6 industry reactions to the PPACA delay that may surprise you

Less than 24 hours after the annoucement was circulated, health insurance and employer benefit trade groups appear supportive, rather than critical, of the administration’s decision to delay implementation of PPACA’s employer mandate provision. If anything, they have implied a collective sigh of relief that they will be given an additional year to implement the complex law. What are some of the most influential health care policy decision-makers saying? Read on to hear from six of them. 

1. National Association of Health Underwriters

Janet Trautwein, NAHU CEO, said that NAHU “appreciates” that the Obama administration has listened to the concerns of American businesses and delayed the penalties for a requirement that was not ready to be effectively implemented.   “NAHU has had longstanding concerns that employers attempting to comply with very complex requirements that differ significantly from time-tested benefit practices on very short notice could be penalized for inadvertent violations,” Trautwein said. “The employer-based health insurance system has reliably and effectively delivered quality health coverage to generations of Americans, and to impose the shared responsibility rules at this time would threaten that structure. Providing transition relief will allow businesses recovering from the economic hardships of the past five years to make sound business decisions to comply with the health reform law’s requirements without fear of significant financial penalties in the first year of changed operations.”   Trautwein noted that about 98 percent of all large employers in the United States already offer coverage. “As employer groups deal with questions on how this delay will affect their businesses, we encourage them to seek counsel from an experienced, licensed health insurance agents. These professionals can help employers prepare for the new 2015 deadline as well as assist in finding affordable plans that fit the needs of employees and their families. “We look forward to getting more implementation guidance from the administration within the promised week” Trautwein said. “We will continue our dialogue with policymakers to ensure that new regulations and requirements don’t undermine the portions of our healthcare system that work well and deliver immense value to individuals, families and businesses. Our goal is to help all Americans receive the coverage they deserve at a price they can afford, and by working together, we can make this happen.” 

2. America’s Health Insurance Plans

Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman for America’s Health Insurance Plans, said that “We appreciate that the administration is being responsive to the concerns employers and insurers have raised about the workability of the reporting requirements related to employer health care coverage.” AHIP represents health insurance companies. It has also been a consistent critic of PPACA.