Six Democratic senators have called on the Obama administration to hold up a key rule change in Obamacare, warning that it could be "harmful and disruptive."
They wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Matthews Burwell asking for a delay in the change that puts companies with 51 to 100 employees in the costlier "small group" market instead of the "large group" market,
according to The Daily Caller.
The Affordable Care Act alteration, which will lead to higher premiums for many companies, goes into effect next year, says the report.
The letter was signed by Sens. Claire McCaskill, Heidi Heitkamp, Chris Coons, Joe Manchin, Joe Donnelly and Jon Tester and independent Sen. Angus King, who caucuses with the Democrats.
"We are writing to share our concerns regarding scheduled changes to the definition of the small group market under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)," the senators wrote, according to the Caller, which obtained the letter exclusively.
"Under the law, employers with 51 to 100 employees will be included in the ACA's definition of small group market starting in 2016.
"Instead of providing stability, we believe expanding the definition will force those historically defined 'large group plans' into the 'small group market,' where they could experience higher premiums, less flexibility, and new barriers to coverage.
"We therefore encourage you to delay the effective date in the definition change for two years so the market can more smoothly transition to the new rules."
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