A new option on health insurance
The Trump administration has announced new rules for small-business health insurance. Is this an improvement?
Proponents, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Retail Federation, and other business groups, say the change is a much-needed boon to small businesses and will increase the number of American workers getting coverage. “Today is a great day for America’s franchise job creators and their employees in the fight for high-quality, less expensive health coverage,” said Robert Cresanti, CEO of the International Franchise Association, when the change was announced. But consumer advocates, insurers such as the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, and congressional Democrats say the rules will gut important protections and lead to a spike in “junk health plans.” More than 95 percent of the health-care groups that filed comments about the proposed change during a review period opposed it or expressed serious concern, according to an analysis by the Los Angeles Times. “Basically anybody who knows anything about health care is opposed to these proposals,” said Sandy Praeger, a former president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.