Are the SHOP Health Insurance Marketplaces Working Better for Small Businesses?
<p>In addition to creating new health insurance marketplaces for individuals, the Affordable Care Act created exchanges where small businesses can buy coverage for their employees. To date, 17 states and the District of Columbia have established their own SHOP marketplaces under the Small Business Health Options Program, while a federally run model operates in the remaining 33 states.</p><p>In a new blog post, Georgetown University’s Kevin Lucia, Justin Giovannelli, and Sean Miskell say the federally run marketplaces got off to a rocky start, hampered by low enrollment, a limited and complex tax credit, and technical problems, among other issues.</p>
<p>The authors examine these challenges and assess recent changes intended to improve experiences for employers and employees alike.</p>