Politico reports, "Small business Obamacare online enrollment delayed a year":
The Obama administration today announced a one year delay of online enrollment for small businesses looking to purchase health coverage through federal Obamacare exchanges, another high-profile setback for HealthCare.gov.Continue reading.
It’s the second delay for online small business enrollment, which the administration had said would begin this month.
The White House is trying to get the troubled enrollment website on track for individuals and families seeking coverage, which is a higher priority. It set this Saturday, Nov. 30, as a target date for getting HealthCare.gov working for the “vast majority” of users.
The delay of the small business exchanges comes as little surprise, as the administration had said earlier this week it would offer alternative ways for small businesses to enroll. Still, it undercuts the White House message that it’s beginning to turn around the disastrous rollout of the health care law.
The administration is focused on its goal of signing up 7 million through Obamacare exchanges through the individual marketplaces. That doesn’t count on small business enrollment, which is why Obamacare critics and advocates say the small-business exchanges, known as SHOP, are further down on the administration’s priority list.
The announcement just before Thanksgiving is the latest in a series of delays and miscalculations for the president’s signature domestic legislation. On July 2 — also just before a holiday —it delayed the employer mandate for a year. Small businesses with fewer than 50 workers are exempt from the requirement to cover them, and the exchanges are supposed to give more options to those that choose to offer coverage.
House Speaker John Boehner said the delay is more proof that the law should be repealed or delayed.
“The president bit off more than he can chew with this health care law, and small businesses are now forced to bear the consequences,” he said in a statement.
Also at Jammie Wearing Fools, "Thanksgiving News Dump: Obama to Announce Yearlong Delay of Online Enrollment for Small Businesses." And Hot Air, "Holiday news dump: WH to delay online ObamaCare exchange for small businesses for one year."
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