SHOP exchange enrollment delay 'not a big deal'
Published September 27, 2013 4:22 PM
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Updated September 30, 2013 9:11 AM
1 Min Read
EBN asked for reaction to the SHOP exchange enrollment delay. Here's what industry leaders had to say:
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Rich Stover, principal, Buck Consultants
I dont think its a big deal. Theyre basically just delaying by a month when small employers can start enrolling in the federally run exchanges, not state-run exchanges. The states can do their own thing. Small employers can enroll in a SHOP plan any time they want during the year anyway theyre not really locked in to this initial open enrollment period.
Timothy J. Finnell, president, Group Benefits
"It's better to delay launching the online SHOP exchange than to risk miscalculating rates for users. You have until mid-December to purchase coverage on the exchange. Whether you purchase it in October or wait until December, coverage will be effective January 1, 2014.
Amy Bergner, managing director, human resource services healthcare practice, PricewaterhouseCoopers
The delay to November 1 in online SHOP enrollments could hamper employers that wanted to get out of the gate quickly. But small business owners will be able to get information on their own or through brokers or navigators, and most employers will want a bit more time to consider their options anyway.
Amy Gordon, partner in the Chicago office of McDermott Will & Emery
Coverage for small businesses that enroll in November will still be effective on January 1, 2014, thus this delay is not that big a deal. This delay does not affect state-based SHOP exchanges. States that are running their own state-based exchanges can still get their Web-based SHOP enrollment systems going October 1, 2013.
Garrett Fenton, employee benefits, tax, and executive and deferred compensation lawyer at law firm Miller & Chevalier
"The practical impact of HHS's one-month delay pertaining to the SHOP exchanges likely will be relatively limited. For one thing, the delay applies only to the federally facilitated SHOP exchanges that HHS will operate in 2014; it does not apply to more than one-third of all SHOP exchanges which will be state-operated. In addition, it appears that small employers will still be able to access the SHOP exchanges, view the different coverage options available to them, and perhaps even initiate the enrollment process beginning October 1. And importantly, small employers can still purchase coverage through a SHOP exchange effective as early as January 1, 2014. The only difference is that small employers must now wait an additional month, until November 1, before completing their enrollment. The delay could cause some disruption for small employers who were planning to enroll in SHOP exchange coverage in October, and distribute employee communications shortly thereafter. But as a general matter, the delay will have limited or no impact on most employers."
