Roger Jones, along with many other small business owners, is confused by the sheer amount of information in the Affordable Care Act. OVERALL, Jones said he is hopeful that the new laws and requirements for business in 2015 will prove to be beneficial for those without insurance.
Jones is the owner of Microtronics, a manufacturer of wireless controllers for construction equipment, in a plant east of Gas. Under the ACA guidelines, businesses with 50 or more employees must have health insurance for their employees by 2015.
While Jones only employs 17, he wonders if the marketplace would be the most beneficial place for him to go to protect his employees.
He was one of the dozens that attended Thursday night’s meeting held by H&R Block, to get more information on what his next step should be as a provider.
“The employees are going to be looking at their employer to help them, at least mine have,” Jones said. “They are going to have trouble finding information for themselves.”
His policy, through Blue Cross and Blue Shield, began in October and will be grandfathered in for the next year. Things will not change for his business — unless it would be beneficial for him to make the change.
“I’d like to run the numbers. It comes down to an individual basis, I’d like to know how it affects the employees,” he said.
Issues across the board have come from a lack of information, he said, and as an owner he has done his best to get information whenever he can.
“The most difficult thing about it is, yes, we are left in the dark,” Jones said. “The unfortunate thing is when my employees ask me, ‘what is all this,’ I’m just as in the dark as they are. I can’t help them.”
For businesses with over 50 employees, there is a $2,000 fine for each full time employee who is not receiving healthcare — this would be enacted by 2015. Also, the ACA guidelines require a minimum quality and cost standard for their employees, with penalties if they do not meet those as well.
Jones said he is comfortable with the way his employees are protected through his insurance, and plans to keep it that way for the time being.
“With the way things were, I was very comfortable,” he said.
He did say, however, that if the ACA implementations result in a reduction in healthcare costs for providers and employees, it could “turn the corner” for healthcare in the U.S.
“If the health cost is going to stay where it is, no, I don’t think it is going to help,” Jones said. “It’s easy for me to sit here and say everyone needs health insurance. I honestly believe that.”
Policies are on an individual basis for employers through the marketplace, and Jones said for him to get an accurate estimate, he would need to get information from all 17 of his. All of the work may not be worth the effort for now, but he will keep his ear to the ground.
“Hopefully the powers that be have the foresight to see that this is going to work. There are a lot of scare tactics out there,” he said. “I don’t know yet, that’s the problem. Time is going to tell a lot, I’m still learning.”
Small business owner dealing with health care data
