Hundreds Of E-mails Sent To DC City Council Urging Them Not To Shut Down City's Private Marketplace For Health Insurance

WASHINGTON, May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Effort to stop DC from becoming the only jurisdiction in America where the outside market for health insurance would be shuttered - DC small businesses fear having a never been tried before government run insurance exchange as their only place to purchase health insurance.

"It makes no sense for the District of Columbia to shut down the entire outside market for small business health insurance—which has worked for thousands of businesses over many decades, and force employers to use a never been tried government run insurance exchange to insure their employees," said Scott Golden of Golden & Cohen.   

"We think DC should go ahead with its health exchange—but also continue, like the rest of America, liberal states and conservative states, to keep the outside market open—and provide DC businesses a choice for where they purchase their insurance.  Rather than shutting down the outside marketplace at the outset there should be a compromise: a commitment to let the outside market serve consumers through 2016 with the understanding that the issue will be readdressed in 2015 after consumers, producers, and insurers have an opportunity to assess the exchange.

"The City Council should not vote to close this market, we think it is prudent to keep both choices available to DC employers, and after a number of years of seeing what will actually happen in this new world of implementing a never been tried before anywhere system of buying health insurance, look at the issue based on what works best for our city's employers—vs. guessing at what will happen and taking the unprecedented drastic step of closing an outside marketplace that works," said Mr. Golden.

"If they shut this market down, what's next in DC?  City leaders should not consider shutting down the outside marketplace until the costs and efficiencies of the exchange are determined."

"You're talking about health insurance—very important to everyone, talking about cost—hugely important to employers in today's economy—many of whom are struggling to stay in business and trying to grow and employ more DC residents."

"This untried system is extraordinarily and highly complicated; it needs to be tested over years prior to relying on it solely for our city's small business health insurance needs."

"We urge Washington small business owners to visit our website and get involved to fight for the choice of an outside marketplace: http://cqrcengage.com/dchealthinsurancemarketplace/home."

The Small Employer Alliance for Affordable Healthcare Options is comprised of nearly 200 DC small employers who have joined together to oppose the proposal to close the outside market where small employers buy health insurance.

The Alliance is funded by National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors-Greater Washington DC and Greater Washington Association of Health Underwriters.

SOURCE The Small Employer Alliance for Affordable Healthcare Options