It isn’t only individuals eager to see the affordable health insurance options now available through Obamacare. In the first day, 113 DC small businesses have created profiles on DC Health Link’the District’s online health care marketplace or “exchange”’in search of good options for their employees.
There’s a lot of choice. DC small businesses and non-profits can select from 267 health insurance plans offered through www.dchealthlink.com. Currently, only small businesses with fewer than 50 employees can purchase health plans through DC Health Link, but larger businesses are expected to use the system in future years.
Since Health Link’s launch, small businesses can compare all plans by doctor networks and services, set contribution levels for employees, select a plan, and make a first payment. The District worked over the past year to make small business owners’ experience on the site as simple as possible, while also maintaining affordable plans that meet the needs of their employees. Coverage will begin January 1.
Here’s a few ways the Affordable Care Act helps DC businesses:
More plan choices than ever before: There are 267 insurance plans currently available for small businesses to purchase. Prior to DC Health Link, many small businesses had trouble finding more than one plan to choose from. In addition, DC’s exchange allows employers to offer their employees multiple plans through the portal and not face additional expenses or administrative red-tape.
An online marketplace where businesses can shop for quality health plans at competitive prices: By 2016, all small business health plans will be sold through DC Health Link. This means that all plans sold to small businesses will meet national and District-specific consumer protections. The transparency of the online marketplace allows employers to easily compare prices and services across plans — promoting competition among insurers and lowering prices.
Consumer assistance and trade associations to help first time purchasers. DC Health Link offers employers interactive maps of locations and other contact information for a robust network of brokers and assisters. Health Link also partnered with DC Chamber of Commerce and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to perform outreach to hard-to-reach employers and minority-owned businesses.
We’ll wrap up our 1st week coverage of Obamacare in DC tomorrow.
To print a copy of today’s blog, click here.
