Some groups urge HHS to reverse delay on small-business insurance program

The Obama administration announced Monday that it will delay -- until 2015 -- offering a choice of plans within health insurance marketplaces specifically for small businesses.

Modern Healthcare: Reversal Sought For Delay To Small-Business Exchanges
Small business groups and some lawmakers are urging the Obama administration to reverse course on plans to wait one year to give employees of small businesses a choice among health plans obtained through new exchanges. HHS in March proposed delaying the requirement in the 33 states where the federal government will operate insurance marketplaces either alone or in partnership with state officials next year. The comment period on the draft regulations for the small business health options program, known as SHOP, ended April 1 (Block, 4/2).

Georgia Health News: Feds Take Slow Approach To Small Firms' Exchange
Georgia's small businesses will be limited to offering their employees just a single health plan – instead of several – in an insurance exchange next year. States will get insurance exchanges -; online marketplaces offering comparison shopping on coverage -; starting Jan. 1, as a result of the Affordable Care Act. Georgia and most other states have opted to have their exchanges run by the federal government. And in those states, the Obama administration has decided to delay offering a choice of health plans in the exchange for small employers until 2015 (Miller, 4/2).

MPR News: MNSURE's Small Business Options Will be Ahead Of Other States
Workers at small businesses that buy health insurance on MNSURE -- Minnesota's new online marketplace -- will have access to features that will be delayed in many other states. The federal health care law calls for a system that allows small businesses to buy employee health coverage on a so-called exchange that lets workers choose from a variety of health plans ... allowing more choice than the employer picking one plan for all (Stawicki, 4/2).