By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: ACA Rollout Hits Some Massachusetts Businesses Harder Than Expected
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform > ACA Rollout Hits Some Massachusetts Businesses Harder Than Expected
BusinessHealth ReformPolicy & Law

ACA Rollout Hits Some Massachusetts Businesses Harder Than Expected

DavidEWilliams
DavidEWilliams
Share
3 Min Read
massachusetts healthcare
SHARE

massachusetts healthcareLike many, I’ve been surprised that the rollout of the Affordable Care Act has had such an impact on Massachusetts. After all we already had near universal coverage, an exchange/marketplace, lots of mandates, guaranteed issue and community rating. Obamacare is based on Romneycare.

massachusetts healthcareLike many, I’ve been surprised that the rollout of the Affordable Care Act has had such an impact on Massachusetts. After all we already had near universal coverage, an exchange/marketplace, lots of mandates, guaranteed issue and community rating. Obamacare is based on Romneycare. But somehow Massachusetts screwed up the rollout of the Obamacare exchange, which is costing $100 million to fix, and at least some Massachusetts small businesses are getting hit with big rate hikes as they renew.

One small business I know got hit with a 29 percent premium jump, almost all due to the ACA. Here’s how a Blue Cross actuary explained it:

  • Blue Cross has alway developed its rates for the merged individual/small group market by rating each member based on age and location. Industry and company size have also factored in
  • However, prior to 2014 Blue Cross only counted the first 2 kids plus adults when doing the rating
  • The ACA mandates a similar approach, but now Blue Cross has to count the first 3 kids in the family. In addition, if a son or daughter aged 21-26 remains on the plan, that individual is counted as an adult along with up to 3 kids
  • For this particular business with the 29 percent jump, the shift in the counting of number of kids boosted the premium by about 25 percent
  • The other 4 percent was mostly related to aging of the members plus the inclusion of pediatric dental benefits in the medical benefit, again as required under the ACA
  • The ACA requires Blue Cross to phase out its reliance on company size and industry rating factors over time. That effect was basically neutral for this customer, whose premium rose about 3 percent based on the phase out of the industry factor and went down 2.5 percent based on phasing out of the company size factor

The silver lining, if any? There shouldn’t be any serious changes in premium for next year’s renewal.

More Read

Extra Pounds at Midlife May Boost Dementia Risk Later
How is Gaming Changing the Landscape in Health Care? Part 3 | Bill Crounse, MD, Microsoft
A More Positive Outlook on Provider Consolidation
What Specialty Pharmacies Can Teach the Healthcare Industry
How Information Therapy Promotes Patient Safety – Video

I’d heard about similar premium increases for other small businesses and non-profit organizations, including those that I don’t think are facing the family size issue. But maybe I’ve just heard from those who’ve been hit hard and others are not seeing increases. Blue Cross claims the overall impact on premiums in the merged market pool from the ACA is only about 0.2-0.3%, essentially nothing.

Is your Massachussetts small business healthcare premium skyrocketing next year? Is it staying flat? I’d love to hear from you in the comments or via Twitter @HealthBizBlog.

—

Massachusetts / shutterstock

TAGGED:ACAMassachusetts
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

dental care
Importance of Good Dental Care for Health and Confidence
Dental health Specialties
October 2, 2025
AI in Healthcare
AI in Healthcare: Technology is Transforming the Global Landscape
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
October 1, 2025
Choosing the Right Swimwear for Health and Safety
News
September 30, 2025
sports concussions
Concussion In Sports: How Common They Are And What You Need To Know
Infographics
September 28, 2025

You Might also Like

Policy & Law

Making Sense of Health Care Prices

September 22, 2011
Health carePolicy & Law

A Citizen’s Guide To Healthcare Rights

July 4, 2019

The Art of Negotiation in Medicine

January 31, 2014

Employer-Sponsored Insurance after Health Reform

April 21, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?