

in contrast, is a long-term commitment employers make to their employees. A small employer 

simply cannot and almost certainly will not purchase insurance to take advantage of the credit 

and then tum around and drop coverage when the credit expires. That also makes the credit 

irrelevant as an incentive. 

Ninety percent of small employers use a tax professional to help them file their tax return. Those 

who file it themselves are among the smallest businesses, those targeted by the credit. Numerous 
139 

reports from tax professionals say that filing for the credit is very difficult for them. One can 

only imagine how difficult it would be to claim the credit for those without tax expertise. 

According to the NFIB, the Health Insurance Tax will cost nearly 250,000 jobs, with 59% of 

those losses falling on small businesses. The CBO and Joint Committee on Taxation have 

confirmed that this tax will be directly passed onto purchasers in the form of higher premiums 

and costs- particularly in the fully insured market where most small businesses purchase 

insurance. COUld you explain why the tax win lead to higher premiums and how it is at 

odds with the law's stated goal of making coverage affordable? During the ACA debate, 

the tax was billed as a "tax on insurance companies." Can you explain why this tax will be 

borne by individuals and families, most of whom work for sman businesses? 

Dennis Answer- Congress believed that the ACA would bring additional customers to insurance 

companies and that insurance companies should pay a tax on that new, windfall business to help 

fund the Act. But it forgot, or never understood, that insurance companies have the ability and 

the incentive to pass on added costs to their customers. Their customers are the fully-insured 

market, which is part individual market and part small group market. Self-insured firms are not 

part of the fully-insured market, meaning that virtually all large firms and their employees will 

not share in paying the tax. As a result, the tax falls on small businesses and individuals. 

Responsible estimates place the tax cost at 2 - 3 percent of premium. That cost compounds so 

that by 2020, it amounts to $5,000 per policy, though that figure will vary by a number of 

factors, including participation, that is, the number of policies sold. Remember, the tax is 

estimated at over $100 billion during the next decade. 

The validity of some of the data presented in this hearing has been questioned by some Members 

of this Committee. Would you like to provide further explanation behind the information 

that you presented? 

Dennis Answer - The Chair indicated earlier in the hearing that Politico reported that the socalled HIT Coalition funded the NFIB Research Foundation's simulation of the HIT tax. The 

Politico report is not correct. The NFIB Research Foundation originally simulated the HIT Tax 

prior to the formation of the HIT Coalition. The simulation was subsequently updated, and the 

HIT Coalition did use it in their publicity. However, I cannot emphasize too strongly that the 

NFIB Research Foundation has never accepted funds, directly or indirectly, from an insurance 

company, an organization of insurance companies, or a coalition that insurance company 

participation in, in order to conduct research on HIT or any aspect of small business and health 

insurance. 
140 

Post-Hearing Questions for the Record 

"Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

July 24, 2013 

Questions for Chiquita Brooks-LaSure: 

From Ranking Member Risch 

Ms. Brooks-LaSure, the GAO has reported that critical tasks have delayed the 

establishment offederal exchanges, including certification of the plans to be offered on 

those exchanges. Politico reported a few days ago that Mississippi just nearly averted a 

crisis in its exchange because no insurers had signed up to offer coverage, which would 

have left tens of thousands of working-class individuals without the subsidies promised 

under the law to make said plans "affordable." 

1. What kind of comfort does this give small businesses who will be required to provide 

insurance under the employer mandate in 2015? What is CMS doing to make sure that 

insurers will participate on the exchanges once small businesses are required to provide 

coverage? How do you respond to the rising rates insurers are already passing onto 

small businesses due to this lack of competition and assessment of the Health Insurance 

Tax? 

Answer: Most employers in the small group market are not subject to the employer 

responsibility provision of the Affordable Care Act. For small employers that choose to offer 

coverage, the reforms in the law will help employers and their employees have access to better 

coverage at a lower cost in 2014. The Affordable Care Act is working to increase transparency 

and competition among health insurance plans and drive premiums down. Employers are 

benefitting from the Affordable Care Act, which includes a range of cost-saving, qualityimproving measures that are contributing to a slowdown in health care cost growth. The law 

includes provisions intended to foster coordinated care, reduce preventable health complications 

during hospitalizations, and promote the adoption of more efficient health information 

technology. This slowdown should help employers save money.1 

Historically, small businesses have been vulnerable to sharp swings in their rates based on the 

health of a few employees. The Affordable Care Act's single risk pool provision and other 

market reforms will help to stabilize premiums so that small businesses don't have to worry 

about those sharp swings from year to year. The single risk pool provision prevents insurers 

from segmenting emollees into separate rating pools in order to increase premiums at a faster 

rate for higher-risk individuals more than lower-risk individuals, as is often the practice today. 

Starting in 2014, health insurance issuers will maintain a single statewide risk pool for each of 

1 For example, in 2012, premium growth for employer-sponsored insurance was at its lowest rate (3 percent) since 

the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey started in 1996. Already six states (Colorado, DC, New Mexico, Oregon, 

Vermont, and Washington) have released information showing that proposed premiums for the small group market 

are estimated to be approximately 18 percent lower than the premium a small employer would pay for similar 

coverage without the Affordable Care Act. See: 

hnp:!laspe.hhs.gov/heaith/reports/20 13/MarketCompetitionPremiums/rb premiums.cfm. 
141 

their individual and small employer markets, unless a state chooses to merge the individual and 

small group pools into one pool. Premiums and annual rate changes will be based on the health 

risk of the entire pool. 

Additionally, many small employers will be able to choose from a variety of plans within new 

SHOP Marketplaces and offer those plans to their employees for January I st coverage. SHOPs 

will allow employers and employees the ability to conduct side-by-side comparisons of Qualified 

Health Plans based on benefits and premiums. SHOPs also can save businesses money by 

lowering administrative costs faced by employers. Billing will also be consolidated in all 

SHOPs no later than 2015. Finally, businesses may be eligible for small business tax credits 

when they offer health coverage for employees through a SHOP. Beginning in 2014, a tax credit 

of up to 50 percent of certain employers' share of health insurance coverage will be available to 

employers obtaining coverage through SHOPs. 

CMS has been pleased with the response from insurers to participate in the Marketplaces. CMS 

is reviewing applications from issuers to offer qualified health plans in the Federally-facilitated 

Marketplaces; CMS has received qualified health plan submissions from more than 120 issuers. 

The Administration continually emphasizes "choice" for small employers and individuals 

under the health care law. Recent press reports about the Administration's Request for 

Information on Stop Loss Insurance suggest that tbe Administration is contemplating steps 

to limit self-insured and stop loss options for smaller and medium-size plans. 

2. Can you confirm tbat tbe Administration is not drafting regulations or planning any 

executive actions along those lines? 

3. Consistent with the treatment of stop loss insurance coverage under these areas of the 

law, will the Administration continue to recognize stop loss coverage as liability 

insurance when implementing provisions of the ACA? 

Answer to #s 2&3: Stop loss insurance protects against health insurance claims that are 

catastrophic or unpredictable in nature and provides coverage to self-insured group health plans 

once a certain level of risk has been absorbed by the plan. Stop loss protection allows an 

employer to self-insure for a set amount of claims costs, with the stop loss insurance covering 

most or all of the remainder of the claims costs that exceed the set amount, generally referred to 

as the "attachment point." 

The Administration published a Request for Information (RFI) regarding Stop Loss Insurance in 

the Federal Register on May 1,2012. The comment period for this RFI closed on July 2,2012. 

We are considering the comments we received to the RFI and cannot comment on any potential 

future regulatory action. 
142 

From Senator Michael B. Enzi 

I am very interested in the use of stop loss insurance. I have heard from a number of small 

business owners that stop loss is a key part of self-insuring and provides them with more 

flexibility when it comes to covering their workers. I sent a letter, along with Senators 

Coburn and Snowe, last June to your Department requesting information on how you will 

treat stop loss insurance in the future. 

1. Can you commit to me that the Department of Health and Human Services and the 

Administration will not implement any rules that will limit the ability of small 

businesses to self-insure? 

Answer: The Administration published an RFI regarding Stop Loss Insurance in the Federal 

Register on May 1,2012. The comment period for this RFI closed on July 2,2012. We are 

considering the comments we received to the RFI and cannot comment on any potential future 

regulatory action. 
143 

From Senator Deb Fischer 

The cost of implementation of the ACA when it was first passed and enacted ostensibly 

expected that the deadlines provided under the law for the different provisions to take 

effect would be met. However, a number of the statutory deadlines have not been met, 

such as the effective date of the employer mandate and the requirement of states to verify 

eligibility for individual subsidies. 

1. With these delays dragging on the implementation, is the cost to implement the ACA 

higher than expected and, if so, by how much? 

Answer: Numerous experts agree that the delay of the employer shared responsibility 

provisions will have little impact on the overall implementation of the law, mainly because about 

96 percent of employers with more than 50 workers already provide insurance. The one-year 

delay in the application of the employer shared responsibility provision does not have a large 

operational impact on Affordable Care Act implementation, and does not affect the law's overall 

goals. 

Since CMS is only responsible for certain provisions ofthe law, we do not have an estimate for 

the total cost of implementation. The President's FY 2014 Budget included $1.5 billion for 

implementation of the Marketplaces. However, this spending is balanced by the law's ability to 

reduce the deficit. According to CBO estimates, the law in its entirety will reduce the deficit by 

approximately $ I 00 billion over the next decade and more than $1 trillion in the decade after 

that. 
144 

Post Hearing Questions for the Recordfor Mark Iwry 

Senate Committee on Small Business 

"Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

Ranking Member Risch 

Question 1: 

Mr. Iwry, in addition to cutbacks by small business, even major labor unions have urged 

Congress to revise the definition of the 30-hour workweek to 40 hours to avoid these 

disastrous effects to business. The Department of Treasury exercised what it says is its 

authority under Section 780SA of the [nternal Revenue Code to delay the employer 

mandate because of concerns raised by the business community. Do you believe that 

projections of layoffs and reduced hours warrant similar analysis by the Department to 

waive or revise the 30-hour-workweek definition? Do you have information on the average 

family income in the U.S. and how a cutback to a 30-hour workweek would affect those 

families? Could you make that information available to the Committee? 

The 30-hour full-time workweek definition is specifically set forth in the statute. In December of 

2012, the Treasury Department and IRS issued proposed regulations that address the 30-hour 

full-time workweek definition. They include alternatives and safe harbors to make it easier for 

employers to determine whether their employees work at least 30 hours per week on average. 

Employers generally expressed appreciation for the flexibility provided under the proposed 

regulations. We continue to look for ways to make compliance easier for taxpayers within the 

confines ofthe law, and continue to work with employers and other stakeholders to implement 

the statutory employer responsibility provisions in as workable a manner as possible. 

Question 2: 

Mr. Iwry, in testifying before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on July 18, you 

stated that the delay decisions the Treasury has made do not affect the marketplace 

("PPACA: Implementation in the Wake of Administrative Delay," House Energy & 

Commerce Committee on July 18,2013). The philosophy behind the exchanges is that with 

more plan options, insurers can better gauge competition and thus offer reduced premium 

rates. How are insurers supposed to gauge competition when the SHOPs will only be 

providing one option to small businesses until 201S? Could you explain your statement 

that delay will not affect the marketplace? Can you respond to the increased premiums 

that small businesses have reported to this Committee? 

The transition relief provided for the information reporting provisions and employer 

responsibility provisions of the Affordable Care Act does not apply to the dates on which the 

Marketplaces begin providing coverage. Coverage is scheduled to become available in the 

Marketplaces beginning at the start of2014. In addition, employers that are eligible for thc 

Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) generally are not subject to the employer 

responsibility provisions (Code section 4980H) or the employer information reporting provisions 

under Code section 6056, so that transition relief with respect to those employer responsibility 

and reporting provisions has no bearing on coverage offered in the SHOP. An insurer or small 
145 

Post Hearing Questions/or the Record/or Mark Iwry 

Senate Committee on Small Business 

"Implementation o/the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

employer may gauge competition by examining the coverage offered on the Marketplaces, 

including the SHOPs. 

The Affordable Care Act also provides for a single risk pool and other market reforms that will 

help to stabilize premiums so that small businesses will no longer be vulnerable to sharp swings 

in their rates from year to year based on the health of a few employees. The single risk pool 

provision prevents insurers from segmenting enrollees into separate rating pools in order to 

increase premiums at a faster rate for higher-risk individuals than for lower-risk individuals. 

Question 3: 

In your testimony, you say that most small businesses are not affected by employer 

reporting requirements in the law. In his testimony, Mr. Dennis stated that Sections 6055 

and 6056 contain substantial reporting requirements, but no rules have been promulgated 

as to how employers will have to comply with the requirements. How will the IRS make 

surc that small businesses are taken into considcration whcn developing these rules? Can 

you explain how a small business near the 50-employee threshold will not be affected by 

these reporting requirements? Will they not still be required, under the law, to annually 

measure and account for their FTEs (or equivalents) to determine whether they are subject 

to the Employer Mandate? 

Proposed regulations regarding information reporting under Code sections 6055 and 6056 were 

issued in September. Section 6056 does not apply to employers with fewer than 50 full-time 

equivalent employees, and section 6055 applies to employers only if they are self-insured, which 

generally includes few employers with fewer than 50 employees. After the regulations are 

finalized, the requirements will take effect on January 1,2015. Under thc transition relief 

provided earlier this year, taxpayers will not need to report under section 6055 or 6056 for 2014, 

so employers will not need to bcgin collecting data to report under these sections until 2015. 

These proposed regulations take into account small employers based, in part, on comments from 

and dialogue with representatives of small businesses, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 

and small businesses have further opportunity to comment on the proposed regulations through 

the rulemaking process. 

While it is true that employers will need to count employees beginning in 2014 to determine 

whether they are subject to the employer responsibility provisions of the Affordable Care Act, 

the rules for counting employees were issued in December 2012. These are contained in 

proposed regulations that provide that employers can rely on them until final regulations are 

published. They also provide that, to the extent the final regulations are more restrictive than the 

proposed regulations, the future guidance will not be applied retroactively and employers will be 

given sufficient time to come into compliance with the final regulations. 
146 

Post Hearing Questionsfor the Recordfor Mark Iwry 

Senate Committee on Small Business 

"Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

Question 4: 

The Administration continually emphasizes "choice" for small employers and individuals 

under the health care law. Recent press reports about the Administration's Request for 

Information on Stop Loss Insurance suggest that the Administration is contemplating steps 

to limit self-insured and stop loss options for smaller and medium-size plans. Can you 

confirm that the Administration is not drafting regulations or planning any executive 

actions along those lines? 

On May 1,2012, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and the 

Treasury jointly published a Request for Information in the Federal Register requesting public 

comments to contribute to the Departments' understanding of the current and emerging market 

for stop loss products. . We are reviewing these comments and considering the issues raised in 

them. The Departments remain interested in the possible effects of self-funded arrangements 

with stop loss insurance and will continue to work with stakeholders to monitor the use of such 

arrangements. 

Question 5: 

Stop loss insurance covers aggregate group and individual losses that exceed certain agreed 

upon thresholds, and operates as a safety net for small employers maintaining self-funded 

group health plans. Stop loss coverage is considered liability insurance under the Section 

9832(c)(1)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code. In its final regulations implementing Code 

sections 4375 and 4376, the Department of Treasury also recognized that stop loss should 

not be considered a "specified health insurance policy." Further, the Department of Health 

and Human Services exempted stop-loss policies from the reinsurance contribution 

requirements. Consistent with the treatment of stop loss insurance coverage under these 

areas of the law, will the Administration continue to recognize stop loss coverage as liability 

insurance when implementing provisions of the ACA? 

On May 1,2012, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and the 

Treasury jointly published a Request for Information in the Federal Register requesting public 

comments to contribute to the Departments' understanding ofthe current and emerging market 

for stop loss products. We are reviewing these comments and considering the issues raised in 

them. The Departments remain interested in the possible effects of self-funded arrangements 

with stop loss insurance and will continue to work with stakeholders to monitor the use of such 

arrangements. 
147 

Post Hearing Questions/or the Record/or Mark Iwry 

Senate Committee on Small Business 

"Implementation a/the AffiJrdable Care Act: Understanding Small Business Concerns" 

Senator Deb Fischer 

Question 1: 

The cost of implementation of the ACA when it was first passed and enacted ostensibly 

expected that the deadlines provided under the law for the different provisions to take 

effect would be met. However, a number of the statutory deadlines have not been met, 

such as the effective date ofthe employer mandate and the requirement of states to verify 

eligibility for individual subsidies. With these delays dragging on the implementation, is 

the cost to implement the ACA higher than expected and, if so, by how much? 

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has consistently projected that the Affordable Care Act 

as a whole will significantly reduce the budget deficit over time. In other words. the ACA is 

more than fully paid for. For example, in July of2012. the CBO estimated that, repealing the 

Affordable Care Act would increase the federal budget deficit by $109 billion between 2013 and 

2022, and would further increase the deficit in the following decade by about Yo, of 1 percent of 

GDP. The CBO's more recent estimates (May 2013) have reaffirmed the ACA's contribution to 

deficit reduction in the first and second decades. 
148 

SENATE SMALL BUSINESS COMITTEE 

HEARING ON 

"The Affordable Care Act" 

July 24, 2013 

These are the answer for the records to be inserted into the transcript for this hearing: 

Lead-In: 

CHAIR LANDRIEU: Chair Landrieu. Now, you testified that in one of the states, and I do not know if 

you want to identify what it is-where you said the average of states that have cooperated and engaged 

in setting up these exchanges for small business, the rates have gone down by 18 percent. Is that what 

you testified and could you elaborate, please? Do you know the Affordable Care Act requires CMS to 

share data with the States, the Department of Justice, and the Inspector General, amongst others, to 

help fraud and abuse? Will this authority help the strike force continue their good work? 

MS. BROOKS-LaSURE: Yes, sir. 

CHAIR LANDRIEU: What states are those please? 

INSERT: Page 32, Line 18 

MS. BROOKS-LaSURE: Colorado, District of Columbia, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and 

Washington. 

Lead-In: 

SENATOR ENZI: Can tell you that in all of the Committees, there is a whole lot more interest in what 

is going to happen, and that is because starting January 1st, all the Senators, all the Congressmen, and 

all of their staff are going to have to go on the exchange to get their insurance, and there are a lot of 

unanswered questions about that. So both sides of the aisle are rather intense on this exchange. Some 

of the questions that they have asked is because we were told that it was beta tested, the exchange is 

beta tested already, so one of the people on the other side of the aisle asked, Who tested it and if they 

could have a list. And that is apparently not available. 

MS. BROOKS-LaSURE: In terms of our testing, thank you, Senator,for the que.vtion, we are 

undergoing very rigorous testing. So we at HHS are testing with our Federal partners. That has been 

ongoing for the last year. Senator Enzi. How do you write the program without having a basic plan 

defined? That is another question that has been asked in all three of these Committees. 

SENATOR ENZI: How do you write the program without having a basic plan defined? That is 

another question that has been asked in all three of these Committees. 

MS. BROOKS-LaSURE: So I am not sure if I am understanding your question. 

SENATOR ENZI: You give the silver plan as being 74 percent, gold 80 percent, and bronze. But what 

does that consist oj? 

MS. BROOKS-LaSURE: It is based on our standards and our regulation and then states are-
149 

SENATOR ENZI: Can you send me the list of the exact things that are on that, not just the general 

ones like that? 

INSERT: Page 57, Line 11 

MS. BROOKS-LaSURE: On February 20,2013, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 

released a final rule that helps consumers shop for and compare health insurance options in the individual 

and small group markets by promoting consistency across plans, protecting consumers by ensuring that 

plans cover a core package of items that are equal in scope to benefits offered by a typical employer plan, 

and limiting their out of pocket expenses. 

Specifically, this rule outlines health insurance issuer standards related to the coverage of essential health 

benefits (EHB) and the determination of actuarial value (A V), while providing significant flexibility to 

states to shape how EHB are defined. 

The Affordable Care Act ensures Americans have access to quality, affordable health insurance. To 

achieve this goal, the law ensures that health plans offered in the individual and small group markets, both 

inside and outside of Health Insurance Marketplaces, offer a core package of items and services, known as 

"essential health benefits." Under the statute, EHB must include items and services within at least the 

following 10 categories: 

I.Ambulatory patient services 

2.Emergency services 

3.Hospitalization 

4.Maternity and newborn care 

5.Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment 

6.Prescription drugs 

7.Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices 

8.Laboratory services 

9.Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management 

10.Pediatric services, including oral and vision care 

The Affordable Care Act also directs that EHB be equal in scope to benefits offered by a "typical 

employer plan." To meet this requirement in every state, the final rule defines EHB based on a statespecific benchmark plan. States can select a benchmark plan from among several options, including the 

largest small group private health insurance plan by enrollment in the state. The final rule provides that all 

plans subject to EHB offer benefits substantially equal to the benefits offered by the benchmark plan. This 

approach best strikes the balance between comprehensiveness, affordability, and state flexibility. The 

final rule also gives issuers the flexibility to offer innovative benefit designs and a choice of health plans. 

The benchmark plan options include: (1) the largest plan by enrollment in any of the three largest 

products by enrollment in the state's small group market; (2) any of the largest three state employee 

health benefit plans options by enrollment; (3) any of the largest three national Federal Employees Health 

Benefits Program (FEHBP) plan options by enrollment; or (4) the HMO plan with the largest insured 

commercial non-Medicaid enrollment in the state. Twenty-six states selected their own benchmark. The 

final rule also clarifies that in the remaining states that do not make a selection, HHS will select the 

2 
150 

largest plan by enrollment in the largest product by enrollment in the state's small group market as the 

default base-benchmark plan. The selected benchmark plans are already finalized for benefit year 2014. 

Actuarial Value, or AV, is calculated as the percentage of total average costs for covered benefits that a 

plan will cover. For example, if a plan has an A V of 70 percent, on average, a consumer could expect to 

be responsible generally for 30 percent of the costs of all covered benefits in that plan. 

Beginning in 2014, non-grandfathered health plans in the individual and small group markets must meet 

certain A V s, or metal levels: 60 percent for a bronze plan, 70 percent for a silver plan, 80 percent for a 

gold plan, and 90 percent for a platinum plan. Issuers may offer catastrophic-only coverage to eligible 

individuals. "Metal levels" will allow consumers to compare plans with similar levels of coverage, which 

along with consideration of premiums, provider networks, and other factors, help the consumer make an 

informed decision. 
151 

CAPiTOL CiTY 

I .. egal Solutions 

The Honorable Mary L. Landrien 

United States Senalor 

Chairwoman - Small Business COInmittee 

Washington. DC 20510 

Dear Senator Lmuiricu: 

It is wilh great pleasure that we write this letter in support of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). As small business 

owners we support ACA because we believe it will heip {o foster a ronullunity of healthier employees. The h,1J'owth 

of our business is established by the dependability of our labor [orce. Additionally when you have healthy 

individuals working this creates a hetter work environment for our coniTactors as well as the clienL<; we serve. We 

believe that everyone should have access to alIordable healthcarc. \'1' e were overjoyed when the ACA passed and 

look t()m-ard to its full implementation in Louisiana. If you have any qu(~slions please {cel free to contact us at 

225-907 -'1~)7(). 

;\Il:!<llldr{) •.. \r" P{~l'kin~. F\q. 

(·o~( hVilC, 

~ Dina G. Pcrkiu::., J\lH,\ ... CPC 
152 

August 4, 2013 

The Honorable Mary L. Landrieu 

United States Senator 

Chairwoman - Small Business Committee 

Washington, DC 20510 . 

Dear Senator Landrieu: 

It is with great pleasure that we write this letter in support of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). As 

small business owners we support ACA because we believe it wilt help to foster a community of 

healthier employees. The growth of our business is established by the dependabillty of our labor 

force. Additionally when YOLI have healthy individuals working this creates a better work 

environment for our contractors as well a.s the clients we serve. We believe that everyone should 

have access to affordable healthcare. We were overjoyed when the ACA passed and look forward to 

its full implementation in Louisiana. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at 225-

907-4370. 

Sincerely, 

Alejandro 'f.Af H Perkins, Esq. 

(o-Owner 

~ Dina G. Perkins, MHA, CPC 

Co·Owner 
153 

PLANK ROAD CLEA,'VERS 

73 .. 2 P:<tnk Ruuu 

Tolhl: Hooombh: Mot) I, L.lnJrkli 

United State !)c:nator 

B;t1lltl R"lIg~, 1.'\ 70N II 

thalrv.'llman ' Small nusil1e"~ (\1tnl'l'litc~c 

Wa$hingll>n. DC 2051 () 

Iknr SenAtor l.11ndrieu, 

It is with great plcos.urc that I write /I letter in ~uppt:>11: oftl!e AffOrdable Care Ac!. As a small businc:ss 

owner I $uppott 1\(:" because I \.>elillYIl it will help to l\Jsler a community (.fhealthier employees. The: 

growth ,,(my husine~ is c:c<>tahli!lhcd hy the dependability of In)' c:mploy«s. And when you have healthy 

individuals woricm!! this crcau:s 8 bcnc:r \\.'\lfk ell~·jrurunenl fur the Ilmpluyees as wdlllS the consumers. 

II'~ my bclicrt~ c,cr}onc sh()uld ha,'e arees.'I.lo affordable healtht'are. ["'Ia~ <','erj()yed when the 

Aft<lrdahleCllre ACt~S5¢d and I look forward 10 its full imptemenlalion in !..oui",ilirl<l, Ifyuu oovllany 

questions please feel In."e lu cunlacl mt: lit 22J·,3S1-4618. 

{2~p~~ rlank Road Cleanefj; 

Batoll Rouj,"e. LA 
154 

Hugh W. Raetzsch Jr. 

President 

Lyons Specialty Co., LLC/AA Vending 

Port Allen, LA 

& 

Chairman of the Board 

American Wholesale Marketers Association 

Fairfax, VA 

U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship 

Wednesday, July 24,2013 

Small Business Impact of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act 

Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, I appreciate this opportunity to discuss 

my concerns, and the concerns of many other convenience industry distributors, 

regarding implementation of the Affordable Care Act and its impact on our 

companies. 

I am president of Lyons Specialty Co., based in Port Allen, Louisiana, a family 

owned and operated wholesale distributor of products to some 550 convenience 

store retailers in both Louisiana and Mississippi. I am also chairman of the American 

Wholesale Marketers Association (AWMA), which represents similar convenience 

industry distributors nationwide. 

Our company's family includes 85 full-time and four part-time employees 

who work in our warehouse, drive our trucks, sell our products, or work in our 

office. Currently, we provide health insurance coverage opportunities to every fulltime employee after 30 days on the job, paying 75 percent of the premium for that 

individual's coverage. About half of our employees now take advantage ofthat 

opportunity. 

1 
155 

What will we do now that the Affordable Care Act is in place? Frankly, I am 

not sure. And, from speaking with many of my fellow distributors who are members 

of AWMA, I know they are facing the same questions. 

At Lyons, we believe providing a good health insurance option for our 

employees is the right thing to do - both from a business and personal standpoint. It 

puts us in a sound competitive position when we are seeking new employees and 

helps reduce costly turnover. Most of my AWMA colleagues feel the same way. 

And I can tell you that this is important. Our industry traditionally has faced 

high rates of turnover, particularly among our hourly workers. Often the work is 

strenuous, lifting and moving cases of food and grocery products hour after hour or 

spending long hours driving a delivery vehicle and then physically moving the 

products into the store. 

So offering a good benefits package is important to us from a business 

standpoint, because it is costly and time-consuming to seek out, hire and train new 

individuals. 

But we are facing some serious challenges as a result of the ACA. The 

unknowns have been recounted time and again, and they continue to complicate the 

issue for us. 

The ultimate cost of compliance is unknown. 

How we actually comply is unknown. 

What types of reporting systems and their cost is unknown. 

How do we manage the complexity ofthe law's requirements as they pertain 

to our business? That is unknown. 

2 
156 

I promise you, we do not have office personnel sitting around and waiting for 

more work; nor are they skilled in this area. Must we hire a consultant to manage 

this? What will that cost? 

Our industry operates on a very, very tiny profit margin and no matter how 

efficient we become in our operations, it is very difficult for many companies to 

exceed one or two percent For some companies in our industry, adding unknown 

additional costs could literally mean the difference between survival, and continuing 

to provide jobs, and shutting their doors, putting valued employees -- many of 

whom are moms and dads with kids to support - out of work. 

That is not an exaggeration, and I do not think it is the objective of the 

Affordable Care Act. 

In preparation for this testimony, I asked our company's insurance broker for 

some help in documenting the issues involved. He worked fast and literally 

overnight sent me more than two pages of single-spaced bullet points covering 

everything from the unknown cost that makes it virtually impossible for us to plan 

and even consider expansion, to the reporting burden that we will face and 

confusion about the exchanges. 

Most of that has already been well documented. So I will just tell you about 

what we face at Lyons. 

While it's great that the Obama Administration delayed implementation of 

the employer mandate for a year - even though that just drags out some of the 

uncertainty even longer - the individual mandate is, of course, still in place. So that 

means we have to make a decision. 

3 
157 

As I said, we offer health insurance coverage - two different types of policies, 

one with a high deductible to keep it as affordable as possible - to our full time 

workers, which is by far the majority of our workforce. As some companies are 

considering, we could completely realign our workforce to get as many as people as 

possible under the 30-hour threshold so we could get underthe 50-employee limit 

and thus not be subjected to the law. 

That is not what I want to do. 

That would play havoc with the efficiencies we have worked so hard to 

create through investment in the latest equipment, facilities and training, and quite 

frankly, it would not be fair to the men and women who work for Lyons and have 

been loyal to our company, helping us to succeed. 

But if we continue our benefit plans as they are currently structured and our 

employees who do not participate in our health plan decide to do so rather than 

obtain coverage on the state exchange, then our annual cost to absorb those 

additional workers will be $150,000 per year or more. And, that is just the tip of the 

iceberg because of the unknown additional costs of recordkeeping, reporting, and 

other related factors. Can we absorb that extra cost? We cannot. 

On a purely financial basis, the bottom line cost to Lyons of paying the 

penalty per full-time employee for not providing coverage actually would be less 

than what we are paying now to cover those employees who do participate in our 

health plan. So the answer is clear, right? We should just throw out our health 

insurance plan, wash our hands of it, and let them run off to the exchange for 

coverage. 

4 
158 

Not so fast. 

If we do that, if we cannot offer them affordable and effective health 

insurance coverage as part of their benefits package, we would lose whatever 

competitive advantage we have in attracting the best employees available. That is an 

important factor in today's competitive environment, and as the economy improves 

and the competition increases for the best workers, it will become even more 

important. 

I can tell you that I do not like that option, although when the numbers are 

crunched, it may seem to make the most sense. 

But the more important problem is the toll that it would take on our 

employees, people who give their heart and soul to our company; who love their 

jobs, and whose service and talents we value. 

Right now the average individual policy costs about $400, of which the 

company pays 75 percent, or $300, leaving the employee to cover the remaining 

$100. For many employees, that $100 per month is simply impossible. They are 

living paycheck to paycheck, some even taking out loans from the company to 

survive. That is why so many have not signed up for our coverage and are willing, 

instead, to roll the dice and risk the devastating cost of a catastrophic health event. 

They just can't afford it. 

For those who need to cover their family, with the average premium at about 

$900 per month, their out-of-pocket cost is about $600 because we cover 75% of the 

individual coverage cost, not the family. That is a big, big number for them. 

5 
159 

So how will the ACA affect them? Under the law, they will be forced to find 

coverage or pay a fine themselves. How will we deal with that issue when they come 

to us looking for help? We are doing the best we can right now, and we are doing it 

without any kind of government requirement or mandate. But if they cannot afford 

to purchase the coverage we provide at work, paying only one-fourth of the 

premium cost, how will they be able to afford even subsidized coverage through the 

exchange? 

Then, of course, we have the uncertainty of the exchanges themselves. 

Louisiana has rejected a state-run exchange, which means the federal government 

will operate the exchange in our state. What does that mean? What will it involve? 

What kind of participation will there be from the insurance industry? How would 

our employees access it, and what would be their costs and benefits if they obtain 

coverage there? 

All of those are unanswered questions further complicating the unknown. 

As business people, it is very difficult for us to operate in such a vacuum. At 

our company, and in many convenience distributorships across America, we are 

trying to do the best we can for our employees. And as I said, we have not needed a 

directive from the federal government to do so. 

Thank you very much. 

6 
160 

1 -.-•• 

--1 I SMALL BUSINESS 

MAJORITY 

July 23, 2013 

Senator Mary Landrieu 

Chairwoman 

Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship 

428A Russell Senate Office Building 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Senator Landrieu, 

We hope this letter finds you well. 

Small Business Majority welcomes the opportunity to comment on the small business tax: reforms 

that can accelerate the start-up and growth of small businesses. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle 

agree sman business owners are the backbone of our economy, which is why it is so critical that 

positive steps are being proposed to help level the playing field for them. Entrepreneurs have long 

felt at a disadvantage when it comes to tax policies, and they support targeted policies that would 

benefit the vast majority of small firms, not those that only benefit a few. Following are our 

comments on some tax: reforms that can help small businesses succeed. 

Small business expensing 

Small business expensing is an issue which entrepreneurs have shown significant concern over. 

Small Business Majority's scientific polling found that in 2012, more than eight in 10 entrepreneurs 

were anxious that the Section 179 deduction limit was set to drop to $25,000 in 2013. While they can 

be thankful for the one-year extension that stopped that from happening, a temporary fix is not 

sufficient enough. 

In an effort to eliminate uncertainty over this issue for good and give small businesses some cash 

flow flexibmty~ a proposal to permanently allow expensing of capital investments up to a quarter of a 

million dollars would be welcome news for small firms. That's 10 times what the limit is set to faU to 

in 2014, sans tax reform. Our research found the vast majority of small business owners would like to 

see the amount of expenses small business can deduct permanently raised to $1 million. While this 

plan would not set the bar quite that high, it is a step in the right direction that sman businesses 

support. 

Start-up costs 

In addition to making changes to the Section 179 deduction as discu..<;sed above, combining three 

existing provisions for start-up and organizational expenses into a single provision is applicab1e to all 

businesses. In effect, it would double the dollar amount small firms can expense for startup costs. For 

entrepreneurs just getting their businesses off the ground, that can make a huge difference. Sman 

Business Majority supports this element of the tax proposal because we know from our extensive 

experience with sman and micro-businesses that start-up costs can be a major barrier for 

entrepreneurs who are otherwise ready to grow and put more Americans back to work. 

Cash accounting 

It's also crucial to simplify the accounting process for smaU business owners. We can do this by 

creating a uniform rule under which all businesses with gross receipts of $10 million or less would be 

able use the cash method of accounting. In coordinating this rule with the uniform capitalization 

rules, small businesses would be generally exempt from complex requirements for allocating 

110114'h Street, NW, Suite 1001 • Washington, DC 20005 • (202) 828·8357 • www.smallbusinessmajority.org 
161 

inventory. This would save them a great deal of time and energy so they can focus more effort on 

growing their businesses. It's also important to note that sole proprietors would be able to exercise 

this cash method of accounting regardless of their level of gross receipts. With 21 million selfemployed business owners across the United States, this rule could be a boon for the self-employed 

community. 

Business tax returns 

Proposals to change due dates for business tax returns, in order to ease tax compliance for small 

companies, is also something that can be beneficial to small firms. Small business owners often have 

insufficient time to prepare their tax returns, as the information needed for their tax forms is 

sometimes not yet available at the time they must file. Because of this, they frequently end up 

needing to request an extension. By adjusting the dates for when all the different types of businesses 

must file their taxes-such as partnerships, S corporations and C corporations-entrepreneurs will 

have more leeway to get organized for future tax seasons, and will still have the option for an 

extension if they need it. 

Partnerships and S corporations 

Many business owners organize their companies as partnerships or S Corporations, and although 

these small businesses may look very similar on the outside, they have quite different sets of rules 

when it comes to federal taxes. To streamline some of those rules for current business owners and 

improve the tax system for future businesses as they organize, the proposal lays out two options to 

reform tax structures for partnerships and S corporations. Each of these options would do a number 

of things to improve the archaic nature of both tax structures as they currently function. 

Improvements would range from reducing double taxation of certain business income to cutting 

down on complications between federal and state tax returns for small businesses organized certain 

ways. 

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on small business tax reform. If you have any questions 

please contact Rhett Buttle, Vice President, External Affairs, at rbuttle@smallbusinessmajoritv.org or 

(202) 828-8357. 

Sincerely, 

John Arensmeyer 

Founder and CEO, Small Business Majority 

Small Business Majority 2 www.smallbusinessmajority.org 
162 

Written Testimony for U.S. Senate Small Business Committee 

Submitted by Howard "Rocky" King, Executive Director, Cover Oregon 

July 24, 2013 

COVER 

OREGON 

Offering health insurance to employees is becoming increasingly challenging for Oregon's 

small employers, which account for more than 50 percent of the private sector jobs in the 

state, according to the Small Business Administration (SBA). Starting in October 2013, 

Oregon small business owners with 50 or fewer employees will be able to shop for, compare 

and enroll in health insurance plans for their businesses through Cover Oregon, our staterun health insurance exchange. 

Over the past year, we have been talking to small business owners about their needs, 

frustrations and input on how to make health insurance more accessible. With that in mind, 

we are working to create the most desirable marketplace in Oregon for small employers and 

their agents to access health benefits solutions that offer meaningful choice. This is achieved 

by providing access to an exceptional online shopping experience, reliable online support 

tools, quality customer service, simple unified premium billing and payment, and the ability 

to provide guidance that includes eligibility for employer tax credits and Section 125 plans. 

Cover Oregon will provide clear information on a broad range of insurance plans so small 

businesses can make side-by-side comparisons and choose the right plan for them. It will 

give small businesses more choice in carriers and plans, allow them to set the dollar amount 

they'll spend, and provide one-stop shopping to compare and purchase plans. In addition, 

small business owners can set the amount they can pay toward premiums and let 

employees choose from many plans offered through Cover Oregon. No matter how many 

plans small businesses select, they receive one monthly bill and can conveniently manage 

everything through Cover Oregon. 

In order to get the word out to small business owners about Cover Oregon, we have 

developed a comprehensive marketing and outreach strategy focused on; 1) traditional 

marketing channels that will reach small business owners such as advertising, media 

coverage in targeted publications, and community meetings; 2) strategic alliances with 

insurance agents and Oregon business associations to provide information and content they 

can share with networks; 3) grant-funded outreach to business organizations and 

associations to support year-round outreach; and 4) reaching businesses not affiliated with 

associations through direct mail and working with state agencies to identify those doing 

business in Oregon. 

3414 Cherry Avenue NE 

Suite 190 

Salem, Oregon 97303 

Phone: 503-373-9417 

Fax: 503-373-9422 

coveroregon.com 
163 

The Small Employer Program online browsing and purchasing experience will mirror as 

closely as possible the flexible, intuitive and informative approach developed for the 

individual side of Cover Oregon. That groundwork has been adapted to both the employer 

and employee to present a positive experience for a first-time shopper as well as an expert, 

returning shopper. 

Once the employer has finished browsing, sorting, filtering and comparing plans they will be 

offered four models of plan choice to offer their employees. 

1. Single Plan Choice. The employer chooses one insurance carrier and plan that their 

employees must enroll in. 

2. Carrier Choice. The employer chooses one insurance carrier, but lets their 

employees select from all plans offered by that carrier. 

3. Metal Tier Choice. The employer selects a benefit plan level- platinum, gold, silver 

or bronze. The employee can then select from any carrier and plan on that metal 

level. 

4. Broad Choice. Based on the metal level of the employer's selected reference plan, 

employees can select from all carriers and all plans available on that tier, on one 

metal tier higher than the reference plan and any number of tiers lower than that 

plan. 

After making a choice from these four options, the employer will be guided through a series 

of decisions that will help them determine potential eligibility for the small employer tax 

credit and establish the parameters of the shopping experience their employees will go 

through. 

Between the enabling legislation in Oregon and the Affordable Care Act, Cover Oregon will 

have standardized plans at the gold, silver and bronze levels. Eight carriers have filed plans 

and premiums for participation in the Small Employer Program. Together these carriers 

represent more than 70 filed plan offerings in the small employer market. 

Cover Oregon will also launch with the option for small employers to offer Section 125 

plans. The ability to pay for benefits on a pre-tax basis represents a win for both the 

employer and employees. Cover Oregon will provide the option to produce the required 

Plan Document and Employee Salary Redirection Agreement forms for the small employer 

free of charge, ifthe employer wants a Premium Only Plan (POP). 

In all instances where employee choice of insurance carrier is offered, Cover Oregon will 

often be the only entity other than the employer with knowledge of all pieces of current 

group enrollment and eligibility. As such, Cover Oregon will conduct an automated renewal 

for the group on behalf of all participating carriers. 

Cover Oregon will also have a robust set of financial tools to enable the functionality, as well 

as additional functionality to administer commission payments for affiliated agents. These 
164 

payments will be a pass through of commissions paid by the participating carriers in Cover 

Oregon, but will need to be accounted for upon receipt and payout. 

Cover Oregon will routinely report on all aspects of the employer portal shopping 

experience. This will facilitate our continual process improvement and prioritization of 

enhancements as we examine weak points and leverage strong points of the experience. 

Because agents currently are associated with an extremely high proportion of small 

employer business in Oregon, it is vital that we facilitate their interactions with potential 

small employer program business as well. Cover Oregon has scheduled more than 60 agent 

trainings statewide to promote its value proposition and build momentum within the agent 

community. 

The integration of Small Employer Program functionality into the core processes of Cover 

Oregon will allow greater flexibility for all Oregonians using it. Small employers, employees 

and agents are all also individuals who could use different aspects of Cover Oregon to meet 

varied needs. As a result, individuals will be able to use Cover Oregon as employers of one 

or many companies, as an employee or dependent of an employee, or as an individual 

seeking commercial plans or plans with financial help. This seamless integration is at the 

core of what Oregon is building. 

We look forward to working with Members of Congress to make implementation of Cover 

Oregon a success and believe that we can be a model for how other states launch their 

Small Employer Plans. For questions, please contact Amy Fauver at 503-373-9403 or 

ilJauver@coveroregon.com 

Sincerely, 

Howard "Rocky" King 

Executive Director, Cover Oregon 
165 

Society of Actuaries: ACA Impact Will Vary 

"Substantially Across State Lines" 

Posted on July 17, 2013 by AHIP Coverage 

The New York Times has a front-page story this morning examining the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on 

individual market premiums in New York, The article states that "State insurance regulators say they have approved 

rates for 2014 that are at least 50 percent lower on average than those currently available in New York," 

When examining the impact of the ACA on premiums, it is important to note the wide variation in impact that is likely 

to occur across states, As a previous Society of Actuaries (SOA) study found, consumers can expect the "average 

change in individual market costs varying substantially across state lines," 

According to the SOA report, "the significant state-by-state variation can be attributed to many factors, including 

whether or not the state sponsored a high-risk pool, differences in current underwriting practices, and demographic 

characteristic and income level differences in state populations, In simplest tenms, the states that will see large 

increases generally have low current individual costs and those showing decreases have high current individual 

costs, with all states moving closer together but at a higher level overall." 

GoP ~lrZ., 

~~~~ 

y~~ MCA 
166 

.... 
167 

As many olyou know, New York was one of eight states that enacted insurance market relorms in the 1990s without 

requiring everyone to purchase coverage. As the Times story notes, these reforms caused significant disruption in the 

state's individual insurance market 

"For years, New York has represented much that can go wrong with insurance markets. The state required 

insurers to cover everyone regardless of pre-existing conditions, but did not require everyone to purchase insurance 

- a feature of the new health care law - and did not offer generous subsidies so people could afford coverage. With 

no ability to persuade the young and the healthy to buy policies, the state's premiums have long been among 

the highest in the nation. 'If there was any state that the A.C.A. could bring rates down, it was New York: said 

Timothy Jost, a law professor at Washington and Lee University who closely follows the federal law. " 

The article adds that "Because the cost of individual coverage has soared, only 17,000 New Yorkers currently buy 

insurance on their own. About 2.6 million are uninsured in New York." 

Given that New York previously enacted many of the insurance market reforms required by the ACA, the impact on 

premiums in that state will be much different than in the vast majority of states that do not currently have those 

reforms in place. 

- See more at: http://www.ahipcoverage.comI2013107117Isociety-of-actuaries-aca-impact-will-vary-substantiallyacross-state-linesl#sthash.RxAzB3et.dpuf 
168 

Actuaries Risk is Opportun~y,' 

Cost of the Future Newly Insured 

under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) 

MARCH 2013 

SPONSORED BY 

SOCIETY OF ACTUARIES 

The opinions expressed and conclusions reached by the authors are their own and do not represent any official position or opinion 

of the Society of Actuaries or its members. The Society of Actuaries makes no representation or warranty to the accuracy of the 

information. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 
169 

Table of Contents 

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARy ................................................................................................................... 3 

II. METHODOLOGY: MODEL AND DATABASE OVERVIEW ................................................... 9 

III. ANALYSIS & RESUL TS .................................................................................................................... 10 

Research Questions ............................................................................................................................... 10 

Alternate Scenarios & Sensitivity Testing ........................................................................................ .25 

IV. I.IMITATIONS AND CAVEATS ..................................................................................................... 27 

V. TECHNICAL NOTES ......................................................................................................................... 28 

Leaving Employer Coverage for Non-Group Coverage ................................................................. 28 

Provider Payment Levels ..................................................................................................................... 33 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................................................... 34 

APPENDIX A - ASSUMPTIONS FOR MODEI.ING COVERAGE CHANGES UNDER THE ACA 

................................................................................................................................................................. 1 

A. Development of Baseline Data ................................................................................................... .3 

B. State-level Simulation of Insurance Markets ............................................................................ .5 

C. State-level Model of Medicaid and CHIP .................................................................................. 7 

D. Individual Decision to Take Private Non-Group Coverage ................................................... 9 

E. Individual Decision to Take-up Existing Employer Coverage ............................................... ll 

F. Employer Decision to Start Offering Coverage ......................................................................... 12 

G. Employer Decision to Discontinue Coverage ........................................................................... 14 

H. Employer Decision to Offer Coverage in the Exchange .......................................................... 16 

1. Utility Function Model ................................................................................................................. 17 

J. Estimating Health Spending for Newly Insured ...................................................................... 24 

APPENDIX B - THE HBSM RATE BOOK DESCRIPTION ............................................................... 1 

A. Individual Market under Current Law ...................................................................................... 1 

B. Small Group Rating under Current Law ................................................................................... 9 

C. Simulating Enrollment in High-Risk Pools ............................................................................... 19 

D. Simulating Non-Group Premiums under the ACA ................................................................. 21 

E. Simulating Small Group Premiums under the ACA ............................................................... 22 

APPENDIX C - STATE SPECIFIC EXCEl. SPREADSHEETS ............................................................ 1 
170 

I. Executive Summary 

Background 

In March 2010, the U.s. Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), 

a sweeping piece of legislation designed to overhaul the country's health care system and 

extend health insurance to millions of uninsured Americans. The law includes numerous 

provisions that aim to accomplish this goal. One way in which the ACA increases access to 

commercial health insurance coverage is by restricting insurers from denying coverage, excluding 

individwUs with pre-existing conditions, and varying premiums based on an individual's health 

status. To minimize the adverse selection that could result from certain provisions, the ACA 

includes other provisions, such as premium and cost-sharing subsidies administered via a Health 

Benefits Exchange (HBE) and an individual tax penalty for those who do not purchase sufficiently 

valuable health insurance coverage. These provisions aim to increase overall participation in health 

insurance plans. The ACA includes additional provisions to expand health coverage to U.s. 

residents, such as the option for states to expand Medicaid to nearly all adults below 138 percent 

of FPL, a requirement for all large employers to offer health insurance to full-time employees or face 

a penalty, and a tax credit to small employers to offset the cost of insurance and thus incentivize 

them to offer coverage. 1 

Our baseline estimates indicate that of the 52.4 million individuals who would have been 

expected to otherwise lack health insurance coverage in the absence of the ACA, 32.4 million 

will obtain coverage, assuming all ACA provisions were fully implemented and presented in 

2014, and assuming all states expand Medicaid.2 This includes 10.4 million individuals who 

gain coverage through the individual exchange, 0.4 million individuals who gain private nongroup coverage, 2.2 million individuals who gain coverage in a Small Business Health Options 

Program (SHOP) Exchange, 5.4 million individuals who gain other employer coverage, and 14.0 

million individuals who gain coverage through Medicaid expansion, if all states participate, 

which may not occur. Given that all states will not participate in the Medicaid expansion, statelevel estimates comparing number of uninsured under expansion versus no expansion are 

presented in Figure 5-1 and Figure 5-2. 

Project Scope 

The SOA's research objective is to provide guidance to state exchange officials and 

administrators, federal officials and administrators, and actuaries assisting states and health 

plans. The goal of the project is to estimate the morbidity and/ or cost for newly insured 

individuals in the individual market (and to some degree, the small group exchange) relative to 

the morbidity and/ or cost for the current commercially insured population. This analysis will 

primarily focus on the individual, non-group market. In order to plan for the impact that these 

currently uninsured individuals will have on the health insurance markets, it is important to 

understand their costs relative to the costs for people already enrolled, for whom many health 

insurers have experience and data. 

1 The ACA provides the option for states to expand Medicaid to 133% of FPL and includes a provision to disregard 

5% income of a family's income for eligibility determination, which effectively increases eligibility to 138% of FPl. 

l The 32.4 million estimate is an overestimate, as many states have indicated that they will not participate in 

Medicaid expansion. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 
171 

The key research questions explored in this analysis include: 

What is the anticipated enrollment for the currently uninsured under the ACA? 

For the newly insured, what is their relative morbidity and what could reasonably be 

expected for relative costs, compared to the currently insured? 

What will be the general impact of the newly insured on the overall post-reform health 

care industry and insurance market, in terms of supply and demand for health care 

services and insurance carriers? 

How will health care costs for the newly insured differ by state? 

What will be the relative health status and cost for individuals who remain uninsured 

and how will this vary by state? 

If states expand Medicaid under the ACA, what is the impact on Medicaid costs and 

enrollment? 

Note that the ACA's affect on premium is not modeled in this research; rather, long-term relative 

claims cost is modeled. Many aspects of the ACA will affect premiums, including changing 

benefit deSigns, new taxes and assessments, federal risk mitigation programs, minimum loss 

ratio rules, rate review rules, and premium subsidies. 

Research Model Used 

Our research estimates are made using The Lewin Group Health Benefits Simulation Model 

(HBSM). The HBSM is a micro~simulation model of the U.s. health care system. HBSM is a fully 

integrated platform for simulating policies ranging from narrowly defined insurance market 

regulations to Medicaid coverage expansions and broad-based reforms involving multiple 

programs such as the ACA. It was developed in 1989 to simulate the wave of reform proposals 

that culminated in the health reform proposal introduced by President Clinton in 1993. The 

model was used by the U.s. Bipartisan Commission on Comprehensive Health Care (the Pepper 

Commission) in 1990 and has been in almost constant use since then by The Lewin Group at the 

state and national levels. The Lewin Group has been using this model since 2010 to assist clients 

with ACA planning, strategies and actions. The SOA retained Optum, who chose to use the 

HBSM model and engage The Lewin Group to conduct this research study. Optum is the parent 

company of The Lewin Group. Randy Haught and John Ahrens, authors of this report, are 

employees of Optum. However, the authors' analyses and interpretations are based upon their 

Dwn professional expertise and are offered within the scope of work they were asked to 

perform by the SOA. Their findings or conclusions do not necessarily represent a position of 

Optum or Lewin. 

The HBSM is explained in greater detail within the Technical Notes and in Appendix A and B. 

The reader is encouraged to read and understand the model and assumptions prior to using the 

model results for analysis. 

The HBSM model outputs are based on expected cost results in 2014, but assuming full 

implementation of the 2016 penalties (when full penalties apply) and also assuming that 

ultimate enrollment in the various programs and the Exchanges is completed right away. 

Reality will likely result in a lag in enrollment shifts, such that not all people who are modeled 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved 
172 

to ultimately take coverage will do so in immediately in 2014, as presented in this research. 

Observations from prior Medicaid expansions show that it may take three to four years to reach 

an ultimate enrollment state. In addition, this research does not reflect that newly insured 

individuals may have a pent-up demand for services due to previously unmet health care 

needs, and further does not reflect that the earliest new enrollees may differ from the average 

risk group that will ultimately enroll. Therefore, each user of this report will need to make their 

own assumptions for each state with respect to how the initial years' (2014 and 2015) enrollment 

and distribution of risks may occur, as well as the appropriateness of the model for 2016 and 

subsequent years. In order to assist the practitioner in modifying the results, Excel worksheets 

are provided for each state to facilitate the process. 

Key Findings 

Key findings are summarized in Figure 5-1 and Figure 5-2 by state. Due to the changing status 

of participation in the Medicaid expansion for individual states, Figure 5-1 shows the percent 

uninsured, non-group enrollment, and non-group costs pre- and post- ACA for each state 

assuming that all states expand Medicaid, resulting in many of the uninsured enrolling in 

Medicaid. Figure 5-2 shows these same results for each state, but assumes that none of the states 

expand Medicaid. The reader can select the appropriate table based on the state's current 

Medicaid participation status. The three findings summarized below assume Medicaid 

expansion in all states. Although the costs shown in the tables are at projected 2014 levels, the 

actual enrollment and percentage increases in costs reflect an "ultimate" or "steady-state" 

environment, which we assume corresponds to about 2016 or 2017 (after three years of 

exchanges). Therefore, mitigating strategies being considered in 2013 for 2014 and 2015 (for 

example, some states are considering transitioning state high risk pools gradually) are not 

reflected in this model. The research models the long-term likely scenario when high risk pools 

have been fully transitioned into the market. 

Finding 1: After three years of exchanges and insurer restrictions, the percentage of 

uninsured nationally will decrease from 16.6 percent to between 6.8 and 6.6 percent, 

compared to pre-ACA projections. 

In the first section of Figure 5-1, estimates are shown for the percentage of all individuals 

uninsured in absence of the ACA and compared to two estimates of the percentage of all 

individuals uninsured in under the ACA, assuming full implementation and presented in 2014 

dollars and population counts. Note that the counts are annual equivalents so that an 

individual who is uninsured for three months would count as 0.25 uninsured. This approach 

can result in differences with other counts of the uninsured which might be based on a snap 

shot on a given date, or count someone who is uninsured at any time in a year. 

One of the key findings of our analysis is that the impact of the ACA on reducing the number of 

uninsured will vary substantially across states. Some of the factors that may explain these 

differences include: proportion of population that is uninsured prior to the ACA; portion of the 

uninsured below 4{)0 percent of FPL, which is based in part on current Medicaid eligibility 

levels in the state; and average non-group costs. 

To provide a range of results, the percentage of uninsured are simulated under two models: a 

price" elasticity" model and a "utility" function model. The elasticity model simulates the 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 
173 

decision to take coverage based upon the change in the net cost of coverage to the individual 

under reform, a decision which varies by demographic characteristics of the individuaL The 

utility function models an amount that someone is willing to pay to be protected against the risk 

of going without insurance; they choose coverage if the cost is less than that figure. 

Finding 2: Under the ACA, the individual non-group market will grow 115 percent, from 

11.9 million to 25.6 million lives; 80 percent of that enrollment will be in the Exchanges. 

The middle section of Figure 5-1 provides estimates for the number of non-group individuals 

covered pre-ACA compared to the number of those expected to be covered post-ACA; this is 

shown under the elasticity modeL The percentage of non-group individuals in the Exchanges is 

shown as well. We model that 80 percent of non-group coverage will be through the Exchanges, 

since subsidies will only be available for coverage purchased through the Exchanges. Our 

model assumes that people purchasing non-group coverage who are eligible for subsidies will 

purchase through the Exchanges. Much of the increase in coverage is a result of the premium 

and benefit subsidies for lower income individuals, many of who will select the "silver" benefit 

tier since that is the tier for which benefit subsidies are tied. 

Finding 3: The non-group cost per member per month will increase 32 percent under ACA, 

compared to pre-ACA projections. 

In the last section of Figure 5-1, the average non-group allowed per member per month cost, 

excluding those in high risk pools (state-run pools that existed pre-ACA and federally funded 

state pools under ACA), is shown in absence of the ACA; these costs reflect the "underwritten" 

risk in most states.3 The percentage increase between pre- and post-ACA estimates is shown as 

well. The post-ACA figures include the impact of a) high risk pool members, b) employers 

dropping group coverage, and c) increased morbidity from selection by those currently 

uninsured who now purchase coverage. The results of this analysis indicate that there will be 

significant variation across states in the impact of the ACA on average cost in the non-group 

market. These estimates come from Figure 5 of the state-specific tables. Since the populations 

before and after ACA may be significantly different, Figure 6A shows the increase by age 

bracket. States that show a decrease in average costs under the ACA are primarily those that 

currently use community rating in the non-group market. The reduction in average costs for 

these states reflects the younger and healthier individuals that will enroll due to the reduced 

cost from the premium subsidies. 

Our analysis also indicates that while high risk pools generally have few enrollees, the cost per 

individual is very high. Movement of the high risk pool individuals into the non-group 

Exchange will generally create a significant increase in cost. However, it can be reasonably 

argued that proportionately more uninsured individuals will have similar risks in states that 

had relatively small high risk pools. The reader is encouraged to further examine this issue. 

, Our analysis assumes that both the State and Federal High Risk Pools will be rolled into the exchanges at some 

point in time. However, individual states may decide not to transition its state high risk pool enrollees in 2014 and 

phase this transition in over time. Reader should refer to their individual state's plan. For example, Maryland is 

planning to transition high risk pool enrollees into the exchange over time. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 
174 

Figure 5-1. Summary of "Ultimate" Findings- Assuming All States Expand Medicaid 

" % 

S;ze of 'I' S;ze of 'I "of Non· 

Average Average "Change in " Uninsured Uninsured Non~Group NonAGroup Uninsured Non-Group Non-Group Group in PMPM PMPM Non-Group Post-ACA Post-ACA 

State Pre-ACA Elasticity Utilitv Pre-ACA Post-ACA Exchange Pre-ACA Post-ACA PMPM 

Alabama 14.7% 4.9% 4.2% 117,257 295,633 86.8% $263 $422 60.3% 

Alaska 20.6% 8.5% 8.3% 22,702 62,SOl 83.8% $436 $520 19,2% 

Arizona 21.1% 12.0% 12.1% 250,488 570,681 81.5% $290 $355 22.2% 

Arkansas 18.1% 6.0% 4.9% 112,882 233,527 82.7% $238 $335 40.9% 

Callfornia 18.2% 8.4% 8.1% 1,789,865 3,163,015 72.4% $260 $420 61.6% 

Colorado 18.0% 7.9% 7.S~ 293,851 502,554 75.7% $262 $365 39.1% 

Cons:ecticut 12.7% 6.0% 6,QOA. 126,997 255,216 76.7% $399 $514 28.8% 

Delaware 9.5% 4.9% 4.9% 25,902 56,946 SO.8% $380 $491 29.3% 

Dlstri~ of Columbia 12.3% 5.7% 5.5% 25,343 41,271 76.4% $348 $528 51.9% 

Florida 19.6% 8.3% 8.0% 843,935 1,684,727 79.4% $313 $396 26.5% 

Georgia 18.2% 6.9% 6.6% 349,454 762,.955 81.6% $310 $396 27.6% 

Hawaii 8.0% 3.8% 3.9% 26,584 73,534 &3.8% $374 $456 21.9% 

Idaho 16.6% 5.8% 6.1% 98,954 186,187 77.3% $211 $343 62.2% 

Illinois 13.1% 5.9% 5.6% 471.343 978,648 80.1% $304 $459 SO.8% 

Indiana 14.3% 5.2% 4.8% 178,442 463,393 88.0% $272 $455 67.6% 

Iowa 13.2% 4.8% 5.0% 147,357 267,001 77.1% $350 $384 9,7% 

Kansas 16.6% 6.6% 6.3% 151,303 254,839 81.3% $306 $364 18.9% 

Kentucky 16.7% 5.6% 5.3% 143,620 346,334 84.3% $297 $398 34.1% 

Louisiana 15.7% 4.9% 4.6% 166,093 335,015 78.5% $346 $444 28.6% 

Maine 13.9% 5,4% 6.0% 43,870 121,784 84.3" $468 $487 4.1% 

~aryl~nd 13.1% 6.0% 5,8% 184,809 386,491 78.4% $284 $473 66.6% 

Massachusetts 8.5% 4,9% 5.6% 178,053 362,583 75.7% $519 $453 ~12.8% 

Michigan 12.2% 4.5% 4.4% 307,935 699,656 86.1% $321 $404 25.8% 

Minnesota 13,2% 4.9% 5.5% 247,752 524,708 82.1% $356 $424 18.9% 

Mississippi 18,2% 5.3% 4.7% 103,368 214,209 86.8% $291 $417 43.2% 

Mj~sourl 17.4% 5.7% 5,2% 226,603 491.027 83.1% $238 $378 58.8% 

Montana 20.6% 7.7% 7.2% 64,363 116,419 84.3% $331 $397 20.1% 

Nebraska 14.3% 5.5% 5,5% 97,872 170,822 81.7% $342 $448 30.8% 

Nevada 20.4% 8.2% 8.6% 99,860 260,813 79.2% $278 $359 29.2% 

New Hampshire 12.2% 4.6% 5.4% 50,189 112,728 78.4% $339 $464 36.8% 

New Jersey 16.9% 7.4% 8.4% 272,.731 714,548 76.5% $481 $474 -1.4% 

Ne.w ~xico 22.9% 8.8% 8.~ 42,890 173,704 89.6% $291 $392 34,9% 

New York 12.8% 6.0% 6.9% 450,240 1,615,925 84.3% $619 $533 ~13.9% 

North Carolina 18.2% 6.6% 6.4% 402,677 855,147 81.7% $361 $409 13.5% 

North Dakota 14.1% 5.9% 6.2% 51,468 74,774 80.6% $326 $353 8.4% 

Ohio 13.3% 5.0% 3.6% 414,914 805,282 SO.9% $223 $403 SO.9% 

Oklahoma 16.9% 6.3% 5.6% 134,305 290,180 84.1% $275 $355 29.3% 

Oregon 21.0% 7.2% 8.1% 169,412 435,206 82.7% $335 $383 14.3% 

Pennsylvania 11.2% 4.5% 4.0% 488,341 863,565 80.5% $356 $455 28,0% 

Rhode Island 14.9% 6.6% 7.1% 42,842 91,031 79.4% $587 $548 ~6.6% 

South Carolina 17.3% 5.9% 5.5% 161A96 367,909 87.9% $309 $423 36.8% 

South Dakota 14.3% 5.3% 5.3% 52,775 85,094 79.9% $318 $410 29.0% 

Tennessee 15.0% 5.7% 4.9% 281,421 532,091 81.7% $260 $380 46.4% 

Texas 27.1% 10.5% 10.2% 888,205 2,448,638 83.4% $249 $333 33.8% 

utah 15.5% 6.4% 6.3% 163,811 300,123 75.9% $245 $314 28.4% 

Vennont 13.6% 6.7% 7.3% 15,376 56,986 87.8% $587 $514 ·12.5% 

Virginia 15.1% 6.4% 6.1% 328,880 628,457 79.6% $306 $393 28.4% 

Washington 15.6% 6.2% 6.6% 344,620 665,284 74.2% $314 $357 13.7% 

West Virginia 15.6% 4,6% 4.0% 33,191 113,534 89.5% $347 $46. 35.3% 

Wisconsin 10.4% 4.8% 4.5% 215,407 442,020 85.1% $258 $464 SO.O% 

Wyoming 16.4% 6.0% 6.2" 29,076 54,26S 82.6% $434 $571 31.6% 

National 16.6% 6.8% 6.7% 11,931,125 25,618,984 80.4% $314 $413 31.S% . . .. Assumes all ACA provl5lons are lmplemented by 2014, even proVlslOns effectIVe later. Results are slmllar to 

what would be expected by 2017, but presented in 2014 dollars and counts, Average non-group PMPM 

includes total expected claims costs for members but excludes other important items that are needed to 

model premium, including admin, taxes, and subsidies, States with large high risk pools may consider 

transitioning these enrollees into the exchange over a longer time frame in order to mitigate cost increases, 

© 2013 SOciety of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 
175 

Figure 5-2. Summary of "Ultimate" Findings- Assuming No States Expand Medicaid 

% % 51ze of 'I 51z. of 'I % of Non· 

Average Average % Change in 

Uninsured Uninsured Non*Group Non-Group Group in Non-Group Non~G"oup Non-Group PM PM PM PM 

State Pre-ACA Post-ACA Pre-ACA P05t~ACA Exchange Pre-ACA Post-ACA PMPM 

Alabama 14.7% 8.4% 117,257 378,573 89.5% $263 $416 58.2% 

Alaska 20.6% 11.4% 22,702 74,109 86.3% $436 $497 13.9% 

Arizona 21.1% 12.4% 250,488 sn,725 81.8% $290 $367 26.3% 

Arkansas 18.1% 10.0% 112,882 295,130 86.2% $238 $334 40.4% 

California 18.2% 11.3% 1,789,865 3,653,808 76.3% $260 $403 55.2% 

Colorado 18.0% 10.6% 293,851 595,460 79.4% $262 $354 34.8% 

Connecticut 12.7% 8,0% 126,997 285,552 79,0% $399 $491 23.0% 

Delaware 9.5% 4.9% 25,902 63,450 82.7% $380 $484 27.4% 

District of Columbia 12.3% 8.6% 25,343 46,803 78.7% $348 $497 43.1% 

Florida 19.6% 11.4% 843,935 2,002,920 83.0% $313 $382 22.1% 

Georgia 18.2% 10.7% 349,454 934,891 85.1% $310 $383 23.2% 

Hawaii 8.0% 4.9% 26,584 83,153 85.5% $374 $421 12.6% 

Idaho 16.6% 8.3% 98,954 224,042 81.1% $211 $342 61.8% 

Illinois 13.1% 8.2% 471,343 1,102,590 82.1% $304 $447 46.9% 

Indiana 14.3% 8.0% 178,442 560,081 89.9% $272 $452 66.4% 

Iowa 13.2% 7.0% 147,357 319,447 80.6% $350 $369 5.5% 

Kansas 16.6% 9.4% 151,303 309,683 84.6% $306 $353 15.5% 

Kt=!ntucky 16.7% 9,1% 143,620 431,290 87.5% $297 $393 32.2% 

louisiana 15.7% 8.7% 166,093 418,914 82.4% $346 $459 32.7% 

Maine 13.9% 7.3% 43,870 137,524 86.0% $468 $490 4.7% 

Maryland 13.1% 8.1% 184,809 440,563 80.9% $284 $459 61.4% 

Massachusetts 8.5% 5.0% 178,053 373,953 76.4% $519 $478 -8.0% 

Michigan 12.2% 6.5% 307,935 854,242 88.4% $321 $399 24.3% 

Minnesota 13.2% 6.9% 247,752 613,391 84.4% $356 $413 16.1% 

Mississippi 18.2% 10.4% 103,368 278,048 89,7% $291 $419 43.9% 

Missouri 17.4% 9.5% 226,603 613,937 86.2% $238 $370 55.8% 

Montana 20.6% 11.0% 64,363 143,119 87.1% $331 $389 17.8% 

Nebraska 14.3% 7.5% 97,872 205,753 84.8% $342 $430 25.5% 

Nevada 20.4% 11,3% 99,860 303,175 82.9% $278 $346 24.5% 

New Hampshire 12.2% 6,2% 50,189 131,811 81.5% $339 $471 38.8% 

Ne,:", Jersey 16.9% 10.0% 272,731 776,556 78.8% $481 $492 2.2% 

New Mexico 22.9% 12.1% 42,890 214,044 91,9% $291 $373 28.2% 

New York 12.8% 6.2% 450,240 1,708,252 85.2% $619 $556 -10.1% 

North Carolina 18.2% 10.2% 402,6n 1,043,777 85.1% $361 $392 8.7% 

North Dakota 14.1% 7.5% 51,468 88,358 83.4% $326 $353 8.3% 

Ohio 13.3% 7.8% 414,914 1,000,301 84.1% $223 $406 82,1% 

Oklahoma 16.9% 9.1% 134,305 358,001 87.0% $275 $358 30.3% 

Oregon 21.0% 11.0% 169,412 522,363 86.1% $335 $378 12.8% 

Pennsylvania 11.2% 6.5% 488,341 1,054,988 83.8% $356 $443 24,5% 

Rhode Island 14.9% 9.0% 42,842 102,090 81.4% $587 $549 -6.4% 

South CaroH na 17.3% 9.4% 161,496 455,872 90.0% $309 $433 39.9% 

South Dakota 14.3% 7.5% 52,775 101,767 83.1% $318 $434 36,6% 

Tennessee 15.0% 8.6% 2B1,421 654,610 85.0% $260 $372 43.4% 

Texas 27.1% 14.9% 888,205 2,975,371 86.9% $249 $316 26.9% 

Utah 15.5% 8.3% 163,811 348,665 79.2% $245 $302 23.4% 

Vermont 13,6% 6.9% 15,376 58,693 88.2% $587 $546 ~7,1% 

Virginia 15.1% 8.8% 328,880 738,858 82.7% $306 $380 24.1% 

Washington 15.6% 8.4% 344,620 n5,837 78.0% $314 $351 11.9% 

West Virginia 15.6% 8.4% 33,191 145,591 91.6% $347 $468 35.1% 

Wisconsin 10.4% 6,4% 215,407 506,471 86.8% $258 $463 79.6% 

Wyoming 16.4% 8,6% 29,076 66,105 85.6% $434 $577 32.9% 

National 16.6% 9.5% 11.931,125 30,149,705 83.4% $314 $4OS 28.9% 

.. . . Assumes all ACA provl5lons are lmplemented by 2014, even provlslons effectlVe later. Results are slmllar to 

what would be expected by 2017, but presented in 2014 dollars and counts. Average non·group PMPM 

includes total expected claims costs for members but excludes other important items that are needed to 

model premium, including admin, taxes, and subsidies. States with large high risk pools may consider 

transitioning these enrollees into the exchange over a longer time frame in order to mitigate cost increases. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 
176 

II. Methodology: Model and Database Overview 

In the sections that follow, we provide an overview of our methodology, including discussion 

of our model and database used in this analysis. We then present our analysis and results for an 

example state (Wisconsin) for each of the eight questions outlined above. 4 

We have provided technical notes for the report throughout and in the appendices, including 

model results in excel files for all 50 states plus the District of Columbia that can be found on 

the SOA website with this report. 

HBSM uses the 2002-2005 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data to provide the 

underlying distribution of health care utilization and expenditures across individuals by age, 

sex, income, source of coverage, and employment status. 5 The MEPS contains a sample of 

households that is representative of the economic, demographic and health sector characteristics 

of the population. The database is re-weighted to reflect population control totals reported in the 

pooled 2008-2010 March Current Population Survey (CPS) data for each of the 50 states and the 

District of Columbia. It is also adjusted to presume 2014 health care utilization and expenditures 

across the categories as described below. 

These weight adjustments are done with an iterative proportional-fitting model, which adjusts 

the data to match approximately 250 separate classifications of individuals by socioeconomic 

status, sources of coverage, and job characteristics in the CPS.6Iterative proportional fitting is a 

process where the sample weights for each individual in the sample are repeatedly adjusted in a 

stepwise fashion until the database simultaneously replicates the distribution of people across 

each of these variables in the stateJ This approach is repeated for each state so that in the end, 

we effectively have 51 state databases that reflect the unique population characteristics of each 

state on the 250 separate dimensions. 

This approach permits us to simultaneously replicate the distribution of individuals across a 

large number of variables while preserving the underlying distribution of individuals by level of 

health care utilization and expenditures as reported in MEPS. These data can be "fine- tuned" in 

the re-weighting process to reflect changes in health service utilization levels (e.g., 

hospitalizations). This approach implicitly assumes that the distribution of utilization and 

expenditures within each of the population groups controlled for in this re-weighting processes 

are the same as reported in the MEPS data. Finally, population counts were projected to 2014 

base year using Census Bureau population projections by state, age and sex. 

4 Wisconsin was chosen as an example for this report because several of the members of the oversight committee 

were familiar with Wisconsin, making this state a more interesting case study for understanding why the model 

was producing its results than other states considered for the example. While there are a few states that more 

closely align with the overall national scenario, one of the key findings of this report is that the ACA's effect on 

emollment and cost is expected to vary widely, making even states that align with the national scenario an 

atypical scenario. Further, we do not represent the national scenario because it is a roll up of many circumstances. 

5 For some applications, we pool the MEPS data for 2002 through 2005 to increase sample size. This is particularly 

useful in analyzing expenditures for people with high levels of health spending, which typically represents only a 

small proportion of the database. 

6 To bolster sample size for state level analyses, we have pooled the CPS data for 2008 through 2010. This is 

important when using the model to develop state-level analyses. 

7 The process used is similar to that used by the Census Bureau to establish final family weights in the March CPS. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 
177 

We also adjust the health expenditure data reported in the MEPS database for each state to 

reflect changes in the characteristics of the population in 2014. These data are adjusted to reflect 

projections of the health spending by type of service and source of payment in the 2014 base 

year. These spending estimates are based upon state-level health spending data provided by 

CMS and detailed projections of expenditures for people in Medicare and Medicaid across 

various eligibility groups. Spending data for the employer market are based on average 

premiums published in the MEPS Insurance Component data by firm size and state. We also 

adjust spending for the non-group market using state-by-state premium data obtained from the 

National Association of Insurance Commissioners' 2010 Supplemental Health Care Exhibit 

Report trended to 2014. 

The result is a database that is representative of the base year population in each state by 

economic and demographic group, which also provides extensive information on the joint 

distribution of health expenditures across population groups. See Appendix A and Appendix B 

for a description of the model, databases and key assumptions. A more detailed documentation 

can be found at http://www.lewin.com/publications/publication/413/. 

III. Analysis & Results 

To best understand the cost of the newly insured and impact on the non-group market under 

the ACA, we answer a set of six questions. Our analyses for each of these questions are 

described below and results are presented for an example state (Wisconsin). The same tables are 

shown on the SOA website for all states, there are no special considerations with respect to 

Wisconsin, except it was one of several states reviewed closely by the Project Oversight Group. 

To provide a range of estimates for this analysis, we also provide a set of six scenarios using 

various assumptions about implementing the Medicaid expansion and the availability of 

premium subsidies as well as results using two different participation models, a price elasticity 

based model and a utility function model. 

Research Questions 

Question 1: What is the anticipated enrollment for the currently uninsured 

under the ACA? 

To estimate the anticipated enrollment for the currently uninsured under the ACA, we model 

uninsured individual's decision to enroll through the exchanges, Medicaid or newly offered 

employer plans. The purpose of the participation model is to estimate the shifts in insurance 

coverage occurring under the ACA, including the number of individuals enrolling in the state 

health insurance exchanges. This is a complex task requiring detailed analysis of employer and 

individual responses to programs and incentives created under the ACA Our approach is to 

estimate the effect of the features of the ACA that affect the employer decision to either offer or 

discontinue Employer- Sponsored Insurance (ESI) and whether to offer coverage through the 

Small Business Health Options (SHOP) exchange if eligible. Once the employer coverage 

decisions are estimated, our population model estimates individual enrollment into the various 

coverage options available under ACA, including the expanded Medicaid program, the 

employer's plan and individual non-group coverage in the exchange, where premium subsidies 

are available for individuals up to 400 percent of federal poverty level (FPL). 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 10 
178 

The population model will be used to estimate the number and characteristics of employers and 

individuals electing to participate in each of the various forms of public and private coverage, in 

particular the number and characteristics of individuals participating in the Small Business 

Health Options (SHOP) exchange and the individual exchange. The key characteristics of 

individuals contained in the model include demographic characteristics, income, employment 

status, health risk profile, health utilization and health spending experience. 

Appendix A and Appendix B describe the key assumptions used to model each of these key 

decision points for transitions from current coverage to new options under the ACA. 

Figure 1 shows transitions in coverage under the ACA for Wisconsin. In each of the analyses, 

we make the simplifying assumption that all the ACA provisions are fully implemented (2016 

provisions) in 2014. The first column of the table shows the number of individuals in the state 

by source of coverage prior to the ACA. The remaining columns show the transitions in 

coverage for those individuals due to the options available under the ACA. Here, many 

individuals previously covered by small employers (2-50) will transition into the employer or 

individual exchange (31 percent). Many individuals previously enrolled in other non-group 

coverage will enroll through the individual exchange (42 percent) or Medicaid (10 percent), as a 

result of Medicaid expansion. Of those previously uninsured, 26 percent will enroll in Medicaid, 

19 percent will enroll in the individual exchange, 14 percent will select employer coverage 

through the exchange or privately, and 40 percent will remain uninsured. In total, about 276,000 

individuals, or 4.8 percent of the Wisconsin population, will remain uninsured in 2014, under a 

fully implemented ACA. 

Bi.!Iseline Coverage 

Employer 2-SO 

Employer 51-100 

Employer 101+ 

High Risk Pool 

Other Non-Group 

Retiree 11 

TRICARE 

Medicare 

Dual Eligible 

Medicaid/CHIP" 

Uninsured 

" of Currently 

Uninsured 

Total 

Figure 1: Changes in Sources of Coverage under the ACA for Wisconsin 11 

(Assumes Medicaid Expansion) 

Transitions in Coverage under the ACA 

Employer Individual Private Private Medicare/ Medicaid/ Total Exchange 4/ Exchange Employer Non· TRICARE CHIP Group 

678,829 174,937 37,701 440,492 513 2 19,836 

140,608 24,533 6,421 107,757 13 0 1,341 

2,350,507 0 55,441 2,249,878 1,039 241 34,018 

24,910 473 20,834 1,659 0 0 1,945 

215,407 5,130 92,736 16,008 62,744 0 22,298 

71,767 0 0 60,075 0 0 11,692 

73,399 0 0 0 0 73,399 0 

710,938 0 0 0 0 710,938 0 

183,423 0 0 0 0 183,423 0 

738,645 6,098 46,610 14,180 314 41 671,402 

602,647 23,400 116,403 63,472 1,250 0 154,357 

3.9% 19.3% 10.5% 0.2% 0.0% 25.6% 

5,791,080 234,572 376,148 2,953,521 65,873 968,045 916,889 

Uninsured 

5,348 

542 

9,890 

0 

16,490 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

243,764 

40.4% 

276,034 

1/ Assumes that aU ACA provisions are fully implemented, Population by coverage source is presented 

as average monthly counts in 2014. 

21 Retiree coverage is defined as people with early employer retiree coverage who are not working, 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 11 
179 

3/ To compare Medicaid enrollment to other sources (e.g., Statehealthfacts) Medicaid, CHIP and Dual 

eligibles should be added together. 

4/ Employer exchange enrollment is modeled assuming all qualifying firms participate in the premium 

tax credit program in the initial year. However, the credit is available to each employer for only 2 

years and participation has been lower than expected. 

We assume that some current Medicaid recipients will enroll in their employers plan if newly 

offered (part-timers newly eligible, for example). Also, in states that currently provide coverage 

to adults above 138 percent of FPL we assume these states will discontinue that coverage in 

2014 when subsidies become available and move these people into the Exchanges. 8 The 

following table compares the results of our analysis (for the nonelderly only) to the estimates 

produced by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). 

U.S. Counts CBO 2018 (in millions) 11 Lewin 2014 (full phase in) in 

millions 

C overage Source Prior Law Change under Prior Law Change under 

Coverage ACA Coverage ACA 

Medicaid/CHIP 31 16 46 17 

Employer 160 -5 157 -2 

Non-Group and 31 -3 22 -5 Other 

Exchange 23 21 

Uninsured 58 -31 52 -31 

Total 280 -- 276 --

1/ March 2012 Estimate of the Effects of the Affordable Care Act on Health Insurance Coverage. 

Estimates for 2018 are presented which represents full implementation. 

Monthly spending for each group is shown in Figure lA, below. Here, under the ACA, the 

largest cost increases are seen in those transitioning from large employer coverage to the 

individual exchange or the private non-group market, in retirees transitioning to 

Medicaid/ CHIP, and in the uninsured transitioning to private employer or private non-group 

coverage. Largest decreases in costs are seen in those transitioning from small employer (2-50) 

coverage to the private non-group market, in those transitioning from mid-sized (51-100) 

employer coverage to Medicaid/CHIP, and those transitioning from Medicaid to private nongroup coverage. The technical notes, provided below, explain differences in costs for people 

leaving employer coverage for non-group. 

S States that currently offer coverage to adults above 138% FPL include CT, DC, IL, ME, MN, NJ, NY, RI, TN, VT and 

WI. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 12 
180 

Figure 1A: Average Morbidity (Monthly Costs) under the ACA for Wisconsin 

(Assumes Medicaid Expansion) 

Transitions in Coverage under the ACA 

Private Employer Individual Private Medicarel Medicaidj Baseline Coverage Total Nonw Uninsured Exchange Exchange Employer TRICARE CHIP Group 

Employer 2-50 $476 $537 $559 $433 $151 $25 $527 $160 

Employer 51-100 $573 $486 $671 $583 $617 $0 $121 $906 

Employer 101+ $567 $0 $1,061 $552 $1,128 $289 $362 $301 

High Risk Pool $1,176 $1,220 $939 $1,808 $0 $0 $2,155 $0 

Other Non-Group $258 $249 $240 $165 $320 $0 $194 $159 

Retiree $187 $0 $0 $182 $0 $0 $1,730 $0 

TRICARE $650 $0 $0 $0 $0 $649 $0 $0 

Medicare $902 $0 $0 $0 $0 $902 $0 $0 

Dual Eligible $1,274 $0 $0 $0 $0 $1,279 $0 $0 

Medicaid/CHIP $393 $468 $391 $331 $41 $533 $407 $0 

Uninsured $154 $320 $317 $556 $2,054 $0 $378 $108 

Total $542 $S03 $482 $S26 $363 $954 $418 

Assumes that all ACA provisions are fully implemented. Costs include total expected health care 

spending PMPM in 2014 but should not be confused with premium, since important items such as 

administrative costs, taxes, and premium subsidies are not included, 

Population Movement 

$120 

The population movement under the ACA is estimated using various simulation decisions for 

employers and individuals in the micro-simulation database. HBSM includes a model of the 

individual insurance market. The model defines the non-group insurance markets to include all 

people who are not otherwise eligible for coverage under an employer plan, Medicare, Medicaid 

or TRICARE (Le., military dependents and retirees). The model simulates premiums for 

individuals using the rules that prevail in each state. Premiums can be varied by age, gender and 

health status. This is done by compiling a "rate book" based upon the HBSM health spending 

data for the state reflecting how costs vary with individual characteristics. 

Once the employer coverage option is simulated for employers, we simulate individual take- up 

of insurance given the options available. We begin by simulating eligibility and enrollment for 

the Medicaid program. The probability model of enrollment that we use shows a lower rate of 

enrollment for people with access to employer coverage. We then simulate enrollment in 

employer health plans for people who have access to employer insurance. Finally, we simulate 

the decision to take non-group coverage based upon the cost of insurance less the premium 

subsidy, if eligible. 

We do this by using an individual insurance rating model to estimate the premium an 

individual would pay for a standard benefits package under current rating practices and again 

under the ACA reform rating rules. 9 We then estimate the premium subsidies an individual 

9 The standard benefit plan is an illustrative "silver" tiered plan covering all acute care services except adult dental 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, AI! Rights Reserved 13 
181 

would be eligible to receive under the ACA to determine the net cost of insurance to the 

individual. In addition, for people subject to the mandate, we treat the amount of the penalty for 

not having insurance as an increase in the cost of being uninsured which reduces the net cost of 

insurance to the individual. 

We simulate the decision to take coverage based upon the change in the net cost of coverage to 

the individual under reform using a multivariate analysis of the likelihood of taking coverage 

given the premium and other demographic characteristics. The multivariate model shows an 

implicit price elasticity of -3.4, which is similar to other published estimates. The implicit price 

elasticity varies with the characteristics of the individual. In general, the sensitivity to price 

declines as age and income increases. 

Similarly, we simulate discontinuations of coverage for people who have non-group coverage 

under =rent law reflecting increases in premiums due to changes in insurer rating practices. In 

general, younger and healthier people will see premium increases while older and less healthy 

people will see reductions in premiums. 

Figure 2 shows the distribution of people currently (pre-ACA) uninsured in the state by age, 

poverty level and self-reported health status. Similar to Figure 1, the remaining columns show 

the transitions in coverage for the uninsured due to the options available under the ACA. The 

last column of the table shows percentage of people remaining uninsured under the ACA. 

The highest percentage of people remaining uninsured under the ACA will be for those under 

age 19 (60 percent) since the Medicaid expansion does not affect children, those with incomes at 

or above 400 percent of FPL (71 percent), and those with excellent self-reported health status (43 

percent). 10 TIlls, in part, reflects a level of adverse selection, as these uninsured individuals 

likely have less perceived risk of illness and thus less perceived need for insurance coverage. 

Affordable coverage may also be less accessible for those over 400 percent of FPL, as they do not 

qualify for subsidies in the exchanges. 

and our assumption for cost sharing for this tiered plan. Assumes covered services to be the same across ali states. 

10 The MEPS survey asks respondents to rate their own health status and the health status of each family member 

as excellent, very good, good, fair or poor. This is based on the respondent's perception of their health and not 

based on the prevalence actual medical conditions. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 14 
182 

Figure 2: Changes in Sources of Coverage under the ACA for Currently Uninsured by Age, Income 

and Self-reported Health for Wisconsin (assumes Medicaid expansion) 

Age 

Under 19 76,268 2,392 16,882 4,056 343 7,174 

19-24 128,940 5,502 17,423 22,722 15 48,567 

25-34 139,767 5,056 24789 13,032 276 34,173 

35-44 104,605 4,712 20,479 8,520 176 23,925 

45-54 84,871 2,715 20,190 9,294 266 18,591 

55& over 68,197 3,022 16,640 5,848 174 21,927 

PovertY Level 

Below 138% FPL 261,397 8,623 10,871 22,374 415 147,411 

138%-199% FPL 81,204 2,490 36,635 8,958 99 5,256 

200%-299% FPL 105,067 5,758 41,227 11,932 402 1,131 

300%-399% FPL 67,041 3,776 18,771 6,896 249 369 

400% FPL and 

above 87,937 2,753 8,899 13,311 85 190 

Self Reported Health Status 

Excellent 463,762 16,750 88,738 51,777 816 I 106,536 

Good 108,637 5,416 22,813 9,772 206 I 33,303 

Fair 24,637 1,219 3,764 1,678 205 I .... " 

Poor 5,611 15 1,089 246 231 2,98' 

Total 602,647 23,400 116,403 63,472 1,250 1 154,357 

Assumes that all ACA provisions are fully implemented, population counts in 2014 

45,420 

34,711 

62,442 

46,792 

33,814 

20,585 

71,703 

27,765 

44,617 

36,980 

62,698 

199,144 

37,128 

6,237 

1,255 

243,764 

% Remain 

Uninsured 

59.6% 

26.9% 

44.7% 

44.7% 

39.8% 

30.2% 

27.4% 

34.2% 

42.5% 

55.2% 

71.3% 

42.9% 

34.2% 

25.3% 

22.4% 

40.4% 

Question 2: What is the newly insured's relative morbidity compared to the 

currently insured and what could reasonably be expected for relative costs? 

What will be the newly insured's pent up demand and for which types of 

services? 

To estimate the newly insured's relative morbidity and costs compared to the currently insured, 

we use the MEPS data in the HBSM model, which report that health services utilization for 

uninsured individuals are substantially less than that for insured individuals. Physicians' visits 

per 1,000 individuals are about 1,366 for the uninsured compared with 3,282 for insured 

individuals under age 65. Also, hospital stays for the insured are more than double that of the 

uninsured. Part of the difference in utilization rates is due to the fact that the uninsured are on 

average younger than insured individuals. Consequently, we adjust for this when estimating 

how utilization would change for this population as they become insured. 

We assume that uninsured individuals who become covered under the ACA would use health 

care services at the same rate reported by currently insured individuals with similar age, sex, 

income and health status characteristics. This assumption encompasses two important effects, 

First, the increase in access to primary care for this population would result in savings due to a 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 15 
183 

reduction in preventable emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Second, there would be a 

general increase in the use of elective services such as primary care, corrective orthopedic 

surgery, advanced diagnostic tests, and other care that the uninsured either forego or delay. 

Using this methodology, we estimate that health spending among the currently uninsured 

population would increase as they become insured. That is, savings from improved primary care 

would be more than offset by increased use of other care, including elective services. Overall, 

this method results in an estimated increase in utilization of about 100 percent in spending if the 

uninsured were to become insured. 

Figure 3 shows the number of people newly covered under the ACA by age, poverty level and 

self-reported health status. The table also shows the average monthly costs before and after 

becoming insured as well as the percent increase in health care spending. Costs in this report 

include total personal acute care health spending for covered and non-covered services. In total, 

this newly insured group will cost 112 percent more than they cost prior to gaining coverage. 

figure 3: Number and Cost of Newly Insured by Age, Income and Self-reported Health Status in 

Wisconsin (assumes Medicaid expansion) 

Age 

Under 19 30,848 

19-24 94,229 

25-34 77,325 

35-44 57,813 

45-54 51,056 

55 & over 47,612 

Poverty Level 

Below 138% FPL 189,694 

138%-199% FPL 53,439 

200%-299% FPL 60,450 

300%-399% FPL 30,061 

400% FPL and above 25,239 

Self-Reported Health Status 

Excellent 264,617 

Good 71,509 

Fair 18,400 

Poor 4,357 

Total 358,883 

$101 $183 

$100 $199 

$146 $236 

$226 $400 

$221 $786 

$380 $730 

$209 $488 

$144 $243 

$156 $294 

$172 $317 

$174 $310 

$112 $278 

$299 $575 

$463 $828 

$1,588 $2,475 

$185 $392 

Percent 

Change in 

Average Costs 

80.6% 

97.8% 

61.8% 

76.5% 

254.9% 

92.1% 

133.2% 

68.7% 

87.9% 

84.7% 

78.4% 

148.9% 

92.0% 

78.9% 

55.8% 

111.9% 

Assumes that all ACA provisions are fully implemented. Costs include total expected health care 

spending PMPM in 2014 but should not be confused with premium, since important items such as 

administrative costs, taxes, and premium subsidies are not included. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved 16 
184 

Pent Up Demand for Services 

This analysis does not include an increase in utilization due to pent up demand. Our modeling 

assumes an ultimate enrollment for all provisions of the ACA in the initial year of the program 

and does not address enrollment ramp-up issues or utilization for unmet needs of the newly 

insured. 

The research on "pent-up" demand for health care services as individuals become newly insured 

has shown mixed results. A study of near elderly uninsured who are approaching Medicare 

eligibility found that pent-up demand exists for physician care, but not for hospital inpatient 

care. The study estimated that the individuals who were uninsured prior to Medicare enrollment 

have 30 percent more physician visits during the two years after Medicare enrollment than their 

previously insured counterparts.11 Another study of the near-elderly indicate that the increased 

utilization experienced after age 65 by those who were uninsured prior to Medicare lead to an 

elevated hazard of diagnosis (relative to the insured) for virtually every chronic condition 

considered, for both men and women and the magnitudes of these effects are clinically 

meaningful. 12 A study of children newly enrolled in Medicaid found no evidence of pent-up 

demand for medical care among newly insured children, when they were compared to children 

who had been continuously insured. 13 Another study examined the effects of the Oregon 

Medicaid lottery after approximately one year of insurance coverage. The study presented 

estimates of the impact of insurance coverage, using the lottery as an instrument for insurance 

coverage, found no evidence of a larger initial utilization effect, suggesting that such "pent up" 

demand effects may not in fact be present. However, the longer run impact of health insurance on 

health care utilization could differ from the one-year effects. 14 

Since the possibility of pent-up demand is an important risk, especially in 2014 and 2015, the 

information presented in any of the Tables, which do not factor in pent-up demand, can be 

adjusted by the reader to reflect an assumption for pent-up demand. 

Question 3: What will be the general impact of the newly insured on the 

overall post-reform health care industry and insurance market, in terms of 

supply and demand for health care services? 

To measure the general impact of the newly insured on the overall post-reform health care 

industry and insurance market, we use the HBSM micro-simulation model to measure the 

impact that increased utilization of health services for newly insured has on overall health 

spending. As described above, we assume that uninsured individuals who become newly 

covered would use health care services at the same rate reported by currently insured 

11 Li-Wu Chen, Wanqing Zhang, Jane Meza, Roslyn Fraser, MA, "Pent-up Demand: Health Care Use of the 

Uninsured Near Elderly," Economic Research Initiative on the Uninsured Working Paper Series, July 2004 

12 Schimmel, Jody. 'Pent-Up Demand and the Discovery of New Health Conditions after Medicare Enrollment" 

Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Economics of Population Health: Inaugural Conference of the 

American Society of Health Economists, TBA, Madison, WI, USA, June 04, 2006 

13 K Goldsteen, R.L. Goldsteen, "Demand For Medical Services Among Previously Uninsured Children: The Roles 

of Race and Rurality," South Carolins Rural Health Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University 

of South Carolina, October 2002 

" Amy Finkelstein et. aI., "The Oregon Health Insurance Experiment Evidence from the First Year ," No. wl7190, 

National Bureau of Economic Research, 2011 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved 17 
185 

individuals with similar characteristics. 15 The information provided below can be used to 

estimate increased health services demand as a result of the newly insured in a state. Although 

the table gives increases for the entire state and the relative impacts across the state can vary 

depending on uninsured rates and provider supply. 

Figure 4 shows the total statewide spending by type of service for all insured (Column 2) and 

uninsured (Column 3) state residents, before accounting for the effects of the ACA. The fourth 

column shows the estimated increase in spending by the newly insured under the ACA by type 

of service. The last column presents the percent increase in system-wide spending due to the 

newly insured as a percent of total state-wide health spending. In this example, the increase in 

utilization of services by newly insured people will result in a 2.0 percent total increase in statewide health care spending in Wisconsin under the ACA. 

figure 4: Change in Spending as a Percent of Total Spending by Type of Service in Wisconsin 

(millions) (assumes Medicaid expansion) 

Spending Under Spending Under Increase in Percent Change in 

Type of Service Current Law by Current Law by Spending Under System~Wide 

Uninsured ACAby Newly Insured Population Population Insured Spending 

Hospital Inpatient $12,230.6 $372.3 $352.3 2.8% 

Physician $12,603.9 $386.2 $276.4 2.1% 

Dental $2,464.9 $88.0 $5.1 0.2% 

Other Professional $1,499.7 $50.9 $28.3 1.8% 

Prescription Drugs $5,492.8 $199.6 $78.8 1.4% 

Medical Equipment $489.8 $25.3 $15.5 3,0% 

Hospital Outpatient $6,852.4 $252.7 $107.6 1.5% 

Total $41,634.1 $1,375.0 $864.0 2.0% 

Population 5,188,433 602,647 358,883 

Spending Per Person $8,003.7 $2,281.6 $2,432.6 

11 Assumes that all ACA provisions are fully implemented. Spending by type of service in the MEPS data 

is adjusted to match CMS state health expenditures by type of service trended to 2014. 

Question 4: How will premium rates in the non-group market be impacted by 

the new population mix? How will health care costs be impacted by the 

presence of the high risk pools under the ACA and how are current costs 

impacted by current state high risk pools? 

For this report, we focused only on the changes in allowable costs. Actual premiums will vary 

for each insurer based on many factors which are beyond the scope of this report, since each 

insurer will have different circumstances and strategies with regard to competition. Besides 

traditional pricing inputs, 2014 will also bring to individual exchanges risk mitigation 

programs: reinsurance, risk corridors and risk adjustment. Reinsurance and risk corridors are 

15 Our assumption varies from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) assumption that newly insured individuals 

will use between 75 and 95 percent as much as people who are currently insured. "Key Issues in Analyzing Major 

Health Insurance Proposals", December 18, 2008. 

© 2013 SOciety of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 18 
186 

temporary programs for the first three years and risk adjustment is designed to be market 

neutral. Therefore, these considerations are not addressed here, even though they will be a 

major source of analysis and conjecture as premiums are developed for 2014 through 2016. 

In order to model the impact of the high risk pools, we first project enrollment to the end of 

2013 and allowed costs for the state high risk pool, if present, and then the new Federal PreCondition Insurance Plan (PClP). Those figures are used to assign high risk pool coverage to a 

subset of the non-group market. 

An important finding is that new individual coverage for those currently with group coverage 

will have a significant impact on costs in the individual Exchange. Although the number of 

employers dropping coverage is not high, their impact in the non-group market can be 

significant (see technical notes below). 

Figure 5 shows the impact of the ACA on the non-group market. This analysis shows the 

current enrollment and costs for the fully insured individual market and the high-risk pools. 

The high risk pools include both the state high-risk pool and the temporary federal high-risk 

pools under the ACA. This table presents the dynamiCS that we estimate will occur under the 

ACA. The first two lines show the number of individuals in the high-risk pools and the 

individual market and their average monthly total health care spending. 

Une 3 shows the number of individuals and average costs for individuals =rently covered in 

the high-risk pool or the individual market that leave due to the availability of other coverage 

options under the ACA. Lines 4 through 6 show the number of people who remain in the 

individual market and their average monthly spending. Lines 7 through 11 show the impact 

due to people entering the non-group market under the ACA from employers that discontinue 

coverage, Medicaid adults above 138 percent of FPL that we assume will get moved to the 

Exchanges and previously uninsured. 

The last line shows the number of individuals and the average monthly spending per person in 

the Wisconsin non-group market under the ACA-about 442,020 and $464 per month, 

respectively. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved 19 
187 

Figure 5: Change in Average Costs in the Non-Group Market under ACA in Wisconsin 

(assumes Medicaid expansion) 

Membership Average Cost 

Per Month 

l. Current High Risk 24,910 $1,176 

2. Current Other Non-Group 215,407 $258 

3. Leave Non-Group 64,003 $291 

Retam Non-Group 

4. In Exchange High Risk 20,834 $939 

5. In Exchange Other 92,736 $240 

6. Outside Exchange 62,744 $320 

leave Other Coverage to take Non-Group 

7. Employer 2-50 38,214 $554 

8. Employer 51-100 6,434 $671 

9. Employer 101+ 56,480 $1,062 

10. Medicaid/CHIP 46,925 $389 

11. Uninsured 117,654 $336 

Individuals with Non-Group under ACA 442,020 $464 

Assumes that all ACA provisions are fully implemented. Costs include total 

expected health care spending PMPM in 2014 but should not be confused with 

premium, since important items such as administrative costs, taxes, and risk 

mitigation programs are not included. 

Figure 6 shows the distribution of, and average costs for, individuals currently in the non-group 

market by age, poverty level and self-reported health status, along with their average monthly 

spending. For this table, we assume that the non-group market consists of the fully insured 

individual market and the high-risk pools. The table compares those figures with the 

distribution and average monthly spending for individuals who we estimate will take nongroup coverage under the ACA. Here, in the non-group market, we see the greatest increase in 

average monthly costs for individuals ages 55 and over (a 68 percent increase), those with 

incomes at or above 400 percent of FPL (an 83 percent increase), and those with a self-reported 

health status of "fair" or "poor." In total, the change in average monthly costs for non-group 

coverage increases by 32 percent under the ACA. The average increase per person is 29 percent 

but varies by age. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 20 
188 

Figure 6: Distribution of Non-Group Coverage Pre- and Post-ACA by age, income and health status 

in Wisconsin (assumes Medicaid expansion)" 

Non-Group under Current Law Non-Group under ACA 

N b I Percent I Average N b .1 Percent I Average Change in 

um er Distribution Monthly Cost um er Distribution Monthlv AvgMo 

Cost Cost 

Age 

Under 19 32,480 13.5% $171 71,054 16.1% $189 10.6% 

19-24 34,787 14.5% $190 53,464 12.1% $186 -2.4% 

25-34 39,606 16.5% $255 81,396 18.4% $322 26.2% 

35-44 31,570 13.1% $310 76,544 17.3% $380 22.5% 

45-54 42,976 17.9% $497 79,242 17.9% $688 38.2% 

55 & Over 58,898 24.5% $533 80,319 18.2% $896 68.2% 

Average Increase per Person 29.4% 

Family Income in Month as a Percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) 

Below 138% FPl 64,587 26.9% $405 59,563 13.5% $393 -2.9% 

138%-200% FPl 18,798 7.8% $419 92,955 21.0% $340 -18.9% 

200%-300% FPl 37,122 15.4% $334 105,406 23.8% $498 49.1% 

300%-400% FPl 37,950 15.8% $246 70,506 16.0% $337 37.0% 

400% FPl and Over 81,860 34.1% $355 113,590 25.7% $649 83.1% 

Self-reported Health Status 

Excellent 206,978 86.1% $281 355,079 80.3% $310 10.2% 

Good 27,069 11.3% $686 71,065 16.1% $668 -2.7% 

Fair 5,500 2.3% $906 12,777 2.9% $2,556 182.0% 

Poor 770 0.3% $3,992 3,099 0.7% $4,818 20.7% 

Total 240,317 100% $353 442,020 100% $464 31.5% 

11 Assumes that all ACA provisions are fully implemented. Costs include total expected health care 

spending PMPM in 2014 but should not be confused with premium, since important items such as 

administrative costs, taxes, and risk mitigation programs are not included. 

Figure 6A shows the same metrics as Figure 6; however this figure excludes the high-risk pool 

members from the current non-group population. Excluding the high-risk pool results in a 

significantly greater change in average monthly costs for non-group coverage as compared to 

Figure 6 (80 percent versus 30 percent). The average increase per person is 68 percent versus 29 

percent, and the increase varies significantly by age. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 21 
189 

Figure 6A: Distribution of Non-Group Coverage (Excluding High-Risk Pool) Pre- and Post-ACA by 

age, income and health status in Wisconsin (assumes Medicaid expansion) 

Non·Group under Current law Non-Group under ACA 

I Percent I Average I Percent I Average 

Number Distribution Monthly Cost Number Distribution Monthly 

Cost 

Age 

Under 19 31,952 14.8% $167 71,054 16.1% $189 

19-24 34,197 15.9% $172 53,464 12.1% $186 

25-34 36,993 17.2% $219 81,396 18.4% $322 

35-44 28,983 13.5% $227 76,544 17.3% $380 

45-54 37,487 17.4% $322 79,242 17.9% $688 

55 & Ovo, 45,795 21.3% $384 80,319 18.2% $896 

Average Increase per Person 

Family Income in Month as a Percent of the Federal Poverty level (FPl) 

Below 138% FPL 58,113 27.0% $239 59,563 13.5% $393 

138%-200% FPL 17,201 8.0% $322 92,955 21.0% $340 

200%-300% FPL 33,093 15.4% $220 105,406 23.8% $498 

300%-400% FPL 33,467 15.5% $207 70,506 16.0% $337 

400% FPL and Over 73,532 34.1% $298 113,590 25.7% $649 

Self-reported Health Status 

Excellent 192,143 89.2% $227 355,079 80.3% $310 

Good 19,863 9.2% $500 71,065 16.1% $668 

Fair 3,222 1.5% $582 12,777 2.9% $2,556 

Poor 179 0.1% $149 3,099 0.7% $4,818 

Total 215,407 100% $2S8 442,020 100% $464 

Assumes that all ACA provisions are fully implemented. Costs include total expected health care 

spending PMPM in 2014 but should not be confused with premium, since important items such as 

administrative costs, taxes, and risk mitigation programs are not included. 

Change in 

AvgMo 

Cost 

13.0% 

8.3% 

47.1% 

67.5% 

113.8% 

133.2% 

68.1% 

64.5% 

5.8% 

126.4% 

62.7% 

118.1% 

36.2% 

33.7% 

3393% 

3128.0% 

80.0% 

Question 5: What will be the relative health status and cost for people who 

remain uninsured under the ACA and how will this differ by state? 

Figure 7 shows the distribution of uninsured individuals under current law in the state by age, 

poverty level and self-reported health status along with their average monthly spending. The 

table compares those estimates with the distribution and average monthly spending for 

individuals who we estimate will remain uninsured under the ACA 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rlghts Reserved 22 
190 

Figure 7: Distribution of Uninsured Pre- and Post-ACA by Age, Income and Health Status in 

Wisconsin (assumes Medicaid expansion)'1 

Uninsured under Current Law Remain Uninsured under ACA I Percent I Average Number I .Pe~cen~ I Average Change In 

Number Distribution M~nthlV Monthlv AvgMo 

ost Dlstnbutlon Cost Cost 

Age 

Under 19 76,268 12.7% $80 45,420 18.6% $66 ·17.8% 

19·24 128,940 21.4% $101 34,711 14.2% $104 2.7% 

25·34 139,767 23.2% $118 62,442 25.6% $82 ·30.3% 

35-44 104,605 17.4% $174 46,792 19.2% $108 ·37.8% 

45·54 84,871 14.1% $183 33,814 13.9% $125 -31.8% 

55 & Over 68,197 11.3% $342 20,585 8.4% $255 ·25.4% 

Average Increase per Person -24.5% 

Famity Income in Month as a Percent of the Federal Poverty level (FPL) 

Below 138% FPl 261,397 43.4% $183 71,703 29.4% $114 ·37.5% 

138%·200% FPl 81,204 13.5% $118 27,765 11.4% $69 ·41.8% 

200%,300% FPL 105,067 17.4% $132 44/617 18.3% $99 ·24.9% 

300%-400% FPL 67,041 11.1% $129 36,980 15.2% $94 ·27.3% 

400% FPLand 87,937 14.6% $144 62,698 25.7% $132 Over ~8.6% 

Self·reported Health Status 

Excellent 463,762 77.0% $103 199,144 81.7% $91 -11.4% 

Good 108,637 18.0% $253 37,128 15.2% $164 -35.2% 

Fair 24,637 4.1% $413 6,237 2.6% $268 ·35.1% 

Poor 5,611 0.9% $1,295 1,255 0.5% $279 -78.5% 

Total 602,647 100% $154 243,764 100% $108 -29.9% 

1/ Assumes that all ACA proviSions are fully implemented. Costs include total expected health care 

spending PMPM in 2014 and should not be confused with premium. 

Here, across most all age groups, income levels, and health statuses, we see a decrease in 

average monthly costs for the uninsured under the ACA, with an average decrease of 30 percent 

across all groups. 1bis analysis indicates that individuals remaining uninsured under the ACA 

will be younger, healthier and have higher incomes than the current uninsured population. 

Those remaining uninsured include undocumented individuals who are not eligible for 

subsidies, low income families who would not be impacted by the penalty and people with an 

unaffordable offer of coverage (more than 8 percent of income) who also would not be affected 

by the penalty. 

Question 6: Assuming the state expands Medicaid under the ACA, what is the 

impact on Medicaid enrollment and costs? 

Figure 8 shows the impact of the ACA on the Wisconsin Medicaid program, assuming the state 

had expanded Medicaid. The first line shows the enrollment and average Medicaid per member 

per month costs for individuals currently in the Medicaid program (excluding dual 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 23 
191 

Medicare/Medicaid enrollees). The table compares those figures with the distribution and 

average monthly Medicaid spending for people who we estimate will be covered by Medicaid 

under the ACA. The total net change in Medicaid enrollment will be 178,244 more than preACA projected enrollment; newly eligible will cost more, on average, than currently eligible. 

Figure 8: Change in Medicaid Enrollment and Costs under the ACA with Medicaid Expansion in 

Wisconsin" 

Enrollment Medicaid 

CostsPMPM 

Current Program 738,645 $321 

Leave Medicaid for other Coverage 

Children (10,514) $147 

Parents/Other (56,729) $286 

Currently Eligible 

Children 6,948 $279 

Parents/Other 11,398 $405 

Newly Eligible 

Parents/Other 5,928 $336 

Non-Custodial Adults 221,213 $410 

All Newly Eligible 227,142 $408 

Total Net Change 178,244 

1/ Assumes that all ACA provisions are fully implemented. Costs include Medicaid paid 

amounts PMPM presented in 2014 dollars. 

Figure 9 shows the distribution of individuals currently in the Medicaid program (excluding 

dual Medicare/Medicaid enrollees) by age, poverty level and self-reported health status along 

with their average monthly total spending. The table compares those figures with the 

distribution and average monthly spending for individuals who we estimate will be covered by 

Medicaid under the ACA, assuming state participation in the Medicaid expansion. Here, those 

ages 19 to 24 and 55 and over will experience the most significant percent increases in the 

number of individuals covered by Medicaid under the ACA with expansion, compared to 

current law. Those below 138 percent of FPL will experience a notable percent increase in the 

absolute number of individuals covered by Medicaid, while families with incomes of 138 

percent of FPL and above will experience percent decreases in the number of individuals 

covered by Medicaid as we assume that adults above 138 percent FPL will be moved to the 

Exchange. Across all age, income, and health status groups, with Medicaid expansion, there will 

be a 24 percent increase in the number of individuals covered by Medicaid under the ACA, 

compared to current law projections. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 24 
192 

Figure 9: Distribution of Medicaid Enrollees Pre- and Post-ACA by Age, Income and Health Status in 

Wisconsin (assumes Medicaid expansion)" 

Covere~ by Medicaid under Current Law Covered by Medicaid under ACA Change in 

Covered 

Average Average 

N b I Percent I um er Distribution Monthly I Percent I Number Distribution Monthly Number 

Cost Cost 

Age 

Under 19 438,090 59.3% $184 435,615 47.5% $189 ~O.6% 

19-24 61,895 8.4% $690 142,575 15.5% $405 130.4% 

25-34 82,473 11.2% $726 106,634 11.6% $613 29.3% 

35·44 77,118 10.4% $472 88,701 9.7% $503 15.0% 

45·54 46,034 6.2% $832 64,810 7.1% $783 40.8% 

55 & OVer 33,034 4.5% $976 78,553 8.6% $1,047 137.8% 

Family Income in Month as a Percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) 

Below 138% FPL 490,595 66.4% $386 717,526 78.3% $416 46.3% 

138%·200% FPL 119,267 16.1% $285 91,573 10.0% $262 ·23.2% 

200%·300% FPL 81,893 11.1% $590 67,869 7.4% $637 ·17.1% 

300%-400% FPL 22,903 3.1% $345 19,016 2.1% $389 ·17.0% 

400% FPL and Over 23,987 3.2% $445 20,905 2.3% $481 -12.8% 

Self-reported Health Status 

Excellent 569,235 77.1% $228 700,263 76.4% $238 23.0% 

Good 123,176 16.7% $591 153,354 16.7% $649 24.5% 

Fair 37,340 5.1% $1,284 51,173 5.6% $1,258 37.0% 

Poor 8,894 1.2% $4,443 12,099 1.3% $4,349 36.0% 

Total 738,64S 100% $393 916,889 100% $4l8 24.1% 

11 Assumes that all ACA provisions are fully implemented. Costs include total expected health care 

spending PMPM in 2014. 

Alternate Scenarios ft Sensitivity Testing 

The included spreadsheets present our state-level analysis of the cost of the newly-insured 

under the ACA. For each state we generated the following three scenarios using our price 

elasticity based model: 

1. The Lewin Group Baseline ACA Simulation with Medicaid Expansion and Exchange 

Subsidies between 138-400% FPL; 

2. Simulation of ACA without Medicaid Expansion but Exchange Subsidies between 100-

400% FPL; and 

3. Simulation of the ACA without the availability of premium subsidies in the Exchanges, 

but includes the Medicaid Expansion; 

Using a utility model, which is described in Appendix A (page A-16), we generated three 

additional scenarios: 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved 25 
193 

1. Baseline Utility Simulation with Medicaid Expansion and Exchange Subsidies between 

138-400% FPL - using a utility model; 

2. Simulation with Medicaid Expansion and Exchange Subsidies between 138-400% FPLusing a utility model with one-third less risk aversion; and 

3. Simulation with Medicaid Expansion and Exchange Subsidies between 138-400% FPL -

using a utility model with two-thirds less risk aversion. 

As described in Appendix A, our approach is to adapt an existing model of consumer aversion 

to risk called the "utility" function, which has been widely used to estimate coverage under 

health reform. The model assigns a utility "score" to being insured equal to an individual's 

expected health spending less the premium, the consumer's valuation of protection from 

unexpected health care costs, and the value of health services consumed. For each individual, a 

utility score is computed separately for each of the benefits packages offered in the exchanges. 

From the lowest actuarial value of coverage to the highest, these will be "catastrophic," 

followed by bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. 

We also compute a utility score for being uninsured that included an individual's average 

expected out-of-pocket health spending if uninsured less other costs of being uninsured, 

including the penalty and an implied valuation of the cost of the risk the individual faced when 

uninsured. We adjust health care costs for individ uals to match spending levels reported by 

uninsured people with similar characteristics, so the costs reflect the lost utility of reduced 

access to health care. 

People are assumed to take coverage if the utility score for any of the five benefits packages 

exceeds the utility score for being uninsured. Others are assumed to go without insurance. As 

discussed in the Appendix, the model allows for the possibility that individuals respond to a 

premium increase by moving to a less comprehensive health plan rather than dropping 

coverage. 

The utility function uses the statistical variance in expected spending to represent the risk an 

individual faces by going without insurance. The model estimates the cost of this risk to the 

individual based on estimates of consumer risk aversion drawn from the literature (based on 

the Arrow-Pratt risk aversion theory). This could be thought of as the amount that someone is 

willing to pay to be protected against this risk. 

© 2013 SOCiety of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 26 
194 

IV. Limitations and Caveats 

The results of our analysis are projections, not predictions, and they are dependent upon the set 

of assumptions used. The results are likely to vary under a different set of assumptions. Future 

experience will not exactly conform to these projected results. We have conducted sensitivity 

testing of our results to changes in assumptions. However, given that we are modeling a 

complex system, changes in some assumptions can produce significant changes in results, due 

to the interrelationships of factors influencing the results. 

We have relied on various sources for data and information upon which the underlying 

assumptions have been developed. In some cases, there has not been adequate experience data 

upon which to develop assumptions, and we have had to rely on judgment. 

The analyses are based upon our understanding and interpretation of the ACA and its 

related regulations. Regulations provided after October, 2012 have not been modeled, so a 

review of Appendices A and B is recommended so the reader can confirm any subsequent 

changes against the model used for the results in this report. States will be allowed some 

flexibility in varying certain aspects of the ACA, which may impact results differently than 

what has been presented. Users of this report will need to make some assumptions as to how 

developments in each state might affect how actual results will play out 

We suggest readers carefully consider possible variations in outcomes and the actions of 

competitors and regulators when using this report. We suggest that actual per member per 

month figures generally should not be used, but instead focus on the change in figures between 

different risk classes. Readers will need to make important assumptions regarding possible 

pent-up demand in 2014 and 2015 and initial enrollment forecasts for the first two to three years 

will also have to be assumed and may be subject to wide variation based on assumptions for 

each state. How states with current high risk pools address transition to the post-ACA market 

will also have an important impact on results in the initial years, and adjustments should be 

made to report figures since the report figures assume an "ultimate" impact (generally after 

approximately three years). 

It is advised that readers not to take any action solely with reliance on this report. Any of the 

results presented could prove to be different for anyone state or health plan. 

© 2013 SOCiety of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved 27 
195 

V. Technical Notes 

The technical notes below provide additional insights into some of the analyses results 

discussed above. 

Leaving Employer Coverage for Non-Group Coverage 

We model individuals moving from employer coverage to non-group coverage under the ACA. 

Figure 10 shows the impact of the ACA on the non-group market in Wisconsin. Lines 7 through 

9 of the table show the number of individuals and average cost for those entering the non-group 

market under the ACA that previously had employer coverage. The average cost for this group 

is substantially higher than average cost for other groups and is one of the primary reasons our 

simulations show a large increase in average costs in the non-group market from current law to 

theACA. 

Figure 10: Change in Average Costs in the Non-Group Market under ACA in Wisconsin 

Membership Average Cost 

Per Month 

1. Current High Risk 24,910 $1,176 

2. Current Other Non-Group 215,407 $258 

3. Leave Noo-Group 64,003 $291 

Retain Non-Group 

4. In Exchange High Risk 20,834 $939 

5. In Exchange Other 92,736 $240 

6. Outside Exchange 62,744 $320 

Leave Other Coverage to take Non-Group 

7. Employer 2-9 38,214 $554 

8. Employer 51-100 6,434 $671 

9. Employer 101+ 56,480 $1,062 

10. Medicaid/CHIP 46,925 $389 

11. Uninsured 117,654 $336 

Individuals with Non-Group under ACA 442,020 $464 

1/ Assumes that all ACA provisions are fully implemented. Costs include total expected health care 

spending PMPM in 2014 but should not be confused with premium, since important items such as 

administrative costs, taxes, and risk mitigation programs are not included. 

Our analysis of average costs for all workers and dependents in Wisconsin shows that costs are 

substantially higher than for people purchasing non-group coverage under current law. The 

average monthly cost for people in the non-group market was $258 (excluding the high risk 

pool enrollees) compared to $548 for people with employer coverage. 

Figure 11 shows the number of members and average monthly cost by size of group pre-ACA. 

Even if people with average risk in the employer group market moved to non-group they 

would tend to increase the average cost in the non-group market. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved 28 
196 

Figure 11: Average Costs in the Employer Market pre-ACA in Wisconsin 

Group Size Members Avg Cost 

2-9 281,346 $491 

10-50 397,483 $466 

51-100 127,836 $593 

101-499 473,333 $551 

500-999 219,230 $532 

1000-4999 299,043 $501 

5000+ 756,235 $569 

Government 615,440 $615 

Total 3,169,944 $548 

11 Assumes that all ACA provisions are fully implemented. Costs include total expected health care 

spending PMPM in 2014 but should not be confused with premium, since important items such as 

administrative costs, taxes, and risk mitigation programs are not included. 

Some employers who now offer insurance will decide to discontinue that coverage under the 

ACA. This will occur among employers seeing an increase in premiums under the Act. We also 

expect some insuring employers to discontinue coverage in cases where their workers can 

obtain subsidized coverage through the exchange at a lower cost. These employer decisions are 

modeled in two steps: 

Employers dropping coverage due to increase in the net cost of coverage; and 

Employers dropping coverage in response to subsidies for individual coverage. 

Employers Dropping Coverage due to Increase in the Net Cost of Coverage 

In this step we assess the impact of changes in the cost of insurance to the employer on the 

number of employers offering coverage. Employer health insurance premiums will be affected 

by changes in rating practices under the Act. In general, small fully-insured employers with 

younger and healthier workforces will see premiums increase while employers with older and 

less healthy individuals will see premiums reduced. In addition, the small employer tax credit 

will reduce premium costs for some firms. 

We use HBSM to estimate the change in net premium costs for employers under the Act. We 

also estimate the penalty for not offering coverage, which we treat as an increase in the cost of 

not offering coverage, which has the effect of reducing the net cost of obtaining insurance. 

We model the decision to offer coverage using a multivariate model of how changes in 

premiums affect the likelihood of offering coverage. The implicit price elasticity varies from 

-0.87 for small firms to less than -0.20 for larger firms. This means that a one percent reduction 

in premiums results in a 0.87 percent increase in the number of small firms offering coverage. 

Employers Dropping Coverage in Response to Subsidies for Individual Coverage 

Some employers may discontinue coverage under health reform because their workers become 

eligible for free or subsidized coverage in the exchange. Because these subsidies are available 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 29 
197 

only to people without access to employer coverage, the employer must discontinue its plan for 

the workers to get these subsidies. 

We model this by: 

Estimating the number of insuring employers where workers can obtain coverage at a 

lower cost in the exchange (reflecting any change in premium resulting from community 

rating); and 

Estimating the percentage of these firms that discontinue coverage. 

We model the employer decision to discontinue coverage based upon a multivariate model of 

how changes in the price of alternative health coverage affect the likelihood of switching to the 

alternative source of coverage. The plan switching elasticity is -2.54, which means that a one 

percent lower cost results in 2.54 percent of employers discontinuing coverage so workers can 

obtain subsidize coverage in the exchange. 

We model the employer cost as the total premium cost (employee and employer share) less 

small employer tax credit if eligible less tax benefit of employer coverage. We model the cost for 

employees in the non-group market as the non-group premium in the Exchange less subsidies 

plus the cost of the employer penalty, which is assumed to be passed on to workers as lower 

wages. The results of our simulations show that employers with higher cost members are more 

likely to discontinue coverage, which would allow their workers to obtain coverage in the 

Exchanges at adjusted community rates and with the aid of subsidies if they are eligible. 

Figure 12 shows that employees and dependents that leave employer coverage due to 

employers discontinuing coverage and employees leaving employer coverage on their own due 

to the Medicaid expansion are about 30 percent more costly than the group average member 

($712 compared to $548). 

Figure 12: Average Costs for Members that Leave Employer Coverage Relative to the Average for all 

with Employer Coverage in Wisconsin 

Employer Pre-ACA All Who leave Employer under ACA 

Group Size Members Avg Cost Group Size Members AvgCost 

2-9 281,346 $491 2-9 27,363 $747 

10-50 397,483 $466 10-50 36,035 $489 

51-100 127,836 $593 51-100 8,318 $621 

101-499 473,333 $551 101-499 29,996 $631 

500-999 219,230 $532 500-999 16,694 $781 

1000-4999 299,043 $501 1000-4999 18,374 $536 

5000+ 756,235 $569 5000+ 11,312 $587 

Government 615,440 $615 Government 24,012 $1,282 

Total 3,169,944 $548 Total 172,103 $712 

11 Assumes that all ACA provisions are fully implemented. Costs include total expected health care 

spending PMPM in 2014 but should not be confused with premium, since important items such as 

administrative costs, taxes, and risk mitigation programs are not included. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 30 
198 

Figure 13 shows the number of workers and dependents that we simulate to leave employer 

coverage and the programs that they would enroll into. Primarily, those below 138% of FPL will 

enroll in the Medicaid expansion. The average costs for this group is low relative to the average 

cost of all members that leave employer coverage since most are low-income, young adults. For 

the remainder of those that leave employer coverage, we perform a second simulation to 

determine who decides to purchase non-group coverage. For each individual/family, we 

estimate the cost of insurance under prior law and again under the ACA. These costs reflect: 

Prior law premium includes the amount that the employee paid for employer coverage; 

and 

Premiums under the ACA include the cost of insurance under community rating less 

premium subsidies in the exchange. 

We estimate the likelihood of taking the coverage based upon the difference in premium before 

and after the ACA using a premium elasticity averaging about -3.4. This means that on average 

a one percent reduction in premium corresponds to a 3.4 percent increase in the number of 

people taking coverage. 

The effect of the mandate is simulated on the basis of the penalty the individual/ family would 

pay under the act if they remain uninsured. We treat the penalty as an increase in the cost of 

remaining uninsured, which has the effect of reducing the net new cost of taking coverage 

under the act. 

The second two blocks of Figure 13 shows that higher cost workers and dependents that lost 

employer coverage are more likely to select into non-group and those that are lower cost will 

opt to go uninsured due to the adjusted community rated premiums in the non-group market. 

Thus, our simulations show that this "double selection" effect results in relative high cost 

employees and dependents entering in the non-group market under the ACA. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved 31 
199 

Figure 13: Average Costs for Members that Leave Employer Coverage and How They Sort Into 

Programs under the ACA in Wisconsin 

Move from Employer to Medicaid Move from Employer to NonGroup 

Move from Employer to 

Uninsured 

Group Size Members Avg Group Size Members Avg Group Size Members Cost Cost 

2-9 12,220 $1,028 2-9 14,345 $542 2-9 798 

10-50 7,616 $360 10-50 23,870 $591 10-50 4,549 

51-100 1,341 $144 51-100 6,434 $696 51-100 542 - 101-499 8,209 $346 101-499 17,724 $864 101-499 4,064 

500-999 3,448 $187 500-999 10,535 $1,030 500-999 2,711 

1000-4999 4,537 $608 1000-4999 12,809 $536 1000-4999 1,027 

5000+ 

~ 5000+ 2,219 $446 5000+ 112 

Government 8 $425 Government 13,193 $2,018 Government 1,975 

Total 55,195 $564 Total 101,129 $860 Total 15,779 

1/ Assumes that all ACA provisions are fully implemented. Costs include total expected health care 

spending PMPM in 2014 but should not be confused with premium, since important items such as 

administrative costs, taxes, and risk mitigation programs are not included. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, AU Rights Reserved 32 

Avg 

Cost 

$120 

$167 

$906 

$192 

$571 

$224 

$230 

$199 

$274 
200 

Provider Payment Levels 

The HBSM model adjusts payment levels for individuals simulated to move from Medicaid to 

commercial insurance and from commercial insurance to Medicaid. This is done using statelevel Medicaid physician fees relative to Medicare (KFF StateHealthFacts), national Medicare 

physician fees relative to commercial insurance (MedP AC) and hospital payment to cost ratios 

for Medicaid relative to commercial insurance (The Lewin Group estimates). 

However, health care for the uninsured is currently paid for by a variety of sources including 

out-of-pocket, free from hospitals and clinics, other indigent care programs and funding 

sources, Worker's Compensation, and other private sources such as automobile insurance. 

Provider payment levels may vary for all these different sources and there is no standard 

approach for determining how each of these payment levels compares to payment levels by 

Medicaid or commercial insurance. Therefore, we do not attempt to modify payment levels for 

the newly insured in the HBSM model but show the potential increase in their health care 

utilization as they become insured and the associated spending for that increased utilization. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved 33 
201 

Acknowledgments 

The Society of Actuaries would like to thank this report's authors, Ran d y H aug h t 0 f 

The Lewin Group and John Ahrens, FSA, MAAA ofOptum. 

We also wish to recognize and thank the SOA Project Oversight Group (POG) 

Chair: 

Kenny Kan, FSA, MAAA and 

Members: 

Karen Bender, ASA, MAAA; 

Bela Gorman, FSA, MAAA; 

Karl Madrecki, ASA, MAAA; 

Ted Prospect, FSA, MAAA; 

Adam Rudin, FSA, MAAA; 

Geoff Sandler, FSA, MAAA; and 

Steele Stewart, FSA, MAAA. 

We also appreciate the efforts of the SOA staff members: 

Kristi Bohn; FSA, MAAA 

Barbara Scott; 

Steven Siegel, ASA, MAAA; and 

Sara Teppema, FSA, MAAA. 

Their active participation in the design of the study and for the considerable time and effort 

they dedicated to reviewing the report and its results and in providing helpful feedback and 

suggestions made the report all the more valuable to its readers. 

The authors would also like to thank the actuaries and researchers who provided over twenty 

seven pages of comments on our draft report. The comments and observations could be broken 

down into three main categories. The first category was requests for clarification of terms used 

and what was being described. Wherever possible, we have added additional clarification 

throughout the report to address those comments. The second category included professional 

edits, often around semantics, and to be more precise. For example, our reference to "current 

law" as meaning approaches in effect prior to 2014, even though ACA is actually "current law." 

However, the main provisions addressed in this report just haven't been implemented yet. 

Rather than re-doing labels in hundreds of tables, we just define what we meant by the terms 

we used. The third category included concerns and even disagreement with some of the 

assumptions used in our model and concerns that the results in tables were'not always a 

smooth curve as one would expect if building tables. For example, there are costs at some age 

groupings that are higher than the next highest age grouping, a result seldom seen in actuarial 

tables. Our approach in displaying model results was to avoid any "editing" of results to make 

results appear smoother. We have left that to the readers of the report so that they can decide on 

the level of smoothness and assumptions to be made in so doing. We would expect actuaries to 

have different assumptions regarding such an important issue that is being modeled. In client 

situations, we are able to change assumptions based on client input, but for this study, we used 

our baseline assumptions and have documented them so that the reader is aware. However, 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 34 
202 

sensitivity testing of key assumptions is outside the scope of the project. 

Based on the comments, we offer some general considerations when using this report. First, 

actual per member per month figures generally should not be used, but instead focus on the 

change in figures. Readers will need to make important assumptions regarding possible pentup demand in 2014 and 2015 and initial enrollment forecasts for the first two years will also 

have to be assumed and may be subject to wide variation based on assumptions for each state. 

Generally, smoother results are desirable and looking at other" similar" states may provide 

another input in to so doing. State specific results may be too broad for most analysis, generally, 

for client work, we provide results at smaller county or groupings of counties leveL There will 

be differences between results from this report and other reports, and the reader should 

consider some of the likely reasons for that by reading documentation to the extent it is 

available. Regulations have continued to be produced, whereas the output of the model in this 

report was frozen as of late September. Therefore, regulations that have come out since, 

especially those in late November, 2012, are not reflected (though most of those impact 

premium calculations which are not a major focus of this report). A model must make general 

assumptions on premium determinations and cannot duplicate all of the nuances of pricing in 

such a dynamic state. That said, it is our belief that the subsidies will be the most important 

consideration to take into account. 

We hope that this report will help the reader in addressing issues that will be very important in 

preparing for 2014 and beyond. 

~ 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Righls Reserved 35 
203 

Appendix A - Assumptions for Modeling Coverage Changes Under the ACA 

This Appendix describes the data and assumptions used to model each of these key decision 

points. These analyses were developed using The Lewin Group Health Benefits Simulation 

Model (HBSM), which is a micro-simulation model of the U.s. healthcare system, designed to 

provide estimates at the national, state and county levels. The model has been developed over a 

period of 22 years to estimate the impacts of major changes in the health care system such as the 

recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The model provides 

estimates of changes in coverage and health spending for the federal government, states, private 

employers, consumers and providers. 

The key to the model is a representative sample of households reporting sources of health 

insurance coverage, income, employment status, family relationship, demographic 

characteristics and health spending by source of payment and type of service. The basic data 

sources are the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) conducted by the Agency for 

Healthcare Research and Quality and the Current Population Survey (CPS) conducted by the 

Bureau of the Census. The model also incorporates the American Community Survey (ACS) 

which is a large household survey that makes it possible to provide estimates at the county and 

sub-county levels (for large counties only). 

Figure A-I presents a flow chart showing each key decision point in the model. A central 

element of the analysis is modeling the premiums for the coverage available to individuals and 

the amount of the subsidies and penalties they face in deciding whether to take coverage. A key 

element of the process is a detailed simulation of premiums in the individual and small group 

markets under the premium setting and underwriting practices that apply in each state. Thus 

the outcome of the employer decisions affects the choices available to individuals. 

The following sections describe the baseline data and assumptions used to model changes in 

coverage and costs under the ACA. A more detailed documentation of the HBSM model can be 

found at http://www.lewin.com/publications / publication/ 413 / . 

I:J 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-1 
204 

Figure A-1: HBSM Simulation Flowchart for modeling ACA 

Simulate 

Employer 

Premiums 

Yes 

No -----)~I 

Simulate 

Eligibility for 

Medicaid in State 

No 

Simulate 

Individual 

Premiums 8: 

Subsidy 

No 

'+' 

Uninsured 

r.-----------~------------r_----------------Yes 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-2 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 
205 

A. Development of Baseline Data 

HBSM operates on a database of households that are matched to a database of synthetic 

employers. The model is based upon the pooled Medical Expenditures Panel Survey (MEPS) 

data for 2002 through 2005. These data provide information on sources of coverage and health 

expenditures for a representative sample of the population. These data were adjusted to reflect 

the population and coverage levels reported in the 2008-2010 Current Population Survey (CPS) 

data. We pooled three years of CPS data in order to increase the sample size at the state leveL 

We chose the MEPS data because it is the only data source that provides both the detailed 

income and coverage detail we need together with detailed information on health conditions, 

health service utilization and spending. These data have enabled us to develop a model that 

simulates premiums endogenously, including risk selection effects. It also enables us to model 

policies affecting "uninsurable" populations and simulate the effects of benefits design. 

We develop a sample of employers based upon two employer surveys. We statistically match 

the 2006 KFF survey of employers with the 1997 RWJF Survey of employers. The KFF data 

provide infonnation on health plan characteristics, while we rely upon the RWJF data to 

provide information on the demographic characteristics of people working within each 

employer. Workers in the household data are statistically matched to an employer in the 

employer database so that we have detailed infonnation on each worker's employer and health 

plan if present. 

Household Data 

The HBSM baseline data are derived from a sample of households that is representative of the 

economic, demographic and health sector characteristics of the population. HBSM uses the 

2002-2005 MEPS data to provide the underlying distribution of health care utilization and 

expenditures across individuals by age, sex, income, source of coverage, and employment 

status. We then re-weighted this database to reflect population control totals reported in the 

2008-2010 March CPS data. 

We make adjustments to the CPS to account for the under-reporting of Medicaid coverage and 

use these data to estimate the number of uninsured for the entire year, as designed by the CPS. 

The count of uninsured all year in the MEPS data is adjusted to match the CPS estimate. The 

result of the methodology produces an average monthly count of uninsured in our model of 

52.4 million nationally in 2014, which is similar to the CBO estimate of the average monthly 

number of uninsured. However, estimates of uninsured at the state-level will appear higher 

than other sources, which are based on the CPS definition of full year uninsured. 

These weight adjustments are done with an iterative proportional-fitting model, which adjusts 

the data to match approximately 250 separate classifications of individuals by socioeconomic 

status, sources of coverage, and job characteristics in the CPS. Iterative proportional fitting is a 

process where the sample weights for each individual in the sample are repeatedly adjusted in a 

stepwise fashion until the database simultaneously replicates the distribution of people across 

each of these variables in each state. The population weights are then projected to 2014 using 

U.s. Census Bureau population projections to account for population changes by age and sex for 

each state between 2010 and 2014. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved A-3 
206 

Once the MEPS data are re-weighted for population and coverage, we adjust the health 

expenditure data reported in the MEPS database for each state. These data are adjusted to 

reflect projections of the health spending by type of service and source of payment in the base 

year (i.e., 2014). These spending estimates are based upon state-level health spending data 

provided by CMS and detailed projections of expenditures for people in Medicare and 

Medicaid across various eligibility groups. Spending data for the employer market are based on 

average premiums published in the MEPS Insurance Component data by firm size and state. 

We also adjust spending for the non-group market using state-by-state premium data obtained 

from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' 2010 Supplemental Health Care 

Exhibit Report and projected cost for people in current state and temporary federal high-risk 

pools. 

The result is a database that is representative of the base year population in each state by 

economic and demographic group, which also provides extensive information on the joint 

distribution of health expenditures across population groups. 

Employer Database 

The model includes a database of employers for use in simulating policies that affect employer 

decisions to offer health insurance. We use the 2006 survey of employers conducted by the KFF. 

These data include about 3,000 randomly selected public and private employers with 3 or more 

workers, which provide information on whether they sponsor coverage, and the premiums and 

coverage characteristics of the plans that insuring employers offer. However, because the KFF 

data do not include information on the characteristics of their workforce, we match the KFF 

data to the 1997 RWJF survey of employers, based upon firm characteristics and the decile 

ranking of the actuarial value of health plans in each database given coverage and cost-sharing 

features of each plan. 

While dated, the RWJF data provide a unique array of information on the demographic and 

economic profile of their workforce. Thus, we rely upon the KFF data for information on health 

benefits, but rely upon the RWJF data for the distribution of each employer's workforce by fulltime/part-time status, age, gender, coverage status (eligible enrolled, eligible not enrolled and 

ineligible), policy type (i.e., single/family); and wage level. However, these data do not provide 

detailed information on worker health status and health spending required to simulate the 

effect of policies affecting group insurance rating practices and other behavioral responses. 

To be able to simulate these aspects of reform, we develop a "synthetic" database of firms that, 

includes detailed health status and spending information for each worker and dependent in the 

firm. The first step is to statistically match each MEPS worker, which we call the "primary 

worker", with one of the employer health plans in the 2006 KFF/RWJF data. We then populate 

that firm by randomly assigning other workers drawn from the MEPS file with characteristics 

similar to those reported for the KFF /RWJF database. 

For example, a firm assigned to a given MEPS worker that has 5 employees would be populated 

by that worker plus another four MEPS workers chosen at random who also fit the employer's 

worker profile. If this individual is in a firm with 1,000 workers, he/ she is assigned to a 

Kaiser/HRET employer of that size and the firm is populated with that individual plus another 

999 MEPS workers. This process is repeated for each worker in the HBSM data to produce one 

unique synthetic firm for each MEPS worker (about 63,000 synthetic firms). Synthetic firms are 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved A-4 
207 

created for all workers including those who do not sponsor health insurance, and workers who 

do not take the coverage offered through work. 

Thus, if a firm reports that it employs mostly low-wage female workers, the firm tended to be 

matched to low-wage female workers in the MEPS data. TItis approach helps assure that 

RWJF /Kaiser /HRET firms are matched to workers with health expenditure patterns that are 

generally consistent with the premiums reported by the firm. This feature is crucial to 

simulating the effects of employer coverage decisions that impact the health spending profiles 

of workers going into various insurance pools. 

Month-by-Month Simulation 

HBSM simulates coverage on a month-by-month basis. This is necessary because economic 

conditions and coverage vary over the course of the year. These changes can lead to changes in 

eligibility for public programs and can greatly affect the cost of proposals to expand coverage. 

Moreover, eligibility for Medicaid and SCHIP is determined on a monthly income basis. Failure 

to account for these transitions over the course of the year can lead to errors in estimating 

program impacts by omitting periods of part-year eligibility. 

The household database used in HBSM is organized into 12 separate months. The MEPS data 

identify sources of insurance coverage by month for each individual in the survey. Thus, for 

example, an individual could be uninsured for five months and covered under Medicaid for the 

next seven months. These data also include information on employment status at certain times 

of the year which can be used to approximate the months in which each person is employed, 

particularly for people reporting employer coverage (which is reported by month). Earnings 

income, which is reported on an annual basis, is allocated across these months of employment. 

The individual health events data provided in MEPS also enables us to identify health services 

utilization in each month, which is important in allocating health spending to months of 

coverage by source. 

B. State-level Simulation of Insurance Markets 

One of the most important features of the ACA is its sweeping reforms of insurance and 

premium rating practices. HBSM includes models of insurance markets in each state. The model 

simulates the widely varying rating methodologies used within each state for the non-group 

market and employer groups. 

Group Rating Practices 

We model premiums for each synthetic firm in the insurance markets based upon the small 

group rating rules in each state and reported health expenditures for the workers assigned to 

each plan. TItis includes community rating, age rating, and rating bands. Experience rating 

based upon reported health expenditures for the workers assigned to each firm is also used for 

fully insured plans where permitted (usually for mid-sized firms). We also estimate premiums 

for self-funded plans based upon the health services utilization for people assigned to each firm. 

We simulate these rating practices by developing a "rating book" for each state based upon the 

rating factors allowed in each state. In many states, premiums may vary widely by age, 

industry, gender and health status. This information is available for each worker and dependent 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-5 
208 

assigned to each of the firms in the database. Health status rating is simulated by identifying 

individuals in the file with chronic conditions and high expected costs, given their reported 

level of utilization in the prior year. We developed separate rating books for each state that 

limits rate variation by age or health status. 

States typically define the small group market as firms with 50 or fewer workers. We simulate 

premiums for larger fully insured firms based upon estimates of expected costs based on 

reported spending in the prior year. For self-funded plans, premiums are assumed to equal perworker costs by family type. In addition, we simulate premiums for all employers, including 

those that do not offer coverage, so we can simulate uptake of coverage as premiums are 

changed due to reform. 

Figure A-2 illustrates that the variability in PMPM premium costs varies widely across 

employers by size of group. For example, among firms with fewer than 10 workers, PMPM 

premiums range from about $460 for firms in the 10 percent most costly firms compared with 

average costs of $157 for firms in the 10 percent least costly firms. By comparison, PMPM 

premiums in firms with 1,000 or more workers vary from $372 for the 10 percent most costly 

groups to $215 for the least costly 10 percent of firms. Assuring this range of variability is 

preserved in the data is essential to modeling reforms that can have large effects for small 

numbers of firms. 

Figure A·2: Estimated Average Health Insurance Costs (PMPM) for Most Costly and Least Costly 

10 Percent of Employer Groups in 2006: Includes Benefits and Administration aJ 

-+- Mast Costly 10th Percentile ___ Median Premium-.- Least Costly 10th Percentile 

$600 $517 

$500 $423 $415 

$400 

$314 $290 $283 

$300 .. • • 

$200 $212 $206 

$100 $165 $169 

$0 

Under 10 10-24 25-99 100-999 1,000 or Mare 

Number of Workers 

al Estimates for a standard benefits package. 

Source: The Lewin Group estimates using the Health Benefits Simulation Model (HBSM). 

Because these premiums are estimated for a uniform benefits package, it is necessary to perform 

a final adjustment to reflect the actual provisions of the plan offered by individual employers. 

We do this by estimating the actuarial value of each plan using the coverage and cost sharing 

data reported in the KFF employer data. We then adjust the premium estimated for the plan by 

the ratio of the actuarial value of the employer's plan and the actuarial value of the standard 

benefits package used in the analysis. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-S 
209 

Individual Insurance Market Simulation Model 

HBSM also includes a model of the individual insurance market. The model defines the nongroup insurance markets to include all people who are not otherwise eligible for coverage 

under an employer plan, Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE (i.e., military dependents and 

retirees). The model simulates premiums for individuals using the rules that prevail in each 

state. Premiums can be varied by age, gender and health status. This is done by compiling a 

"rate book" based upon the HBSM health spending data for the state reflecting how costs vary 

with individual characteristics. 

We simulate health status rating in the individual market in states where this is permitted. In 

these states, the premiums that individuals pay reflect the claims experience of the group or 

some other indication of worker health status. We simulated these premiums using a "tiered 

rating" process that classifies people into several risk levels based upon expected health 

spending based upon prior year health expenditures. 

In most states, insurers are permitted to deny coverage to people with health conditions. Thirtythree states have a high risk pool available to those who cannot obtain coverage due to their 

health condition. We simulate this by selecting a portion of the population reporting in MEPS 

that they had a chronic health condition and are also covered under a non-group plan. The 

conditions we used to identify "uninsurable" individuals are based upon the condition lists 

used in several states to identify people as eligible for the high risk pool. We also identify 

uninsurable people among the uninsured. 

C. State-level Model of Medicaid and CHIP 

The Model simulates a wide variety of changes in Medicaid and the Children's Health 

Insurance Programs (CHIP) eligibility levels for children, parents, two-parent families, and 

childless adults. The model simulates certification period rules, deprivation standards (i.e., 

hours worked limit for two-parent families), "deeming" of income from people outside the 

immediate family unit and other refinements in eligibility. As under the program, the model 

simulates eligibility on a month-by-month basis to estimate part-year eligibility. 

HBSM estimates the number of people eligible for the current Medicaid program and various 

eligibility expansions using the actual income eligibility rules used in each state for Medicaid 

and SCHIP. The model simulates enrollment among newly eligible people based upon 

estimates of the percentage of people who are eligible for the current program who actually 

enroll. In addition, it simulates the lags in enrollment during the early years of the program as 

newly eligible groups learn of their eligibility and enroll. 

1. Simulating Medicaid Eligibility and Enrollment 

Because the MEPS data do not report the state of residence, Medicaid simulations in HBSM 

begin with the CPS data. We simulate the number of people eligible for expansions in coverage 

using the 2008-2010 CPS data. The CPS includes the detailed data required to simulate 

eligibility for the program including income by source, employment, family characteristics and 

state of residence. These resulU; are integrated into the MEPS data in HBSM in a later step 

described below. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A·7 
210 

It is necessary to allocate reported income across months to perform month-by-month 

simulations .. We do this by allocating reported weeks of employment across the 52 weeks of the 

year according to the number of jobs reported for the year. Reported weeks of unemployment 

and non-participation in the labor force are also allocated over the year. We then: distribute 

wages across the weeks employed; unemployment compensation over weeks unemployed; 

workers compensation income over weeks not in labor force. Other sources of income are 

allocated across all 12 months of the year. 

Using these data, we can estimate the number of program filing units (single individuals and 

related families living together) who meet the income eligibility requirements under the current 

program in their state of residence. The model also simulates the number of people who would 

be eligible under proposed increases in income eligibility. In particular, the model can estimate 

the number of non-custodial adults who are eligible under expansions affecting these groups. 

Eligibility for the Medicaid expansion is restricted to legal U.S. residents that have been resident 

in the US for at least five years. However, undocumented immigrants are not eligible for the 

Medicaid expansion. Legal immigrants that have been in the country for five or less years are 

ineligible for the Medicaid expansion. To model this requirement, we impute undocumented 

status and length of time living in the U.S. for people in our HBSM model using citizenship and 

length of time living in the U.S. as reported in the CPS, which is then controlled to national 

estimates by the Pew Hispanic Center. 16 Since the CPS data is state specific, it provides the 

information necessary to estimate the number of undocumented and legal immigrants living in 

the U.S. for five or fewer years at the state level. 

Once estimated, we incorporate our MediCaid expansion estimates into the MEPS based 

household data for each state. We do this by simulating eligibility in the adjusted state-specific 

MEPS data based on monthly income, age and family type. New eligibility and enrollment is 

calibrated to replicate the CPS based estimate. 

2. Individual Decision to Enroll in Medicaid and CHIP 

We simulated the decision for newly eligible people to enroll in the Medicaid expansion based 

upon a multivariate model of enrollment in the existing program which reflects differences in 

enrollment by age, income, employment status, and demographic characteristics. The 

simulation results in average enrollment of about 75 percent of newly eligible uninsured people 

and 39 percent for newly eligible people who have access to employer health insurance. HBSM 

simulates eligibility on a month-by-month basis to capture part-year eligibility for the program. 

We assume that currently eligible but not enrolled children will be enrolled as a newly eligible 

parent becomes covered under Medicaid. Also, we assume that eligible families will enroll in 

instances where the parent loses employer coverage because their employer decides to 

discontinue their health plan (discussed above). We also simulated a small increase in 

enrollment due to the penalty for Medicaid eligible people with income high enough to be 

required to pay taxes (people with incomes below the income tax filing threshold ineligible 

under the Act). 

16 Gretchen Livingston, "Hispanics, Health Insurance and Health Care Access", September 2009. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-8 
211 

We assume that in states that currently provide coverage to adults above 138 percent of FPL 

will discontinue that coverage in 2014 when subsidies become available and move these people 

into the exchanges. 17 We assume that CHIP is continued and states do not move children above 

138 percent of FPL into the exchanges but continue the CHIP program. 

Based upon these analyses, our estimated take-up rates average 25 to 74 percent, as shown in 

FigureA-3: 

Figure A-3: Individual DeCision to Take Medicaid 

Newly eligible without access to employer coverage: 

Newly Eligible with access to employer coverage: 

Currently eligible and uninsured who enroll: 

HBSM 

Estimate 

74% 

39% 

25% 

D. Individual Decision to Take Private Non-Group Coverage 

For people not eligible for Medicaid, we model the decision for uninsured individuals to take 

non-groups coverage based upon a multivariate model of how changes in the price of insurance 

affect the likelihood of taking coverage. In addition, we model the decision for insured 

individuals to discontinue their coverage in cases where their premium increases using the 

same multivariate model. 

Eligibility for premium subsidies is restricted to legal U.s. residents regardless of the length of 

time they have resided in the country. However, undocumented immigrants are not eligible. for 

premium subsidies within the Exchanges. Legal immigrants that have been in the country for 

five or less years are ineligible for the Medicaid expansion but would be eligible for premium 

subsidies if their income is below 400 percent of FPL. To model this requirement, we impute 

undocumented status and length of time living in the u.s. for people in our HBSM model using 

citizenship and length of time living in the u.s. as reported in the CPS, which is then controlled 

to national estim.ates by the Pew Hispanic Center. Since the CPS data is state specific, it 

provides the information necessary to estimate the number of undocumented and legal 

immigrants living in the U.s. for five or fewer years at the state level. 

1. Dedsion for Uninsured to Take Non-Group Coverage 

For each individual! family, we estimate the cost of insurance under prior law and again under 

the act. These premiums reflect: 

1. Prior law premium includes the cost of insurance for the individual in the individual 

market under the rating rules that apply in their state of residence; 

17 States that currently offer coverage to adults above 138% FPL include CT, DC, IL, ME, MN, NJ, NY, RI, TN, VT and 

WI. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved A·9 
212 

2. Premiums under the act include the cost of insurance under community rating less 

premium subsidies in the exchange; and 

3. The effect of the tax exclusion for health benefits on the after tax cost of coverage. 

We estimate the likelihood of taking the coverage based upon the difference in premium before 

and after the act using a premium elasticity averaging about -3.4. This means that on average a 

one percent reduction in premium corresponds to a 3.4 percent increase in the number of 

people taking coverage. 

The effect of the mandate is simulated on the basis of the penalty the individual/family would 

pay under the act if they remain uninsured. We treat the penalty as an increase in the cost of 

remaining uninsured, which has the effect of reducing the net new cost of taking coverage 

under the act. 

Figure A-4 presents HBSM estimates of the percentage of uninsured people taking individual 

coverage by expected claims costs and family income: 

Figure A-4: Uninsured Individual Decision to Take Private Coverage 

(with subsidy and penalty effect) 

Family Income level 

Expected Claims Costs Under $25,000 $25,000-$50,000 $50,000-$75,000 $75,000 or more 

HBSM Estimate HBSM Estimate HBSM Estimate HBSM Estimate 

$0 to $1,000 76% 39% 27% 19% 

$1,000 to $10,000 93% 68% 49% 16% 

$10,000 or more 94% 86% 58% 51% 

Uninsurable Diagnosis 91% 79% 58% 37% 

1/ Many survey respondents m the MEPS data that we Identify as havmg an unmsurable 

condition have expected spending less than $10,000 per year. 

2. People with Non-Group Insurance who Discontinue Coverage 

We also simulate discontinuations of coverage for people experiencing an increase in their Nongroup premium. The model calculates the premium for covered people as described above, 

which reflects changes in premiums due to rating changes, premium subsidies and the penalty 

they would pay (penalties are treated as a reduction in the cost of being uninsured which 

reduces the net cost of obtaining coverage). 

For those facing a net increase in premium costs we simulate the likelihood of discontinuing 

coverage using the multivariate model described above (Average price elasticity of -.3.4). HBSM 

estimates of people discontinuing non-group coverage are shown in Figure A-5 by percent 

change in premium and expected health spending. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-10 
213 

Figure A-5: Percentage of People with Non-Group Insurance who Discontinue Coverage 

Expected Claims Costs 

Percent Change $0 to $1,000 $1,000 to $10,000 $10,000 or more Uninsurable Premium 

HBSM Estimate HBSM Estimate HBSM Estimate HBSM Estimate 

50% or more 65% 49% 0 0 

25% to 50% 38% 16% 0 0 

10% to 25% 10% 6% 0 0 

-10% to 10% 1% 0 0 0 

-10% to -25% 0 0 0 0 

-25% to -50% 0 0 0 0 

-50% or more 0 0 0 0 

nfa - Assumes people with reductions in price do not discontinue coverage. 

3. Individual Decision to Purchase Coverage through the Exchange 

We use a series of assumptions to estimate the number of people taking non-group coverage 

who will be enrolled in the exchange. These assumptions include: 

1. Anyone taking individual coverage that is eligible for premium subsidies will purchase 

coverage in the exchange. This is because subsidies are available only for people 

participating in the exchange. 

2. People currently purchasing non-group coverage who are not eligible for subsidies will 

remain with their current plan outside the exchange. 

3. All uninsured people not eligible for subsidies that take individual coverage will take 

coverage through the exchange. 

Using these assumptions, the percentage of people taking coverage in the exchange is zero to 

100 percent, as shown in Figure A-6: 

Figure A-6: Individual Decision to Purchase Coverage through the Exchange 

Lewin 

Assumption 

People qualifying for premium subsidies: 100% 

People who now have non-group coverage but do not qualify for 0% 

subsidies: 

People who are uninsured and deciding to take non-group coverage but 100% 

do not qualify for subsidies: 

E. Individual Decision to Take-up Existing Employer Coverage 

Using the MEPS and Bureau of the Census data, we estimate that there are up to six million 

uninsured people who have been offered health insurance from an employer but have declined 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, AI! Rights Reserved A-11 
214 

the coverage. These include uninsured workers and any uninsured spouses and children who 

could have been covered as dependents. This also include uninsured dependent children whose 

parent has taken coverage for his/her self but has not elected the family coverage option. These 

people are likely to have declined coverage because they have difficult affording the required 

premium contribution. 

In response to the mandate, many of these workers are expected to take the coverage offered by 

their employer to avoid paying the penalty. We simulate the decision to take coverage using the 

multivariate model of the decision to take coverage given the change in the price of coverage 

under the Act. As discussed above, this model yields an overall average price elasticity of -3.4, 

although this varies with the characteristics of the individual. 

The price of coverage to the worker is defined to be the share of the employer premium paid by 

the worker under reform compared with the employer premium the worker would pay under 

current policy. This allows us to model the effect of changes in premiums resulting from health 

insurance rating reforms in smaller firms. In addition, we count the amount of the penalty they 

would pay for remaining uninsured under the Act (unless exempt from the mandate) as an 

increase in the cost of being uninsured which has the effect of reducing the net cost to the 

individual of taking the employer's plan. 

Figure A-7 presents HBSM estimates of the percentage of uninsured workers taking employer 

coverage by change in premium and size of employer: 

Figure A-7: Uninsured Workers Who Have Declined Employer Coverage under Current Law Who 

Take That Coverage as a Result of the Mandate 

Group Size 

Rate Change (Includes Premium Under 200 200 or more ./ Changes and Subsidies) 

HBSM Estimate HBSM Estimate 

50%ormore 5% 0% 

25% to 50% 13% 0% , 

10% to 25% 1% 0% 

-10% to 10% 36% 26% 

-10% to -25% 16% b/ 0% 

-25% to -50% 27%'1 0% 

-50% or more NA 0% 

al Under the Act, finns with 200 or more workers are required to use automatic enrollment. 

b I sample size may be too small to provide reliable results. 

F. Employer Decision to Start Offering Coverage 

We model the employer decision to provide coverage based upon multivariate models of how 

changes in the price of insurance affect the likelihood of offering coverage. We model the 

employer decision to offer coverage in the following two steps: 

Based on change in net cost of coverage; and 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-12 
215 

Based on changes in worker demand for coverage. 

1. Changes in Net Cost of Coverage to Employer 

The likelihood of offering coverage is dependent upon several factors including the price for 

insurance. The ACA will change the price of insurance to employers in three ways: 

1. New small employer tax credits; 

2. Changes in premium due to community rating in firms with higher cost workers; and 

3. A New Penalty for employers who do not offer insurance. 

HBSM estimates the change in premiums for each employer for coverage under the law. We do 

this by simulating the premiums each employer will face under current practices and under the 

insurance rating rules under the Act. In general, younger and healthier people will pay more for 

coverage while older and less health people will pay less. We also reflect the amount of the 

small employer tax credit they would qualify for to estimate net premium costs. We Model the 

effect of the penalty for not offering coverage as an increase in the cost of being uninsured, 

which reduces the net cost of providing coverage. 

We model the decision to offer coverage using is a multivariate model of how changes in 

premiums affect the likelihood of offering coverage. The price elasticity varies from -0.87 for 

small firms to less than -0.20 for large firms. This means that a one percent reduction in 

premiums results in a 0.87 percent increase in the number of small firms offering coverage. 

Figure A-S presents HBSM estimates of the percentage of employers who decide to offer 

coverage due to price changes (including subsidy and penalty effects) by the percentage change 

in premiums (including subsidy effects) and group size. 

Figure A-S: Employers Who Decide to Offer Coverage Due to Price Changes by Change in 

Premiums and Group Size 

Rale Change (Includes Premium Group Size 

21050 50-100 100 or more Changes and Subsidies) HBSM Estimate HBSM Estimate HBSM Estimate 

50% or more 0% 0% nfa 

25% to 50% 0% 0% nfa 

10% to 25% 0% 4% nfa 

-10% to 10% 3% 17% 59% 

-10% to -25% 14% 26% nfa 

-25%to-50% 25% 58% nfa 

-50% or more 38% 0% nfa 

NI A - No firms in Cell under ACA. 

2. Changes in Worker Demand for Coverage 

The requirement for people to have insurance coverage will increase the demand for employer 

sponsored insurance. Uninsured workers who now face a penalty for not having coverage will 

want to obtain that coverage at the lowest possible price, which will often be employer 

insurance. Employer coverage is generally less costly to administer because of the economies of 

© 2013 SOCiety of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-13 
216 

scale in selling and administering coverage for a group. Premium payments for employer health 

benefits are also tax exempt, which increases the value of employer insurance to the individual 

as compared with individual coverage. 

The model simulates the decision for employers to start offering coverage as a result of the 

individual penalty for being without coverage. As discussed above, we treat the individual 

penalty as an increase in the cost of going without insurance that effectively reduces the net cost 

of taking coverage for the group. We use this as an estimate of the economic benefit to 

individuals in the group if the employer were to offer coverage. 

We model the employer decision based upon the multivariate model of the likelihood of taking 

coverage as the price of insurance changes as described above. This model shows an average 

price elasticity of -0.34, which means that a one percent reduction in the net cost of insurance 

results in 0.34 percent of affected employers offering coverage. Firms are assumed to offer 

coverage only if employer insurance is less costly than non-group coverage with premium 

subsidies. 

In this analysis, the number of people taking coverage is determined on the basis of the change 

in price attributed to the individual penalty only (the impact of other factors affecting premiums 

is modeled in other steps described in this document.) Thus, a health reform program with no 

penalty for being without coverage has no impact on the number of employers offering 

coverage. 

Figure A-9 presents HBSM estimates of the percentage of non-insuring firms that decide to offer 

coverage due to increased worker demand for coverage, based on these assumptions. 

Figure A-9: Employer Decision to Start Offering Coverage Due to Increased Worker Demand for 

Coverage (worker weighted) 

Group Size 

Average Earnings of Workforce 2 to SO 50-100 100 Dr more 

HBSM Estimate HBSM Estimate H8SM Estimate 

Less than $30,000 2.8% 1.2% 5.1% 

$30,000- $50,000 7.1% 1.1% 5.3% 

$50,000- $75,000 10.4% 5.9% 9.3% 

$75,000 or more 16.4% nfa 23.2% 

nfa - due to small sample size we expect immaterial results. 

G. Employer Decision to Discontinue Coverage 

Some employers who now offer insurance will decide to discontinue that coverage under the 

ACA. This will occur among employers seeing an increase in premiums under the Act. We also 

expect some insuring employers to discontinue coverage in cases where their workers can 

obtain subsidized coverage through the exchange at a lower cost. These employer decisions are 

modeled in two steps: 

Employers dropping coverage due to increase in the net cost of coverage; and 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved A-14 
217 

Employers dropping coverage in response to subsidies for individual coverage. 

1. Employers Dropping Coverage due to Increase in the Net Cost of Coverage 

In this step, we assess the impact of changes in the cost of insurance to the employer on the 

number of employers offering coverage. Employer health insurance premiums will be affected 

by changes in rating practices under the Act. In general, employers with younger and healthier 

workforces will see premiums increase while employers with older and less healthy individuals 

will see premiums reduced. In addition, the small employer tax credit will reduce premium 

costs for some firms. 

We use HBSM to estimate the change in net premium costs for employers under the Act. We 

also estimate the penalty for not offering coverage, which we treat as an increase in the cost of 

not offering coverage, which has the effect of reducing the net cost of obtaining insurance. 

We model the decision to offer coverage using is a multivariate model of how changes in 

premiums affect the likelihood of offering coverage. The implicit price elasticity varies from 

-0.B7 for small firms to less than -0.20 for larger firms. This means that a one percent reduction 

in premiums results in a 0.B7 percent increase in the number of small firms offering coverage. 

FigureA-l0 shows HBSM estimates of the percentage of employers who decide to discontinue 

coverage due to price changes (including subsidy and penalty effects) by group size and 

percentage change in premium (including subsidy effects). 

Figure A-10: Employer Decision to Discontinue Coverage Due to Changes in Net Premium 

(worker weighted) 

Rate Change (Includes Premium Group Size 

Changes and Subsidies) Z to 50 50-100 100 or more 

HBSM Estimate HBSM Estimate HBSM Estimate 

50% or more 18% 0% nfa 

25%to 50% 21% 11% nfa 

10% to 25% 15% 8% nfa 

-10% to 10% 1% 1% 0% 

-10% to -25% 0% 0% nfa 

-25%to -50% 0% 0% nfa 

-50% or more 0% 0% nfa 

NI A - No firms in Cell under ACA. 

2. Employers Dropping Coverage in Response to Subsidies for Individual 

coverage 

Some employers may discontinue coverage under health reform because their workers become 

eligible for free or subsidized coverage in the exchange. Because these subsidies are available 

only to people without access to employer coverage, the employer must discontinue its plan for 

the workers to get these subsidies. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-15 
218 

We model this by: 

1. Estimating the number of insuring employers where workers can obtain coverage at a 

lower cost in the exchange (reflecting any change in premium resulting from community 

rating); and 

2. Estimating the percentage of these firms that discontinue coverage. 

We model the employer decision to discontinue coverage based upon a multivariate model of 

how changes in the price of alternative health coverage affect the likelihood of switching to the 

alternative source of coverage. The plan switching elasticity is -2.54, which means that a one 

percent lower premium results in 2.54 percent of employers discontinuing coverage so workers 

can obtain subsidize coverage in the exchange. 

FigureA-ll presents HBSM estimates of the percentage of employers discontinuing coverage 

due to the availability of subsidized non-group coverage by average worker earnings and group 

size. 

Figure A-ll: Employer Decision to Discontinue Coverage due to Availability of Subsidized Nongroup Coverage in the Exchange (worker weighted) 

Group Size 

Average Earnings of Workforce 2 to 50 50-100 100 or more 

HBSM Estimate HB5M Estimate HBSM Estimate 

Less than $30,000 24% 24% 8% 

$30,000- $50,000 6% 1% 4% 

$50,000- $75,000 3% 1% 2% 

$75,000 or more 1% 0% 1% 

H. Employer Decision to Offer Coverage in the Exchange 

Some employers are permitted to provide coverage for their workers through the exchange. 

This means that the employer will pay a premium to the exchange and allow the workers to 

select one of the plans offered in the exchange. This differs from a scenario where employers 

simply decide not to offer coverage. 

Initially, only firms with 100 or fewer workers are eligible to offer coverage for their workers 

through the exchange in this way. Under the act, these workers are not eligible for subsidies 

because the employer is contributing to the cost of their insurance. 

We assume that premiums in the exchange are about four percent less costly than premiums for 

coverage sold outside the exchange because of reduced reliance on insurance agents and 

brokers, who typically receive a commission on sales. Aside from this, the act requires that 

insurer premiums outside the exchange must be the same as inside the exchange. 

We simulate the shift of employers from their current health plan to coverage offered in the 

exchange based upon the plan switching elasticity of -2.54 discussed above. This means that a 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved A-16 
219 

one percent reduction in premium results in 2.54 percent of employers shifting their coverage to 

the exchange. We also assume that employers that qualify for the premium tax credits would 

take coverage in the exchange since these credits will only be available through the exchange. 

HBSM estimates of the percentage of employers shifting to the exchange are presented in Figure 

A-12. 

Figure A-12: Employer Decision to Offer Coverage in the Exchange 

HBSM Estimate 

Firms with fewer than 50 workers: 45% 

Firms with 50 to 100 workers: 4% ~ ... --~--.- --.-~- ... --.-.----.-

Firms with over 100 workers (ineligible 0% 

I. Utility Function Model 

For this study, we also used a "utility" function to provide sensitivity analyses around our 

results. The utility function has been used by several researchers to simulate how consumer 

choice of insurance coverage is affected by both financial factors, uncertainty and consumer 

aversion to risk.18,19,20 The utility function provides a "score" measuring the benefit to an 

individual of taking a given insurance product. The score includes the amount of the premium 

less expected health care costs, plus a valuation of the value to the consumer of protection from 

unexpected health care costs based upon the Arrow-Pratt model of absolute risk aversion. This 

approach has also been used to model take-up of insurance under health reform by Pauly and 

Herring, and Eibner and Girosi. 21 

For each individual in the model, we calculated the utility score for taking insurance under each 

of the five benefits packages (Ui,j). We estimate for each person the expected level of spending 

based upon their health status and health spending reported in MEPS. For each individual, we 

estimate expected total spending, expected out-of-pocket spending if insured and the variance 

in expected health care costs. The methods used to estimate these expected cost values are 

presented in the following section and are illustrated in Figure A-13 below. 

We calculate the utility score separately for each of the five benefits packages that would be 

available in the exchange (i.e., Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Catastrophic if eligible) based 

upon expected spending levels and the cost-sharing provisions of each plan. We also calculate a 

utility score for being uninsured. People are assumed to select among the six possible coverage 

18 Pauly, M., Herring, B., "Expanding Coverage Via Tax Credits: Trade-offs and Outcomes," Health Affairs, 20, no. 1 

(2001): 9-26. 

19 Pauly MY., and Herring, BJ.," An Efficient Employer Strategy for Dealing with Adverse Selection in Multiple-Plan 

Offerings: an MSA Example," Journal of Health Economics, 19 (2000) 

20 See: Pauly, MY., Herring, B., Song D., "Tax Credits, the Distribution of Subsidized Health Insurance Premiums, 

and the Uninsured, " Forum for Health Economics & Policy, Vol. 5, no. 5, 2002; and Eibner, C, et aI., "Establishing 

State Health Insurance Exchanges: Implications for Healthy Insurance Enrollment, Spending, and Small 

Businesses," (report to the Department of Labor), RAND Corporation, 2010. 

21 Christine Eibner, et ai, "Establishing State Health Insurance Exchanges: Implications for Health insurance, 

Enrollment, Spending and Small Businesses," RAND, 2010. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-17 
220 

states (i.e., five benefits packages or uninsured) based upon whichever coverage state yields the 

highest utility score given the individual's unique expectation of health spending. 

We estimate utility scores for coverage under each of the benefits packages that will be available 

in the exchange using the following equation. 

(1j) Ui,j = -E(OOPi,j) - NPremi,j - O.5rVar(OOPi,j) +Uhealthi 

Three of these values are imputed to individuals from the data shown above in Figure A-13, 

These include: 

Where: 

E(OOPi,j) is expected out-of-pocket health spending if insured under benefits package j 

(column 4, Figure A-13); 

Var(OOPi,j) is the variance in expected out-of-pocket spending if insured under benefits 

package j (column 5, Figure A-13, squared); 22 

Uhealthi is a measure of the utility of health services consumed, which we assume is 

equal to the value of total expected health care costs for the individual if insured under 

all five benefits packages (column 2, Figure A-13);23 and 

NPremi.j is the net premium defined to be premiums less subsidies that we compute 

separately for each unique policyholder in the model for each of the five benefits 

packages. 

i= Individual in the simulation; and 

j= Alternative benefits packages. 

We assume the coefficient for "r" is the midpoint of various Arrow-Pratt absolute risk aversion 

coefficients (,00084) published in studies of consumer risk aversion for unexpected health 

spending used by other authors.24 

In setting these utility values we include the patient cost-sharing subsidies that would be 

provided under the Act for income eligible individuals. Under the ACA, the exchange will buyup an individual's benefits package (with a supplemental premium payment) to increase the 

actuarial value of the plan to levels shown in FigureA-14. Thus, for example, the utility of the 

Silver benefits package is greatly enhanced for those who are eligible for subsidies. 

22 As discussed above, the ACA alters the risk of going without coverage by prohibiting insurers from 

implementing pre-existing condition exclusions. We model this effect by assuming that the variance in out-ofpocket spending is reduced for people who do not have chronic conditions. The variance is equal to standard 

deviation squared. 

23 Estimates assume a level of spending consistent with an individual who has health insurance. This measure does 

not include an estimate of consumer surplus. 

24 See: Friedman, B" "Risk Aversion and Consumer Choice of Health Insurance Option," Reviw of Economics and 

Statistics, Vol. 56, May 1974; Marquis, MS., and Holmer, MR., "Choice under Uncertainty and the Demand for 

HeaII:h Insurance," The Rand Corporation, N-2516-HHS, 1986; and, Manning, WG., and Marquis, MS., "Heall:h 

Insurance: The Trade-Off Between Risk Pooling and Moral Hazard," (Report to the National Center for Heall:h 

Services Research and Heall:h Care Technology Assessment), December 1989. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-18 
221 

We then calculate the utility score for going without insurance (Un) using a similar formula: 

(2) Un= -E(OOPn) - penalty - O.5rVar(OOPn) + Uhealthn 

Here, we estimate spending for people if uninsured using the expected spending data imputed 

to each policy-holder from Figure A-13 below, reduced by one-third to reflect the lower levels of 

spending without insurance. This is based upon more conservative CBO estimates of increased 

spending for the uninsured. The values in the second equation include:25 

E(OOP n) is the expected value of out-of-pocket spending without insurance which we 

assume is equal to total expected health spending if insured (column 2, Figure A-13) 

reduced by one-third; 

Var(OOPn) is the variance in expected out-of-pocket spending, which for the uninsured 

is equal to expected total health spending without insurance. We assume this is equal to 

the variance in expected total spending if insured (column 3, Figure A-13 squared) 

reduced by one-third; 

Penalty is the dollar amount of the penalty an individual or family would pay if they go 

without insurance; and 

Uhealthn is the expected total amount of spending if uninsured, which we assume to be 

equal to total spending for the insured (column 2, Figure A-13) reduced by one-third. 

For these calculations, we use expected spending amounts for each person, including one for 

expected spending while insured and a second while uninsured. Thus, the utility function while 

uninsured reflects the lost utility of reduced health spending due to a lack of coverage. The 

methods we use to do this are described in the following section. 

1. Expected Health Care Costs 

The key elements of this analysis are our estimates of expected health spending and the 

variance in expected health spending for each policy holder in the data. We develop these 

estimates based upon subsamples of the MEPS data for 2005 through 2007 that provide 

information on spending for each individual for two consecutive years. These data permit us to 

estimate average expected health spending at the beginning of the year based upon each 

individual's reported health spending in the prior year. This results in expectations of spending 

that vary with health status, as approximated by prior year health spending. These data also 

enable us to estimate expected out-of-pocket costs and the variance in total expected spending 

used in our utility function (FigureA-13).26 

25 We used a list of about 50 health conditions to identify people in the MEPS with a chronic condition based upon 

the ICD·9 condition codes in these data. This list is based upon the lists of health conditions currently used to 

determine eligibility for existing high risk pools in Colorado, Tennessee and Texas. Using the MEl'S, we estimate 

that there are about 9.9 million uninsured people who have one or more of the pre-existing conditions that 

typically result in denial of coverage or a "rating-up" of premiums in these markets. 

26 The model imputes spending in the prior year based upon spending in the survey period for those who do not 

report spending data for two consecutive years. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-19 
222 

Figure A-13: Average Cost Per Person in Two Consecutive Years by Percentile Ranking of First Year 

Spending at 2011 Spending Levels: Privately Insured Only 

(2011) Year 2 

Percentile of Year 1 (20l0) Year 1 Standard Standard 

Cost per Person Total Spending Expected Total Deviation of Expected Out- Deviation of 

Spending Expected Total of-Pocket Out-of-pocket 

Spending Spending 

10 Percent $0 $949 $4,685 $206 $858 

20 Percent $95 $1,225 $8,038 $215 $696 

30 Percent $286 $1,498 $6,907 $261 $659 

40 Percent $514 $1,661 $5,223 $389 $1,089 

50 Percent $835 $2,247 $6,001 $446 $889 

60 Percent $1,329 $2,879 $6,425 $591 $1,105 

70 Percent $2,130 $3,618 $7,731 $757 $1,147 

80 Percent $3,594 $4,798 $8,353 $1,027 $1,688 

90 Percent $6,605 $7,076 $13,720 $1,252 $1,707 

95 Percent $11,894 $9,267 $16,070 $1,520 $2,054 

97.s Percent $19,865 $13,080 $22,933 $1,792 $2,529 

98.75 Percent $30,991 $18,084 $30,983 $2,666 $4,476 

100 Percent $81,910 $39,450 $57,158 $3,158 $6,974 

Average $4,043 $4,105 $12,405 $708 $1,611 

at Data is based upon the MEPS for 2004'2005, 2005·2006, and 2006·2007. We adjusted these data to 

correct for an undercount of people with the very highest expenditures, based upon actuarial data for 

people in commercial health plans. 

Source: The Lewin Group Estimates using the Health Benefits Simulation Model (HBSM). 

These data reveal the expected "regression to the mean." That is, people with the highest 

expenses in the first year tend to have lower expenses in the next year, while people with little 

expense in the first year have higher costs in the following year. For example, an individual 

receiving heart bypass surgery can be expected to have high health expenditures in that year, 

but costs in the following year will tend to be lower as they recover. Similarly, people with little 

or no spending in a given year may become ill and start to make greater use of the system in the 

second year. 

As discussed above, we use expected spending amounts for each person, including one for 

expected spending while insured and a second while uninsured. We estimate these amounts in 

the following steps: 

Currently uninsured: For people who were uninsured in the MEPS survey, we used 

reported spending to estimate spending levels while uninsured. To estimate spending 

for these people while insured, we adjusted these spending amounts to match health 

spending reported by insured people with similar demographic and health status 

characteristics. These estimate costs are then used to estimate what expected spending 

levels would have been at the beginning of the year as illustrated in Figure A-13. 

Currently Insured: We assumed that health expenses while insured are assumed to be 

the same as they reported in the MEPS. We estimated spending while uninsured by 

adjusted these amounts to reflect the lower levels of spending reported by uninsured 

people with similar characteristics. These estimates of costs were then used to estimate 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A·20 
223 

what expected spending levels would have been at the beginning of the year as 

illustrated in Figure 13. 

2. Alternative Benefits Packages 

As discussed above, for each individual, we calculate a utility score for each of the coverage 

options available through the exchange. These include the Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and 

Catastrophic package (available for people under age 30 only). The services covered under the 

Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum packages are the same; they differ only in terms of point-ofservice cost sharing. These packages are denoted in terms of "actuarial value," where a plan 

that covers all of these services without patient cost sharing would have an actuarial value of 

1.0. 

The Bronze benefits package is to have an actuarial value of 0.6, which means that the cost 

sharing parameter (deductibles and copayments) are set at the level required to on average 

cover 60 percent of the cost of covered services. The actuarial value increases with each 

succeeding level of coverage to 0.7 for Silver, 0.8 for Gold, and 0.9 for the Platinum package. In 

Figure A-14, we present actuarial values of each plan. We assume that the Catastrophic plan, 

which is available to only people under age 30 or people facing premiums under the Bronze 

package that exceed 9.5 percent of income, would cover the same services with cost sharing 

calibrated to an actuarial value of 0.5. 

Figure A-14: Example Co-payments Meeting Actuarial Standards under ACA: Illustrative 

Estimates for 2011 0/ 

I Actuarial Value 

Benefit Packages in the Exchange 

Platinum Package .90 

Gold Package .80 

Silver Package .70 

Bronze Package .60 

Bronze Small Employer .60 

Catastrophic .sO 

Cost Sharing SubSidy Health Plans 

Less than 150% FPL .94 

150% to 200% FPL .87 

200% to 250% FPL .73 

250% to 400% FPL .70 

at The Act also reduces the maximum out-of-of pocket spending limits by income level. 

Source: The Lewin Group Estimates using the Health Benefits Simulation Model (HBSM). 

3. Accounting for Risk Factors under the ACA 

We model the effect of open emollrnent and pre-existing condition exclusions based upon their 

effect on risk to the individual for going uninsured. The challenge in using this function is 

estimating the perceived risk of going without insurance under the ACA. For elimination of the 

mandate to cause the premium spiral that many expect, the perceived risk of going without 

insurance must be low enough that many relatively healthy people feel comfortable going 

without coverage. But if the perceived risk of going uninsured is high, we should see little 

coverage loss from lifting the mandate. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-21 
224 

The ACA alters the financial risk of going without coverage by prohibiting insurers from 

imposing pre-existing condition exclusions. If not for the annual open enrollment period, this 

would permit people to delay taking coverage until they need services without fear of preexisting condition exclusions. This could ignite the premium spiral that many fear if the 

mandate is eliminated. However, under the ACA, the individual would not be able to take that 

coverage for up to 11 months until the annual open enrollment period, which retains for the 

individual substantial risk for going without insurance. 

We assume that people reporting a chronic health condition in the MEPS have high perceived 

risk of going without coverage which we account for by using 100 percent of the variance in 

expected health costs as a measure of perceived risk. 27,28 For people who did not report a 

chronic health condition, we assume that they consider themselves to be at risk for accidents 

and emergency care if uninsured, Based upon data from the Agency for Healthcare and Quality 

(AHRQ), about 34 percent of all hospital admissions for the commercially insured population 

originate in the emergency room. 29 Based on this estimate, we use 34 percent of the variance in 

total expected health spending as a proxy for perceived risk for these individuals. 

4. Simulation of the ACA 

We estimate the number of people taking coverage under the ACA as written using the 

methodology described above. People are assumed to choose the coverage option that yields 

the highest utility score given their expected health spending and eligibility for subsidies. Thus, 

an individual is assumed to go uninsured if the utility score for being uninsured is greater than 

the utility scores for the five health plans. Alternatively, individuals are simulated to take one of 

the five health plans (four if over age 30) with the highest utility score. Older and sicker people 

tend to elect plans with higher actuarial values, while younger and healthier people tend to 

enroll in less comprehensive coverage, 

We calibrate the model to reflect estimates of the impact of the ACA on coverage using the 

probability/elasticity-based methodology described in prior sections. Specifically, we calibrate 

baseline results under the ACA to replicate the estimates of the number of people remaining 

uninsured that the model generates using the probability models described above at the 

national level. However, the demographic and health status distributions of the newly insured 

vary under the two models. Upon reviewing the simulations, we found that the results were 

sufficiently similar such that we ultimately calibrated the utility model only for non-subsidyeligible people who would have had non-group coverage under prior law. 

Xl See: Pauly, MV., Herring, B" Song D., "Tax Credits, the Distribution of Subsidized Health Insurance Premiums, 

and the Uninsured," Forum for Health Economics & Policy, Vol. 5, no. 5, 2002; and Eibner, c., et a!., "Establishing 

State Health Insurance Exchanges: Implications for Healthy Insurance Enrollment, Spending, and Small 

Businesses," (report to the Department of Labor), RAND Corporation, 2010. 

28 We used a list of about 50 health conditions to identify people in the MEPS with a chronic condition based upon 

the ICD-9 condition codes in these data, This list is based upon the lists of health conditions currently used to 

determine eligibility for existing high risk pools in Colorado, Tennessee and Texas. Using the MEPS, we estimate 

that there are about 9.9 million uninsured people who have one or more of the pre-existing conditions that 

typically result in denial of coverage or a "rating-up" of premiums in these markets. 

29 See: Owens, P., and Elixhauser, A., "Hospital Admissions That Began in the Emergency Department, 2003," 

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, February 2006. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-22 
225 

5. Allowing for Downgrades in Coverage 

An important aspect of this simulation is that it models both discontinuations of coverage and 

downgrades in coverage resulting from increases in premiums. We anticipate that eliminating 

the mandate will increase premiums enough that many people will discontinue coverage. 

However, for some of these individuals, the utility score for less comprehensive coverage will 

continue to be greater than the utility of going without insurance, even at the higher premium 

levels. In our simulations, these individuals are assumed to downgrade their coverage to a less 

comprehensive plan rather than simply becoming uninsured. 

For example, someone simulated to purchase the Silver plan under the ACA may respond to 

the premium increase by purchasing the Bronze plan. In our simulations, this will happen in 

cases where the utility score of the Bronze plan for that individual is still greater than the utility 

score for going uninsured. 

Allowing for coverage downgrades has the effect of reducing our estimates of coverage loss due 

to the elimination of the mandate because some of these individuals will move to a lower-cost 

health plan rather than actually going uninsured. 

6. Sensitivity Analysis 

Because utility functions are driven by the assumptions, it is important to test the sensitivity of 

the estimates to alternative assumptions. There is evidence that a substantial portion of the 

uninsured see themselves as "risk-averse." Data from the 2007 Health Tracking Household 

Survey conducted by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) indicate that 49.6 

percent of uninsured people with "No Health, Medical Bill or Access Problems" report 

themselves to be risk-averse. 3o Thus the risk of being uninsured for medical emergencies may 

motivate many of the uninsured to obtain coverage, particularly if premium subsidies are 

available. Consequently, we performed sensitivity analysis that incorporates alternative 

measures of consumer risk and risk aversion. 

Some risk-averse individuals may decide to continue purchasing coverage to protect against 

catastrophic health care costs, even though they expect to spend less than the premium amount. 

The use of open enrollment periods would heighten this sense of risk. Conversely, many people 

have little idea of what their expected spending will be in the coming year, since people cannot 

predict medical emergencies. 

In this study, we performed two sensitivity analyses of the utility function to model potential 

adverse selection into the non-group market. The first assumes that people are one-third less 

risk-averse (meaning that healthier people are more likely to assume the risk of going 

uninsured) and a second scenario that assumes people are two-thirds less risk averse. This was 

done by changing the Arrow-Pratt risk aversion coefficient for" r" in the utility function from 

0.00084 to 0.00054 to model one-third less risk aversion and 0.00028 to model two-thirds les risk 

aversion. 

30 Cunningham, P., rlWho Are the Uninsured Eligible for Premium Subsidies in the Health Insurance Exchanges", 

The Center for Studying Health System Change, No. 18, December 2010. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-23 
226 

J. Estimating Health Spending for Newly Insured 

The MEl'S data report that health services utilization for uninsured people is substantially less 

than among insured people. The data show physicians' visits per 1,000 people are about 1,349 

for the uninsured compared with 3,283 for insured people. Also, hospital stays for the insured 

are more than double that of the uninsured. Part of the difference in utilization rates is due to 

the fact that the uninsured are on average younger than insured people. Consequently, we 

adjust for this when estimating how utilization would change for this population as they 

become insured. 

We assume that uninsured people who become covered under a coverage expansions proposal 

would use health care services at the same rate reported by currently insured people with 

similar age, sex, income and health status characteristics. This assumption encompasses two 

important effects. First, the increase in access to primary care for this population would result in 

savings due to a reduction in preventable emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Second, 

there would be a general increase in the use of elective services such as primary care, corrective 

orthopedic surgery, advanced diagnostic tests, and other care that the uninsured either forego 

or delay. 

1. Modeling Pent-up Demand for Newly Insured 

The research on "pent-up" demand for health care services as people become newly insured has 

shown mixed results. A study of near elderly uninsured who are approaching Medicare 

eligibility found that pent-up demand exists for physician care, but not for hospital inpatient 

care. The study estimated that the people who were uninsured prior to Medicare enrolhnent 

have 30 percent more physician visits during the two years after Medicare emolhnent than their 

previously insured counterparts. 31 Another study of the near-elderly indicate that the increased 

utilization experienced after age 65 by those who were uninsured prior to Medicare lead to an 

elevated hazard of diagnosis (relative to the insured) for virtually every chronic condition 

considered, for both men and women and the magnitudes of these effects are clinically 

meaningful. 32 

However, other study findings have been inconclusive as to the extent of pent-up demand. One 

study of children newly emolled in Medicaid found no evidence of pent-up demand for 

medical care among newly insured children, when they were compared to children who had 

been continuously insured. 33 Another study examined the effects of the Oregon Medicaid 

lottery after approximately one year of insurance coverage. The study presented estimates of 

the impact of insurance coverage, using the lottery as an instrument for insurance coverage, 

31 U-Wu Chen, Wanqing Zhang, Jane Meza, Roslyn Fraser, MA, "Pent-up Demand: Health eare Use of the 

Uninsured Near Elderly", Economic Research Initiative on the Uninsured Working Paper Series, July 2004 

32 Schimme~Jody. "Pent-Up Demand and the Discovery of New HealthConwtions after Medicare 

Enrollment" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Economics of Population Health: Inaugural Conference 

of the American Society of Health Economists, TBA, Madison, WI, USA, Jun 04, 2006 

33 K. Goldsteen, R.L. Goldsteen, "Demand For Medical Services Among PreViously Uninsured Children: The Roles 

of Race and Rurality", South Carolina Rural Health Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University 

of South Carolina, October 2002 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A-24 
227 

found no evidence of a larger initial utilization effect, suggesting that such "pent up" demand 

effects may not in fact be present. 34 

Our baseline estimates for the effects of the ACA do not include an adjustment for pent-up 

demand in our HBSM modeling due to the mixed study findings. 

34 Amy Finkelstein et al., "The Oregon Health Insurance Experiment: Evidence from the First Year ", 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved A·25 
228 

Appendix B - The HBSM Rate Book Description 

The purpose of this document is to present the "rating book" used to simulate premiums for 

individuals and firms in the individual and small employer markets. For modeling purposes, 

we compute an individual market premium for all individuals and family units in HBSM 

(regardless of whether they are currently covered) using the current rating rules in each state. 

We also compute a premium for each unit using the rating restrictions under the ACA. Both 

premiums are based on a standard benefits package and are used to model coverage changes 

due to changes in the price of insurance. Similarly, we estimate premiums for each of our 

"synthetic groups" in HBSM, which are described below, using the current rating rules in each 

state and the rating restrictions under the ACA. Our "Methods and Key Assumptions for 

Modeling Cost of Newly Insured Under the ACA" document describes how these premiums 

are used to model changes in coverage. 

Our "rate book" is actually a series of adjustment factors that are applied to a base rate to 

determine a premium for an individual or group. Our practice is to estimate a "base rate" for 

policy holders in each risk pool defined by markets and legislation using HBSM, such as the 

individual market. Using the spending data provided in HBSM, we estimate separate base rates 

for single policy holders and family policy holders, which include dependent costs. 

These rates are then used to estimate a premium for each policy holder simulated to be in a 

given risk insurance pool using HBSM. For each policy holder in the pool, we multiply the base 

rate by a series of adjustments for risk factors included in the rating process, subject to state 

laws and regulations. The use of rating factors varies by state, primarily due to differences in 

state laws governing the rating process. 

However, the rating factors used may differ by insurer. For example, insurers often have the 

option to rate by industry and other factors, subject to the laws that apply in the state. In these 

cases, we use information on the prevalence of the use of individual rating factors in the 

industry to determine its use in the simulation model. 

The rating factors themselves are estimated from the Medical Expenditures Panel Survey 

(MEPS) data using health spending amounts for all privately insured individuals in the data. 

These data form the basis of rate setting in the individual and small group markets. Premiums 

are ultimately adjusted to reflect actual health spending for privately insured people nationally 

as estimated by the Office of the Actuary of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 

(CMS). 

In the first section, we present the approach used to simulate rating in the individual market 

within HBSM. In the second section, we present the methods used to model premiums for firms 

in the small group market. The third section describes our method for simulating emolIment 

and costs for individuals in high-risk pools. The final two sections present our approach to 

simulating premiums in the individual and small group markets under the ACA. 

A. Individual Market under Current Law 

The model simulates premiums for people in the individual market using the rating factors that 

apply in their state of residence. The rating factors included age, gender, and an" expected loss 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved B-1 
229 

ratio," which we use as a proxy for health status rating information in states where health status 

may be used in the rating process. 

The key steps in the process include: 

Identification of "uninsurable" people; 

Age and gender adjustment; 

Estimation of expected costs; 

Health status adjustment; and 

Special rates for uninsurable people. 

1. Identification of Uninsurable Individuals 

We use the MEPS data to estimate the number of people with chronic health conditions that 

would be classified as uninsurable by an insurer. The MEPS data include detailed information 

for each health condition reported by individuals in the survey. This permits us to identify 

health conditions using ICD-9 condition codes reported in these data at the three-digit leveL 

We used a list of about 69 health conditions to identify someone as uninsurable. This list is 

based upon the lists of health conditions currently used to determine eligibility for existing high 

risk pools in 19 states. 35 We included conditions that were on eligibility lists in at least 5 states. 

Using the MEPS, we estimate that there are about 9.9 million uninsured people who have one or 

more of the pre-existing conditions that typically result in denial of coverage or a "rating-up" of 

premiums in these markets. 

2. Estjmation of Expected Costs for Population 

In most states, rating in the individual market reflects a certain degree of medical knowledge of 

the applicant that is generally used to adjust premiums for health status. Insurers can obtain 

this information based upon health spending in the prior year or through medical underwriting 

questionnaires for new applicants. In this analysis, we estimate" expected health spending at 

the beginning of the year for which rates are being determined. This estimate of expected costs 

is based upon health spending for each individual in the MEPS data. 

The MEPS provides spending information for each individual in the survey for over 24 months. 

This enables us to estimate average spending in a year based upon their spending in the prior 

year. Figure B-1 presents average spending in the second year based upon their percentile 

ranking of their spending in the prior year. 

35 States include AI<, CO, lA, KY, MD, MN, MT, NE, NC, ND, NH, NM, OK, OR, TN, TX, W A, WV and WY. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 8-2 
230 

Figure 8·1: Average Cost Per Person in Two Consecutive Years by Percentile Ranking of First Year 

Spending at 2010 Spending levels: Privately Insured Only 

Percentile of Year 1 (2010) Year 1 (2011) Year 2 Cost per Person 

10 Percent $0 $749 

20 Percent $134 $865 

30 Percent $337 $1,057 

40 Percent $614 $1,522 

50 Percent $1,023 $1,998 

60 Percent $1,706 $2,920 

70 Percent $2,774 $3,669 

80 Percent $4,777 $4,541 

90 Percent $9,375 $7,121 

95 Percent $15,663 $11,379 

97.5 Percent $25,096 $12,511 

98.75 Percent $38,282 $18,590 

100 Percent $210,600 $31,065 

Average $3,851 $3,940 

Median $995 $910 

Source: The Lewin Group Estimates using the Health benefits Simulation Model (HBSM). 

These data reveal the expected" regression to the mean." That is, people with the highest 

expenses in the first year tend to have lower expenses in the next year. For example, an 

individual receiving heart by-pass surgery can be expected to have high health expenditures in 

that year. However, costs in the following year will tend to be lower than the prior year as these 

individuals recover. Similarly, people with little or no spending in a given year may become ill 

and start to make greater use of the system in the second year. 

These data are used to provide a projection of the average expected level of spending for each 

individual in the coming year based upon their percentile ranking of spending in the prior year. 

We then convert these data to an "expected loss ratio," which is defined as total expected health 

spending over the base rate for a given benefits package. 

3. State Rating Regulations 

We use data compiled by the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) on state 

regulations for the individual market as the basis for determining rating methods in the model. 

Based upon these rules, we identify seven types of state rating scenarios that apply, depending 

upon the rate variation permitted in a state. These include: 

Uninsurable individual in states permitting medical underwriting; 

+ / - 50% rating bands; 

+/- 30-35% rating bands; 

+ / - 20-30% rating bands; 

• Adjusted community rating; and 

© 2013 Society of Actu.iies, All Rights Reserved B·3 
231 

Pure community rating. 

In states that do not have significant rating restrictions, we assume that individuals are rated on 

single year of age, gender and expected loss ratio for each individual (Figure B-2). In states with 

rate band limits of 50 percent or more, we assume that rates vary by age and loss ratio subject to 

a 4:1 limit. Rate bands on age and expected loss ratio of 3:1 are used in state with rating bands of 

30 to 50 percent. In states that specify rating bands of less than 30 percent, we assume rate 

bands on age of 3:1. 

Figure 8-2: Rate Tables by Type of State Regulation aJ 

Age Rating Loss Ratio 

1: no rating structure Single Year 4:1 

2: +/- 50% rating bands 4:1 4:1 

3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 4:1 3:1 

4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 3:1 2:1 

a/ Separate approach is used for "uninsurable" people as described below. 

For community rates states, the premium is equal to the base rate. In states with adjusted 

community rating (rate variation by age only), we assume premiums are set according to a 4:1 

rating band by age. Health status and expected loss ratios are not used in community rated 

states. 

A separate set of rating rules is used for people deemed to be "uninsurable" because they have 

pre-existing chronic health conditions. For uninsurable people with high health care costs in the 

prior year, we use expected health costs as the basis for setting the premium. These rating 

methods are described below in greater detail. Figure B-3 presents a summary of the rating rules 

in the individual market by state. 

Figure 8-3: State Rating Regulations for the Individual Market 

State No State Name Rating Limit High Risk 

Pool 

1 Alabama 1: NRS: na rating structure 1 

2 Alaska 1: NRS: na rating structure 1 

3 Arizona 1: NRS: na rating structure 0 

4 Arkansas 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

5 Califarnia 1: NRS: na rating structure 1 

6 Calarada 1: NRS: na rating structure 1 

7 Cannecticut 1: NRS: na rating structure 1 

8 Delaware 1: NRS: na rating structure 0 

9 Dist af Calumbia 1: NRS: na rating structure 0 

10 Flarida 1: NRS: na rating structure 1 

11 Geargia 1: NRS: na rating structure 0 

12 Hawaii 1: NRS: no rating structure 0 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved B-4 
232 

State No State Name Rating Limit High Risk 

Pool 

13 Idaho 2: +/- 50% rating bands 1 

14 Illinois 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

15 Indiana 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

16 iowa 2: +/- 50% rating bands 1 

17 Kansas 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

18 Kentucky 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 1 

19 louisiana 1: NR5: no rating structure 1 

20 Maine 5: ACR: adjusted community rating 0 

21 Maryland 1: NRS: no ratin.g structure 1 

22 Massachusetts 5: ACR: adjusted community rating 0 

23 Michigan 1: NRS: no rating structure 0 

24 Minnesota 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 1 

25 Mississippi 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

26 Missouri 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

27 Montana 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

28 Nebraska 1: NR5: no rating structure 1 

29 Nevada 2: +/- 50% rating bands 0 

30 New Hampshire 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 1 

31 New Jersey 6: C: pure community rating 0 

32 New Mexico 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

33 New York 6: C: pure commun~y rating 0 

34 North Carolina 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

35 North Dakota 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

36 Ohio 1: NRS: no rating structure 0 

37 Oklahoma 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

38 Oregon 5: ACR: adjusted community rating 1 

39 Pennsylvania 1: NRS: no rating structure 0 

40 Rhode Island 1: NRS: no rating structure 0 

41 South Carolina 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 -- 42 South Dakota 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 1 

43 Tennessee 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

44 Texas 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

45 Utah 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 1 

46 Vermont 6: C: pure community rating 0 

47 Virginia 1: NRS: no rating structure 0 

48 Washington 5: ACR: adjusted community rating 1 .. 

49 West Virginia 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 1 

50 Wisconsin 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

51 Wyoming 1: NRS: no rating structure 1 

Source: National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Righls Reserved 6-5 
233 

4. Age and Gender Rating Factors 

Most states permit rating by age and in many cases gender. However, the degree of premium 

variation within these rating factors is often limited by state law. Consequently, we develop age 

rating adjustment by single-year of age and under increasingly more narrow age rating bands 

from 4:1 to 3:1 and do not include gender rating. 

The age adjustments are estimated from the MEPS data for privately insured people. For states 

with no rating restrictions, we assume that premiums vary with individual year of age and 

gender (Figure B-4). We use a "smoothing" technique to eliminate spurious variation in rates 

from one year's age to the next. Figure B-5 presents the age rating factors assuming alternative 

rating bands apply by age. We simplify this process by creating wider age bands, which has the 

effect of reducing the variation in adjustment factors. 

These adjustments are performed separately for individual policy holders and family policy 

holders. The model uses a base rate for individuals and a base rate for family coverage, both of 

which vary with the age of the policyholder only. 

Figure 6-4: Age Rating by Single-year of Age 

Individuals Family Age Male Female Male Female Individuals Family Age Male Female Male Female 

17 0.4869 0.6008 0.4016 1.6568 42 0,8046 1.2260 0,9069 0.8208 

18 0.4469 0.5868 0.5579 1.5048 43 0.8377 1.2015 0,9033 0.8508 

19 0.4503 0.6320 0.8402 1.2249 44 0.8741 1.1820 0.9119 0.8656 

20 0.4303 0.8518 1.0727 0.8905 45 0.9105 1.1092 0.9021 0.8906 

21 0.4403 0.9057 1.0727 0.7201 46 0,9503 1.1423 0.9208 0.8464 

22 0.4503 0.9640 1.1487 0.6747 47 0.9900 1.1754 0,9533 0.7726 

23 0.4476 0.9989 1.0530 0.7020 48 1.0430 1.2085 1.0383 0.6960 

24 0.4576 1.0664 0.9027 0.7068 49 1.0960 1.2416 1.0771 0.6681 

25 0.4662 1.3368 0.8242 0.7227 SO 1.1522 1.2747 1.0888 0.6642 

26 0.4762 1.2984 0.8106 0.7676 51 1.2152 1.3112 1.1270 0.6298 

27 0.5000 1.2995 0.8773 0.7805 52 1.2781 1,3476 1.2501 0.6008 

28 0.5120 1.2711 0.9247 0.7490 53 1.3476 1.3973 1.4569 0.6252 

29 0.5243 1.2457 0.9284 0.7200 54 1.4204 1.4469 1.5695 0.7218 

30 0.5368 1.2937 0.8832 0.8285 55 1.4966 1.4966 1.6303 0.8404 

31 0.5497 1.3247 0.8832 0.8285 56 1.5794 1.5496 1.5560 0.9069 

32 0.5629 1.3564 0.8881 0.8530 57 1.6621 1.6059 1.5217 0.9273 

33 0.5815 1.4013 0.9053 0.8271 58 1,7548 1,6688 1.4037 0.9276 

34 0.6007 1.4475 0.9153 0.7442 59 1.8542 1.7350 1.3323 0.9605 

35 0.6225 1.1780 0.9838 0.6967 60 1.9568 1.8045 1.2751 1.1107 

36 0.6423 1.2155 1.0953 0.6761 61 2.0661 1.8740 1.3481 1.4748 

37 0.6622 1.2531 1.2067 0.6761 62 2,1820 1.9502 1.5066 2.1395 

38 0.6887 1.3033 1.2071 0.6868 63 2.2945 2.0197 1.7577 2.9443 

39 0.7152 1.3534 1.1226 0.7012 64 2.4137 2.0926 2.1359 3.6889 

40 0.7450 1.2852 1.0025 0.7448 65 2.8144 2.3277 2,6246 4.2686 

41 0.7748 1.2556 0.9341 0,7900 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 8-6 
234 

Figure B-5: Age Rating Factors in States with Rate Bands by Age 

Individual Family 

States with Age Adjustment Limited to 

4'1 Rate Band 

< 20 0.5737 1.0426 

20-24 0.6646 0.8932 

25-29 0.6712 0.8165 

30-34 0.8899 0.8566 

35-39 0.8856 0.9603 

40-44 1.2239 0.8895 

45-49 1.5479 0.9085 

SO-54 1.4842 1.0865 

55-59 1.4457 1.3230 

60+ 2.2627 2.0021 

States with Age Adjustment Limited to 

3'1 Rate Band 

<25 0.6355 0.9190 

25-34 0.7517 0.8407 

35-44 1.0635 0.9234 

45-54 1.5191 0.9704 

55+ 1.9144 1.5726 

5. Health Status Adjustment 

The final step is to adjust the age and gender rated premium estimated above to reflect the 

health status of the individual. We use the model to create a "loss ratio" for each individual, 

that is computed as the ratio of expected costs for an individual over the age and gender rated 

premium discussed above. 

Each premium is then multiplied by an expected loss ratio that adjusts for differences in the 

expected level of spending for the individual that is not explained by the age adjustment. We 

did this by applying the age and gender premium for each individual in MEPS and computing 

the ratio of expected costs to the age and gender adjusted premium, which we have called the 

loss ratio. 

We then tabulate all privately insured people in the MEPS by various groupings of the expected 

loss ratio to create factors for use in simulating the rating process. To simulate the limits on rate 

variation in the individual markets, we create separate groupings that have the effect of limiting 

rate variation to 4:1, 3:1 and 2:1 (Figure B-6). 

© 2013 Society of Actusnes, All Rights Reserved B·7 
235 

Figure 8·6: Rate Variation with Expected Loss Ratio 

Loss Ratio: 4:1 Rate Band 

0-50 0.4944 

50-75 0.8730 

75-100 0.9874 

100-125 1.0967 

125-150 1.1829 

150+ 1.8891 

Loss Ratio: 3:1 Rate Band 

0-75 

75-100 

100-125 

125+ 

0.6447 

0.9874 

1.0967 

1.5543 

Loss Ratio: 2:1 Rate Band 

0-100 

100-115 

115+ 

0.7964 

1.0876 

1.4344 

This enables us to simulate the effect of limitations on rate variation. For example, for a state 

with a 4:1 rating band, the model uses loss ratio adjustments ranging between 0.4944 and 

1.8891. The loss ratio factor varies from 0.6447 to 1.5543 in a state limiting rate variation to 3:1. 

6. Special Rates tor Uninsured people with Chronic Conditions (Uninsurable) 

In this step, we assign a premium to uninsured individuals representing what they would have 

to pay for coverage given their health status. This amount is computed even for people in states 

where insurers are permitted to decline coverage to individuals due to health status. These 

individual are assigned a risk adjustment based upon the amount of their expected spending. 

Uninsurable people who are in the 90th percentile or more of the general population in terms of 

prior year spending are assigned a loss ratio adjustment factor that is equal to their computed 

loss ratio. Because people in the uninsurable group generally have higher costs than others, 

many of the uninsurable people have spending at or above the 90th percentile (Figure B-7). 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved B-8 
236 

Figure B·7: Rating for Uninsurable Individual"! 

Uninsurable People - At or Above the 90'h 

Percentile on prior year Health Spending 

Below 90'h percentile 1.8891 

95'h percentile 2.8881 

97.s'h percentile 3.1754 

98,75'h percentile 4.7183 

100'h percentile 7.8881 

Insurable People - Below 90th Percentile on Prior 

Year Spending by Expected Loss Ratio Group 

0-50 0.4944 

50-75 

75-100 

100-125 

125-150 

150+ 

0,8730 

0,9874 

1.0967 

1,1829 

1,8891 

a/ Uninsurable individuals are defined to be people with one or more chronic conditions that are 

typically used in states to identify people eligible for a state high-risk pool. 

For uninsurable people below the 90th percentile in prior year spending, we adjust the premium 

based upon a 4:1 rating band based on their expected loss ratio. 

B. Small Group Rating under Current Law 

We simulate rating practices in the small group market using a "synthetic" firm database. These 

data are based upon a survey of employers from the Kaiser Family Foundation survey of 

employers which we have statistically matched to a sample of workers from the MEPS 

household data that obtain the detailed health spending and demographic data required to 

simulate the impact of small group rating practices, including the detailed data required on 

each member of the employer's workforce. 

The process used to simulate premiums in the small group market is similar to that used to 

simulate individual premiums, except that it is at the firm level. We develop a "rate book" 

methodology that simulates premiums under the methods permitted in each state, including 

health status rating. This enables us to simulate the changes in premiums that will result from 

changes in rating practices mandated in health reform. 

The methods we use to simulate small group premiums are presented in the following sections: 

Synthetic firm data; 

• Expected health spending by firm; 

Insurer rating practices; 

Age and Gender Adjustment; 

Industry and group size adjustments; and 

Loss ratio adjustments. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved B-9 
237 

1. Synthetic Firms 

To simulate the impact of reform on employers, we develop a "synthetic" database of firms 

that, includes detailed health status and spending information for each worker and dependent 

in the firm, in addition to other firm characteristics information. We begin with a database of 

employers based upon data from the Kaiser Family Foundation survey of employer in 2006, 

which includes health plan characteristics data. We then statistically match these data to the 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) survey of employers, which provides detailed 

information on the distribution of workers within each firm by earnings level, age, gender and 

other worker characteristic. 

We enhance these data to include detailed information on health spending, income and family 

characteristics. The first step was to statistically match each MEPS worker, which we call the 

"primary worker", with one of the employer health plans in the 2006 KFF/RWJF data. We then 

populate that firm by randomly assigning other workers drawn from the MEPS file with 

characteristics similar to those reported for the KFF/RWJF database. For example, a firm 

assigned to a given MEPS worker that has 5 employees would be populated by that worker plus 

another four MEPS workers chosen at random who also fit the employer's worker profile. 

This process is repeated for each worker in the HBSM data to produce one unique synthetic 

firm for each MEPS worker (about 63,000 synthetic firms). Synthetic firms are created for all 

workers including those who do not sponsor health insurance, and workers who do not take the 

coverage offered through work. 

2 Expected Health Spending by Firm 

As discussed above, insurers often take health status into account in setting small group 

premiums. In states where permitted, rating is affected by historical claims experience and other 

health status information. To simulate the rate setting process, we develop a process for 

estimating expected health care costs for each firm at the beginning of each rating year, which 

we assume is used as the basis of all health status related decisions. We do this by calculating 

health spending for workers in each firm for each of two consecutive years using data provided 

for working families in the MEPS. 

As discussed above, the MEPS include detailed health spending data for two consecutive years 

for each individual, which is included for each worker assigned to each firm. Thus, we are able 

to tabulate average spending for workers in each firm in the second year by percentile ranking 

of average employee spending in the prior year as shown in Figure B-8. 

In this simulation, we assume that the insurer is estimating this expected spending level for 

each firm at the end of the first year to use in setting premiums for the coming year. We do this 

by assigning to each firm an expected spending level for the second year using the data shown 

in Figure B-8. This expected value is used to set premiums at the beginning of the second year. 

Naturally for each firm, actual spending in the second year (which we term the simulation year) 

will differ from the predicted average expected spending amounts depending upon the 

expenses actually experienced by workers in the second year. This reflects that while insurers 

cannot know actual spending for each group in advance, they can use medical information to 

predict spending levels that will on average track with actual spending during the rating year. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 8·10 
238 

Figure B-8 

Average Costs Per Person in Two Consecutive Years for Synthetic Firms Groups by Percentile Ranking of 

First Year Group Costs by Firm Size in 2010 

Average Costs Per Covered Individual 

Percentile of Under 10 1()-'24 25~99 10()-'199 1,OOO~S,OOO 

Year 1 Costs 

Year 1 Costs Year 2 Year 1 Year 2 Costs Year! Year 2 Year! Year 2 Year 1 Year 2 

Co,ts Costs. Costs Costs. (0,,, Costs Costs (0,,, 

10 Percent $142 $1,132 $684 $1,578 $1,250 $1,912 $2,003 $2,406 $2,547 $2,598 

20 Percent $397 $1,633 $1,114 $1,885 $1,688 $2,250 $2,390 $2,675 $2,752 $2,815 

30 Percent $658 $1,759 $1,443 $2,123 $1,981 $2,453 $2,616 $2,818 $2,870 $2,911 

40 Percent $961 $~885 $1,755 $2,325 $2,245 $2,608 $2,799 $2,950 $2,968 $2,987 

SOPerc:ent $1,372 $2,311 $2,093 $2,551 $2,510 $2,752 $2,970 $3,068 $3,068 $3,078 

60 Percent $1,960 $2,730 $2,476 $2,756 $2,795 $2,936 $3,141 $3,180 $3,172 $3,194 

70 Percent $2,646 $2,744 $2,932 $3,021 $3,129 $3,058 $3,331 $3,298 $3,290 $3,294 

80 Percent $3,402 $3,398 $3,571 $3,381 $3,571 $3,296 $3,404 $3,434 $3,412 

90 Percent $5,631 $5,446 $4,703 $3,793 $4,236 $3,599 I $3,585 $3,638 $3,538 

95 Percent $7,897 $5,619 $6,392 $4,631 $5,189 $4,004 $4 $3,835 $3,917 S3,784 

97.5 Percent $13,123 $8,300 $8,396 $5,376 $6,201 $4,428 $4, $4,200 $4,220 $4,029 

98.75 Pet $20,262 $11,294 $10,849 $5,810 $7,357 $4,672 $5,452 $4,485 $4,599 $4,548 

100 Percent $40,825 $19,210 $16,406 $7,280 $9,823 S5,332 $6,421 $4,713 $5,262 $4,931 

Total $3,467 $3,467 $2,852 $2,852 $2,913 $2,913 $3,153 $3,153 $3,151 $3,151 

Source: The Lewin Group estimates using HBSM Synthetic firm data. 

© 2013 SocIety of Actuaries, AI! Rights Reserved 8-11 
239 

3. Insurer Rating Practices 

The methods used by insurers to rate small group insurance vary with state regulations and 

insurer policy. Figure B-9 presents a summary of the small group rating rules that apply in each 

state supplied by the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU). In some states, 

insurers are not allowed to vary premiums with health status, but are allowed to vary 

premiums by age subject to rating bands. New York, for example, has a community rated 

system,. which means that insurers are required to charge a single premium for each product for 

all small groups purchasing coverage in the state by geographic area. 

Figure 8-9: State Rating Limits for Small Group Markets 

StNo. State Name Group Size Rating Limits Min Max 

1 Alabama 2 SO 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

2 Alaska 2 50 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

3 Arizona 2 50 2: +/- 50% rating bands 

4 Arkansas 2 50 4: +J- 20-25% rating bands 

5 California 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

6 Colorado 1 SO 5: ACR: adjusted community rating 

7 Connecticut 1 50 5: ACR: adjusted community rating 

g Delaware 1 50 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

9 Dist of Columbia 2 50 1: NR5: no rating structure 

10 Florida 1 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

11 Georgia 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

12 Hawaii 1 50 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

13 Idaho 2 50 2: +J- 50% rating bands 

14 Illinois 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

15 Indiana 2 50 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

16 Iowa 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

17 Kansas 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

18 Kentucky 2 50 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

19 louisiana 2 35 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

20 Maine 1 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

21 Maryland 2 50 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

22 Massachusetts 1 50 5: ACR: adjusted community rating 

23 Michigan 2 50 2: +/- 50% rating bands 

24 Minnesota 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

25 Mississippi 1 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

26 Missouri 2 25 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

27 Montana 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

28 Nebraska 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

29 Nevada 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 6-12 
240 

St No. State Name Group Size 

Rating Limits Min Max 

30 New Hampshire 1 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

31 New Jersey 2 50 5: ACR: adjusted community rating 

32 New Mexico 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

33 New York 2 50 6: C: pure community rating 

34 North Carolina 1 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

35 North Dakota 2 25 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

36 Ohio 2 50 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

37 Oklahoma 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

38 Oregon 2 50 5: ACR: adjusted community rating 

39 Pennsylvania 2 50 1: N R5: no rating structu re 

40 Rhode Island 1 50 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

41 South Carolina 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

42 South Dakota 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

43 Tennessee 2 25 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

44 Texas 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

45 Utah 2 50 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

46 Vermont 1 50 5: ACR: adjusted community rating 

47 Virginia 2 50 4: +/- 20-25% rating bands 

48 Washington 2 50 5: ACR: adjusted community rating 

49 West Virginia 2 50 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

50 Wisconsin 2 50 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

51 Wyoming 2 50 3: +/- 30-35% rating bands 

Figure B-I0 summarizes the rating factors we assume are used for states with various types of 

rating restrictions. While many states limit premium variation with rating bands, insurers are 

often permitted to use a variety of other rating factors such as age, industry, group size and 

health status. Less is known about the use of these rating factors because they are optional to 

the insurer. 

Figure B-10: Rate Tables used for Rating Method Type for Small Groups 

Age Rating Loss Ratio 

1: no rating structure based on Figure 11 4:1 

2: +/- 50% rating bands based on Figure 11 4:1 

3: +/- 30-35% rating bands based on Figure 11 3:1 

4: +/- 20-25% rating bands based on Figure 11 3:1 

5: Modified community rating 4:1 None 

6: pure community rating none None 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 8-13 
241 

Consequently, we randomly assign the rating structures that will be applied to each firm in the 

data, subject to state limits on premium variation. Based upon prior studies by the 

Congressional Research Service and information supplied by actuaries, we assume the 

prevalence of use for these rating factors is as shown in Figure B-ll. 

Figure 8-11: Rating Factor Distribution Table 

Firm Size 

Under 10 1(J..24 25-99 

Age rating 100% 100% 100% 

Industry 79% 97% 98% 

Group size 80% 64% 80% 

Health status 75% 72% 80% 

4. Age and Gender Rates 

Insurers typically estimate small group premiums based upon a combination of factors applied 

sequentially to a base premium amount. The first step is to estimate a premium based upon the 

age and gender of their workers. Here we start with a base rate for each individual worker that 

is then adjusted to reflect differences in costs by age and sex. We use single year of age by 

gender and health status - as reflected in the expected loss ratio - in states with minimal rate 

regulation (Figure B-12). For others, we use rating bands that vary from 4:1 to 3:1 adjustments 

depending upon the degree of rate compressions required in the firm's state of residence (Figure 

B-13). At this point, the firm premium is the sum of the age and sex adjusted premiums for each 

person in the group. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 8-14 
242 

Figure B-12: Age Rating Factors Single Year of Age by Gender Premium Adjustment 

Age Individuals Family 

Male Female Male Female Age Individuals Family 

Male Female Male Female 

17 0.4869 0.6008 0.4016 1.6568 42 0.8046 1.2260 0.9069 0.8208 

18 0.4469 0.5868 0.5579 1.5048 43 0.8377 1.2015 0.9033 0.8508 

19 0.4503 0.6320 0.8402 1.2249 44 0.8741 1.1820 0.9119 0.8656 

20 0.4303 0.8518 1.0727 0.8905 45 0.9105 1.1092 0.9021 0.8906 

21 0.4403 0.9057 1.0727 0.7201 46 0.9503 1.1423 0.9208 0.8464 

22 0.4503 0.9640 1.1487 0.6747 47 0.9900 1.1754 0.9533 0.7726 

23 0.4476 0.9989 1.0530 0.7020 48 1.0430 1.2085 1.0383 0.6960 

24 0.4576 1.0664 0.9027 0.7068 49 1.0960 1.2416 1.0771 0.6681 

25 0.4662 1.3368 0.8242 0.7227 50 1.1522 1.2747 1.0888 0.6642 

26 0.4762 1.2984 0.8106 0.7676 51 1.2152 1.3112 1.1270 0.6298 

27 0.5000 1.2995 0.8773 0.7805 52 1.2781 1.3476 1.2501 0.6008 

28 0.5120 1.2711 0.9247 0.7490 53 1.3476 1.3973 1.4569 0.6252 

29 0.5243 1.2457 0.9284 0.7200 54 1.4204 1.4469 1.5695 0.7218 

30 0.5368 1.2937 0.8832 0.8285 55 1.4966 1.4966 1.6303 0.8404 

31 0.5497 1.3247 0.8832 0.8285 56 1.5794 1.5496 1.5560 0.9069 

32 0.5629 1.3564 0.8881 0.8530 57 1.6621 1.6059 1.5217 0.9273 

33 0.5815 1.4013 0.9053 0.8271 58 1.7548 1.6688 1.4037 0.9276 

34 0.6007 1.4475 0.9153 0.7442 59 1.8542 1.7350 1.3323 0.9605 

35 0.6225 1.1780 0.9838 0.6967 60 1.9568 1.8045 1.2751 1.1107 

36 0.6423 1.2155 1.0953 0.6761 61 2.0661 1.8740 1.3481 1.4748 

37 0.6622 1.2531 1.2067 0.6761 62 2.1820 1.9502 1.5066 2.1395 

38 0.6887 1.3033 1.2071 0.6868 63 2.2945 12.0197 1.7577 2.9443 

39 0.7152 1.3534 1.1226 0.7012 64 2.4137 2.0926 2.1359 3.6889 

40 0.7450 1.2852 1.0025 0.7448 65 2.8144 2.3277 2.6246 4.2686 

41 0.7748 1.2556 0.9341 0.7900 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved B-15 
243 

Figure B-13 

Rating factors by age in states with Rating Bands 

Age Adjustment: 4:1 Rate Band J < 20 0.5737 1.0426 

20-24 0.6646 0.8932 

25-29 0.6712 0.8165 

30-34 0.8899 0.8566 

35-39 0.8856 0.9603 

40-44 1.2239 0.8895 

45-49 1.5479 0.9085 

50-54 1.4842 1.0865 

55-59 1.4457 1.3230 

60+ 2.2627 2.0021 

Age Adjustment 3:1 Rate Band I < 25 0.6355 0.9190 

25-34 0.7517 0.8407 

35-44 1.0635 0.9234 

45-54 1.5191 0.9704 

55+ 1.9144 1.5726 

In states with little or no regulation of rates, we assume that insurers use single year of age. In 

states with rating bands of + /- 50 percent, we assume rates vary with age on a 4:1 basis. The age 

rate band is assumed to be 3:1 in states with 30 percent to 50 percent rating bands and 3:1 in 

states with rating bands of less than 30 percent. We assume 4:1 rate variation by age in states 

with adjusted community rating, which does not permit rates to vary with health status and 

other factors. 

5. Industry and Group Size Adjustment 

We also adjust for major industry groups in setting premiums. As discussed above, we use a 

probability table to determine whether the insurer adjusts for industry in rating groups. Figure 

B-14 presents two sets of rate adjustment factors by industry. The first is an adjustment for 

premiums that assumes the group has not been rated by age or any other factor. 

The second is a factor that applies to cases where the first stage premium calculation is based on 

age and gender. This is a conditional adjustment that is designed to capture premium variation 

by industry thatis not already explained by adjusting for age and gender. We estimate both of 

these adjustments using the MEPS data for people with employer health insurance. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 8-16 
244 

Figure 8·14: Rate Variation by Industry 

Individual Family 

Industry Age/Sex Industry Age/Sex not not 

Adjusted Adjusted Adjusted Adjusted 

Agriculture 1.0925 1.1795 0,9339 0,9587 

Mining 1.1069 1.1845 1.0010 0,9962 

Construction 1.2331 1.3397 0,9626 0,9681 

Manufacturing 1.1223 1.1838 1.0152 0,9649 

Transportation 1.1072 1.1865 1,0469 0.9863 

Wholesale Trade 0.4861 0.5710 0,9907 1,0025 

Retail Trade 0.5261 0.6023 0.9890 0.9673 

Finance 1.1335 1.2115 0.9910 0.9871 

Services 0,8731 0,8256 1,0708 1.1256 

5&l Gov 1.1679 1.0621 1.0095 1.0585 

Individuals 1.0698 1.0452 0.8025 0.7697 

In addition, we adjust for group size in cases where the model selects a firm to be rated on the 

basis of group size, in addition to other factors. The rate adjustments are conditional depending 

upon the factors used thus far to set the premium. Thus, for example, the group size adjustment 

is only the factor that explains premium variation beyond what has already been captured with 

a prior stage adjustment such as age or industry. Figure B-15 presents the adjustment factors 

used depending upon the factors use to adjust the premium to this point in the calculation. 

6. Loss Ratio Adjustments 

In the final step, we perform a health status adjustment based upon a loss ratio calculated in the 

model for each firms in states where health status rating is permitted, We estimate these factors 

by using the rating factors described above to calculate a premium for each group. We then 

divide estimated average expected costs for the group over the adjusted premium. The result is 

an adjuster that aCCOWlts for the variation in expected health care costs that is not explained by 

the other rating factors described above. 

We estimate these adjusters conditioned on the use of other rating factors in setting the 

premium up to this point. We assume that the loss ratio adjustment varies from 4:1 to 3:1 

depending upon the allowable rate band in their state of residence. These adjusters are shown 

in Figure B-16. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 8·17 
245 

Figure B-15: Rate Variation by Group Size 

Individual Family 

Group Size Age/Se. Age/Sex Industry Group Age/Se. Age/Sex Size Industry Adjusted Adjusted Industry Adjusted Adjusted Industry 

Only Only Adjusted Only Adjusted Only Adjusted Adjusted Only 

Only 

2-9 0.9751 0.9413 1.0076 1.0651 0.9558 0.9621 0.9312 

10-24 0.9172 0.9344 0.9813 1.0079 0.9840 1.0201 0.9977 

25-99 0.8996 0.9436 0.9800 0.9674 0.9823 1.0296 1.0084 

100-499 0.9318 0.9095 0.9856 0.9999 1.0555 1.0282 1.0025 

500-999 0.9906 1.0015 1.0031 0.9989 1.0464 1.0408 1.0189 

1000-4999 1.0503 1.0484 1.0174 0.9980 1.0397 1.0255 0.9976 

Figure B-16: Health Status Adjustment Based on Expected Loss Ratio 

Unadjusted 

Loss Ratio 4:1 Rate Band 

0-50 0.4513 0.4635 

50-75 0.8500 0.8523 

75-100 0.9851 0.9785 

100-125 1.1063 1.0818 

125-150 1.2121 1.1993 

150+ 1.9832 2.0597 

Loss Ratio 3"1 Rate Band 

0-75 0.6135 0.6333 

75-100 0.9851 0.9785 

100-125 1.1063 1.0818 

125+ 1.6204 1.6736 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, AU Rights Reserved 

0.4705 

0.8623 

0.9804 

1.0974 

1.1882 

1.9976 

0.6353 

0.9804 

1.0974 

1.6343 

Group Size 

and 

Industry 

0.4734 

0.8655 

0.9835 

1.0816 

1.1868 

2.0280 

0.6400 

0.9835 

1.0816 

1.6582 

8·18 

Unadjusted 

0.4944 

0.8730 

0.9874 

1.0967 

1.1829 

1.8891 

0.6447 

0.9874 

1.0967 

1.5543 

0.5137 0.5126 

0.8645 0.8858 

0.9879 1.0010 

1.0719 1.0657 

1.1768 1.1634 

1.9320 1.9125 

0.6631 0.6654 

0.9879 1.0010 

1.0719 1.0657 

1.5925 1.5737 

0.9339 

0.9658 

0.9626 

1.0314 

1.0247 

1.0215 

Group Size 

and 

Industry 

0.5151 

0.8753 

1.0054 

1.0591 

1.1659 

1.9144 

0.6666 

1.0054 

1.0591 

1.5838 
246 

C. Simulating Enrollment in High-Risk Pools 

To determine the number of people that will be enrolled in high-risk pools prior to the 

implementation of the ACA, we compile the number of members and monthly allowed costs 

per member in existing state high-risk pools for 2013 (Figure B-l7). We also estimate the 

number of members and average monthly allowed costs for people that we anticipate will be 

enrolled in the temporary federal high risk-pools for each state in 2013. We trend the allowed 

cost number to 2014 (our simulation year) by six percent to account for health care inflation. 

Neither the Current Population Survey (CPS) nor the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 

(MEPS), which are the primary data sources for HBSM, provides information on people 

enrolled in high-risk pools. Therefore, we need to impute high-risk pool coverage in HBSM. To 

do this, we select a subset of people with non-group coverage that also had a health condition 

that is typically used to determine eligibility for existing state high-risk pools. 

We randomly select people that met the above criteria in each state in the HBSM data so to 

match the total number of people we project to be enrolled in either the current state high-risk 

pools or the temporary federal high-risk pools. We then adjust the average monthly spending 

for these people in HBSM to match our estimates for each state. We then adjusted the average 

covered costs for people remaining in the non-group market so to match the NArC data, which 

we have assumed does not include high-risk pool enrollees. 

This imputation method may potentially overstate our baseline cost estimates for uninsured 

people. Our coverage estimates are based on data prior to the implementation of the federal 

high-risk pools, where enrollees in this program would be categorized as uninsured. Thus, 

some of the higher cost uninsured in the data would now be covered through the high risk pool, 

which would reduce the overall average cost for those remaining uninsured. However, we do 

not believe that this makes a material difference in the estimate do to the fact that only about 

164,000 of the 52.4 million uninsured are assumed to be enrolled in the Federal high risk pool. 

However, the reader can make a determination for a particular state based on the information 

presented. 

Figure 8-17: Estimated High-Risk Pool Enrollment and Allowed Cost in 2013 

Current State High~ Temporary Federal Combined State and Federal 

Risk Pools High-Risk Pools High-Risk Pools 

Allowed Allowed Allowed Cost State Members Cost Members Cost Members 

PMPM PMPM PMPM 

ALABAMA 2.050 $1,158 1,300 $3,824 3,350 $2,193 

ALASKA 526 $2,576 46 $13,885 572 $3,485 

ARIZONA 0 $0 8,453 $2,713 8,453 $2,713 

ARKANSAS 2,696 $992 1,381 $1.548 4,077 $1,181 

CALIFORNIA 6,051 $1,052 26,790 $3,921 32,841 $3,393 

COLORADO 13,775 $1,165 1,907 $3,345 15,682 $1,430 

CONNECTICUT 1,492 $1,801 1,133 $1,821 2,625 $1,810 

DELAWARE 0 $0 472 $1,432 472 $1,432 

DC 0 $0 100 $1,680 100 $1,680 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Rights Reserved 9-19 
247 

Current State High- Temporary Federal Combined State and Federal 

Risk Pools High-Risk Pools High-Risk Pools 

Allowed Allowed Allowed Cost State Members Cost Members Cost Members PMPM PMPM PMPM 

FLORIDA 202 $1,262 18,322 $2,690 18,524 $2,674 

GEORGIA ° $0 5,056 $2,778 5,056 $2,778 

HAWAII ° $0 246 $3,171 246 $3,171 

IDAHO 1,794 $851 1,821 $7,052 3,615 $3,975 

ILLINOIS 20,445 $1,271 4,412 $2,013 24,857 $1,403 

INDIANA 7,364 $1,981 3,389 $2,673 10,753 $2,199 

IOWA 3,234 $1,375 478 $2,604 3,712 $1,534 

KANSAS 1,476 $1,860 735 $3,829 2,211 $2,514 

KENTUCKY 4,430 $1,494 2,233 $1,867 6,663 $1,619 

LOUISIANA 1,738 $1,330 2,521 $2,091 4,259 $1,781 

MAINE ° $0 69 $5,399 69 $5,399 

MARYLAND 20,238 $1,040 1,634 $2,186 21,872 $1,126 

MASSACHUSETIS 0 $0 49 $4,054 49 $4,054 

MICHIGAN ° $0 4,036 $3,927 4,036 $3,927 

MINNESOTA 26,476 $1,207 1,344 $2,103 27,820 $1,250 

MISSISSIPPI 3,299 $1,137 680 $3,763 3,979 $1,586 

MISSOURI 3,986 $1,412 3,285 $3,291 7,271 $2,261 

MONTANA 2,775 $1,154 428 $2,624 3,203 $1,351 

NEBRASKA 3,824 $1,531 809 $3,905 4,633 $1,945 

NEVADA ° $0 2,363 $3,451 2,363 $3,451 

NEW HAMPSHIRE 2,751 $1,121 1,149 $6,150 3,900 $2,603 

NEW JERSEY ° $0 1,638 $3,491 1,638 $3,491 

NEW MEXICO 8,442 $1,509 2,076 $2,860 10,518 $1,776 

NEW YORK ° $0 6,645 $3,012 6,645 $3,012 

NORTH CAROLINA 9,280 $896 8,459 $759 17,739 $831 

NORTH DAKOTA 1,443 $950 185 $4,581 1,628 $1,364 

OHIO ° $0 4,453 $1,968 4,453 $1,968 

OKLAHOMA 2,515 $1,735 1,316 $3,366 3,831 $2,295 

OREGON 11,761 $1,313 2,324 $3,647 14,085 $1,698 

PENNSYVANIA ° $0 8,545 $1,287 8,545 $1,287 

RHODE ISLAND ° $0 204 $2,981 204 $2,981 

SOUTH CAROLINA 1,739 $1,426 2,903 $2,650 4,642 $2,192 

SOUTH DAKOTA 610 $1,283 271 $7,623 881 $3,233 

TENNESSEE 3,132 $1,376 2,919 $2,823 6,051 $2,074 

TEXAS 24,174 $1,454 14,848 $4,856 39,022 $2,749 

UTAH 3,666 $1,013 1,808 $3,530 5,474 $1,844 

VERMONT ° $0 0 $0 $0 

VIRGINIA ° $0 4,626 $2,440 4,626 $2,440 

WASHINGTON 3,706 $2,420 1,156 $4,613 4,862 $2,941 

WEST VIRGINIA 1,173 $842 340 $2,498 1,513 $1,214 

WISCONSIN 21,645 $1,114 3,043 $1,043 24,688 $1,105 

WYOMING 1,001 $1,310 506 $1,844 1,507 $1,490 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 6-20 
248 

D. Simulating Non-Group Premiums under the ACA 

The model simulates premiums for people in the individual market under the ACA using rating 

restrictions specified in the Act. The ACA allows rating variation based only on age (limited to 

3:1), geography, family composition and tobacco use (limited to 1.5:1). Similar to the steps 

described above for calculating individual market premiums, the HBSM model uses a premium 

equal to the base rate for single and family coverage which is adjusted for age, singlel family 

coverage and state. The model does not include data on tobacco use, so we do not adjust for 

tobacco use. Gender, health status and expected loss ratios are not used in that ACA premium 

calculation. 

The age adjustments are estimated from the MEPS data for privately insured people. These 

adjustments are performed separately for individual policy holders and family policy holders. 

The model uses a base rate for individuals and a base rate for family coverage, both of which 

vary with the age of the policyholder only. Figure B-IS shows the age adjustments used for the 

3:1 rating limits. 

Figure B·18: Age Rating Factors in the Individual Market under the ACA 

< 25 

25-34 

35-44 

45-54 

55+ 

Individual 

Age Adjustment Limited to 

3:1 Rate Band 

0.6355 

0.7517 

1.0635 

1.5191 

1.9144 

Family 

0.9190 

0.8407 

0.9234 

0.9704 

15726 

CMS recently released its proposed standard age curve by single year of age, which is different 

from the method used for this analysis. However, we do not believe this difference will make a 

material difference because premium subsidies have a much larger impact on the cost of 

insurance to individuals in our simulation as compared to premium rating practices. Using age 

bands will, as we have done in this analysis, has the effect of compressing premium variation 

for all ages within the age band. Premiums based on single year of age will result in more 

variation across all ages. For states that currently do not have rating restrictions, which we 

assume use single year of age rating plus health status rating, that will move to a 3:1 rating limit 

using age bands could produce a greater difference in premiums (current compared to ACA) 

for certain ages as compared to premiums using a single year of age curve as proposed by CMS. 

Since this analysis uses an elasticity model to simulate participation that is based on a change in 

price, then these premium differences could have an effect on who participates. 

However, we estimate that most people purchasing coverage in the individual market under 

the ACA will receive premium subsidies, which effectively reduces premium costs. We found 

that premium subsidies have the largest impact on change in price of insurance and thus the 

largest impact on participation. Because premium subsidies have such an impact on the cost of 

insurance to individuals in our simulation, premium calculations using a single year of age 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries. All Riahts Reserved B-21 
249 

curve versus an age band curve does not make a material difference for simulating non-group 

participation under the ACA. 

E. Simulating Small Group Premiums under the ACA 

The model simulates premiums for fully insured small groups (100 or fewer members) under 

the ACA using rating restrictions specified in the Act. Similar to the individual market, the 

ACA allows rating variation based only on age (limited to 3: 1), geography, family composition 

and tobacco use (limited to 1.5:1) in the small group market. Similar to the steps described 

above for calculating small group premiums under current law, HBSM estimates a premium 

based only upon the age workers in the group. Here, we start with a base rate for each 

individual worker that is then adjusted to reflect differences in costs by age. As specified under 

the ACA, we restrict rating variation to 3:1 ratio based on the adjustments shown in Figure B-18. 

At this point, the firm premium is the sum of the age and sex adjusted premiums for each 

person in the group. The model does not include data on tobacco use, so we do not adjust for 

tobacco use. Health status and expected loss ratios are not used in that ACA premium 

calculation nor are new taxes and fees. 

For modeling purposes, we assume that premiums for self-insured firms and large groups are 

unaffected under the ACA. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved 8·22 
250 

Æ 

Appendix C - State Specific Excel Spreadsheets 

The Excel spreadsheets can be found on the web page that is housing this report on the SOA 

web site. 

© 2013 Society of Actuaries, All Rights Reserved C-1