Report: Health law will benefit many employers, but mid-size firms would see costs rise

According to an Urban Institute study, the health-coverage costs carried by small businesses will likely fall if the 2010 health law is completely implemented, but companies with 101 - 1,000 employees could experience a jump in their costs. 

The Hill: Study: Costs Will Rise On Mid-Size Firms From New Healthcare Law
President Obama's healthcare law won't erode employer-based health insurance -; but it will raise some companies' costs by nearly 10 percent, according to a new analysis from the Urban Institute. ... Mid-sized businesses -; firms that have between 101 and 1,000 employees -; would have seen a 9.5 percent jump in their total healthcare costs if the Affordable Care Act had been fully in place this year, the paper says. (Many of the law's key provisions don't take effect until 2014.) Small businesses would have seen their costs fall by 1.4 percent. Firms with more than 1,000 workers would have seen a 4.3 percent increase (Baker, 10/8).

Kaiser Health News: Capsules: Study: Health Insurance Costs To Fall For Businesses Under 50 Employees
[The analysis] says that if all provisions of the health law were implemented this year, the number of Americans covered by employer-sponsored insurance would increase by 2.7 percent and costs-per-person for small businesses (fewer than 50 workers) would decrease by 7.3 percent (Carey, 10/9).

Kansas Health Institute News: New Report: ACA Will Benefit Most Employers
Two factors -; expanded enrollment and penalties levied on an anticipated 5 percent of mid-size companies that are still not expected to offer coverage -; could lead to an increase in overall spending of 9.5 percent for this [mid-sized business] group of employers, according to the report (10/8).

Also in the news -

Medpage Today: HHS Watchdog Has ACA In Sights For 2013 Review
Some aspects of the Affordable Care Act will get special attention in the coming year from the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG). Among other things, the agency's independent watchdog will review the use of grants to establish the necessary insurance exchanges that are a backbone of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). ... Investigators are already looking into states' willingness to comply with requirements for the exchanges and for eligibility for Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and health subsidy programs, according to the OIG's 2013 work plan, which was released last week (Pittman, 10/8).