HEALTH REFORM

The new health care law, the Affordable Care Act, offers entrepreneurs the choice to keep the plan that they already have, provided that it meets certain requirements. The trouble is that most entrepreneurs are uncertain that their plan will meet these new rules and how the changes required by the health reform law will affect their monthly premium costs.

The health reform law includes a provision allowing adult children to receive health coverage under their parents' insurance policies until age 26.

The self-employed and micro-business owners continued to plan for business, educational and personal success in 2009. During that time, the NASE continued to be a resource for these businesses as they navigated the stormy waters of the nation’s economy with advice on survival and even success.

House and Senate to begin negotiations next month. People who buy health coverage on their own — not through an employer — would face some of the biggest changes under the health care bills.

The NASE's comments on the Senate health reform bill as amended by the Manager's Amendment.

Democratic Senators Mary Landrieu (La.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Debbie Stabenow (MI), Evan Bayh (Ind.) and Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) have introduced Tax Equity for the Self-Employed amendment (S. AMDT # 3013), which would allow sole proprietors to deduct as a business expense 50% of their health premium costs. This amendment is under consideration by the Senate for inclusion in the health reform package.

Here's a sampling of this week's top health care reform articles. If you find an article or blog that you think should be considered, drop us a line at media at NASE dot org.

The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) was dismayed to see that lawmakers have once again failed to include provisions that will make a noticeable difference in the bottom line of the nation’s millions of self-employed business owners.

NASE comments on the House health care reform bill, the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962).

The NASE recently spoke out on current health care reform legislation, which is notably missing two items that would have a substantial effect on the affordability of coverage for the self-employed - allowing the self-employed to deduct their health care costs as a business expense and expanding eligibility of Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs).

As Congress continues its important work on health care reform, the NASE and the NAR ask legislators that any final health reform measure address the unique problems experienced by America’s self-employed workforce.

The NASE, NFIB, and NSBA urge legislators to remember that our nation’s small businesses and the self-employed share a problem that plagues all of our members: the soaring cost of healthcare.

The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship recently held a roundtable to discuss the impact of various health reform proposals on small businesses. Kristie Arslan, Executive Director of the Legislative Office for the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE), participated in the roundtable along with Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and other small business owners and advocates.

The United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship recently held a roundtable to discuss the impact of various health reform proposals on small businesses. Kristie Arslan, Executive Director of the Legislative Office for the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE), participated in the roundtable along with Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and other small business owners and advocates.

The House Committee on Ways and Means recently joined the long list of congressional committees talking about health care reform, holding a hearing entitled “Health Reform in the 21st Century: Proposals to Reform the Health System.”

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently released a preliminary analysis of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee’s draft health care reform bill, finding that the proposal would provide insurance coverage to 39 million people who were not previously insured.

The Obama administration took some muscle out of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by pushing the Employer Mandate implementation to 2015. The administration has started marketing efforts, but this mandate must be a hard sell. The policy calls for any business that employs over 50 full time workers (30 hours per week) to provide insurance for their employees.

The NASE has created to two page brief that highlights the Affordable Care Act and its impact on America's smallest Businesses. It is a great tool that breaks down the complicated legislation and makes it easier to understand.