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Self-Insurance For Small Employers Under The Affordable Care Act: Federal And State Regulatory Options, Timothy Stoltzfus Jost, Mark A. Hall

Scholarly Articles

As implementation of the Affordable Care Act reshapes the US health insurance market, state and federal policy makers should be prepared to revisit regulation of stop-loss coverage — a form of reinsurance — for small businesses. Aspects of the reform law could motivate small businesses to self-insure, rather than participate in state-regulated markets either inside or outside the new health insurance exchanges. If younger or healthier groups self-insure, premiums for insured plans will rise, perhaps to an extent that could seriously impair the regulated market. State or federal lawmakers can influence small businesses to participate in the regulated market by …