The AP (10/2) reports that Congress yesterday approved “legislation aimed at preventing premium increases that some smaller businesses were expecting next year under President Barack Obama’s health care law.” Currently, the ACA defines small businesses as having up to 50 workers. That number increases to 100 on Jan. 1, 2016. The bill approved Thursday “would keep the small business definition at 50 workers but let states increase the number if they choose.”
The New York Times (10/2, Pear, Subscription Publication) reports a White House “spokeswoman confirmed that Mr. Obama would sign the bill, but she declined to discuss its substance.” According to the Times, recent comments “by administration officials suggested that they did not particularly like the legislation but could not stop the growing wave of bipartisan support for it.”
According to National Journal (10/2, Subscription Publication), the Senate version was authored by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Tim Scott (R-SC). Shaheen said in a statement after the bill’s passage, “This bill is a win for businesses across this country, a win for bipartisanship and I’m very pleased it’s headed to the President’s desk.”
In an analysis piece, meanwhile, The Hill (10/2, Sullivan) notes the bill’s “drama-free” passage and considers whether it marks “a shift in the legislative debate” over the ACA. Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) stated, “I do believe that this hopefully is the beginning of a lot of little fixes to a big, big law that’s not perfect.” According to the Wall Street Journal (10/2, Radnofsky, Subscription Publication), the bill’s passage could increase the likelihood that other changes to the law will be approved, such as a “Cadillac tax” repeal.
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