Fincher, Black, Alexander Introduce Legislation to Protect Small Business Employees from Higher Premiums, Job Losses Related to Obamacare
Legislation introduced in House and Senate requires one-year delay of employer mandate if CMS or GAO study finds negative impact on jobs or premiums
WASHINGTON, May 22 –Representatives Stephen Fincher (R-Tenn.) and Diane Black (R-Tenn.), and Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today introduced legislation to protect small businesses from Obamacare’s job-killing mandate to provide employees government-approved health insurance or pay a fine.
Fincher said: "Across the 8th District, I've heard from working class men and women who are struggling to make ends meet as their health care premiums have sky-rocketed under Obamacare. This study will prove how Obamacare is impacting American’s health care costs and stifling small business job creation."
Black said: “When I travel throughout my district, the number one concern for my constituents continues to be jobs and the economy. That is why it is such a top priority for us in Congress to work where we can to reduce the burdens government is placing on employers so that they can put Americans back to work. This is especially problematic with the costly mandates and fines contained in Obamacare. The President and Congressional Democrats should welcome any effort to help Americans get back to work, which is just what the Certify It Act aims to do.”
Alexandersaid: “Republicans want to repair the damage Obamacare has done and prevent future damage. I’ve heard from many small business owners with more than 50 employees who say Obamacare is making it hard to offer workers health insurance and, for some, hard to stay in business. This bill says, ‘Let the facts speak for themselves—if premiums are going up and jobs are being cut—then delay the mandate.’”
The Certify It Act, introduced in both the House and Senate, requires the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Actuary to work with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on annual studies to assess the impact Obamacare will have on small business health insurance premiums and jobs. If their studies find that the healthcare law is having a negative impact on either, the Certify It Act delays the employer mandate for the following year.
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