Small Business Group Urges Federal Appeals Court to Uphold the Affordable Care Act

For Immediate Release: 
Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Statement by John Arensmeyer, Founder & CEO of Small Business Majority, on a recently filed amicus brief asking the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas to reject a legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act

Small Business Majority filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to uphold the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which is being challenged in Texas v. United States. Although the ACA’s individual mandate penalty has been repealed, we believe the healthcare law’s remaining components must be upheld in full because the ACA is critical to the success of small businesses, solo entrepreneurs and their employees.  

The ACA has provided quality, affordable health coverage to numerous small firms that once struggled to access health insurance. Prior to the enactment of the healthcare law, small businesses and their employees represented a disproportionate share of uninsured workers, and small business owners paid 18 percent more on average for coverage than their big business counterparts.

Since 2010, however, the growth in small business healthcare costs slowed dramatically, following regular double-digit increases prior to the law’s enactment. And because the law makes it much easier for the self-employed to obtain their own coverage, many more aspiring entrepreneurs have escaped “job lock” and been willing to go out on their own to start new ventures.

Today, more than 5.7 million small business employees or self-employed workers are enrolled in the ACA marketplaces, and more than half of all ACA marketplace enrollees nationwide are small business owners, self-employed individuals or small business employees. What’s more, the law has enabled most states to expand their Medicaid programs, allowing low-income small business employees to obtain health coverage.

Sadly, the Trump administration and its allies ignore these facts. The only thing the administration and its allies seem to care about is plowing recklessly ahead in pursuit of old campaign promises to destroy the ACA regardless of the consequences. In doing so, these opponents of the ACA are demonstrating a disturbing willingness to ruin small businesses in the service of political goals. We cannot, however, allow small firms and their employees to lose their hard-won healthcare. To protect small firms and our economy, the courts must uphold the ACA.

 

About Small Business Majority

Small Business Majority was founded and is run by small business owners to ensure America’s entrepreneurs are a key part of a thriving and inclusive economy. We actively engage our network of more than 58,000 small business owners in support of public policy solutions and deliver information and resources to entrepreneurs that promote small business growth. Our extensive scientific polling, focus groups and economic research help us educate and inform policymakers, the media and other stakeholders about key issues impacting small businesses and freelancers. Learn more about us on our website and follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram.

Press State: 
National