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8 Hartford Business Journal • October 19, 2015 www.HartfordBusiness.com Professional Women's Chamber November Luncheon 11:30 a.m. Alison Lands Senior Manager of Deloitte's Strategy & Operations Practice To register: www.springfieldregionalchamber.com Tickets: $40 per person Springfield Regional Chamber Kick-off Breakfast 7:30 a.m. Dan Kenary CEO and co-founder of Boston-based Harpoon Brewery To register: www.springfieldregionalchamber.com Tickets: $30 per person in advance $35 at the door KEYNOTE SPEAKERS November 4, 2015 • MassMutual Center • Springfield, MA Presented by generated at BeQRious.com REGISTER TODAY! The Region's Best One-Day Business Event! More than 150 exhibitors and 2,500 attendees are expected for a show that is packed with a number of special programs, speakers, and learning opportunities, including: • Springfield Regional Chamber Breakfast 7:30 a.m. • LOCATION: Ballroom 2nd Floor • Reservations Required • PWC Luncheon • 11:30 a.m. • LOCATION: Ballroom 2nd Floor • Reservations Required • 16 Educational Seminars & Featured Presentations 9:30 - 2:30 p.m. • LOCATION: Show Floor Theater & Seminar Rooms • FREE • Valley Venture Mentors Presentations • FREE – Judges Innovation Panel – Pitch Contest • Business Support Center Hosted by The Economic Development Council Of Western Massachusetts 9 - 4 p.m. • LOCATION: Show Floor • FREE • Expo Social - premier networking event! • 4 - 6:30 p.m. • LOCATION: Atrium • FREE Show Floor OPEN 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. FREE ADMISSION with a Business Card For more information, call (413) 781-8600 or visit www.wmbexpo.com WMBExpo.com • BusinessWest.com 2015 BusinessExpo W E S T E R N M A SS Produced by Gold Sponsor Presenting Sponsor Media Partner Breakfast Produced by Luncheon Produced by Education Sponsor Partners Comcast Business artwork Comcast_Business_v_c.ai Comcast_Business_v_4c.ai Comcast_Business_v_c.jpg Comcast_Business_v_c.png Comcast_Business_v_k.ai Comcast_Business_v_k.jpg Comcast_Business_v_k.png • Specialty Graphics • Vehicle Wraps • Wall Murals • Exhibits & Displays www.facebook.com/gographix 31 Benton Dr., East Longmeadow, MA 01028 (413) 525-2244; Fax: (413) 525-9941 www.GoGraphix.com Booth No. 533 & 535 HEALTHCARE NEWS HEALTHCARE NEWS HEALTHCARE NEWS HEALTHCARE NEWS Silver Sponsors Produced by Media Partner In Partnership With Education Sponsor Professional Sponsor BSC Hosted by OCT. 29, 2014 MassMutual Center Springfield, MA OPPORTUNITY for Area Companies LIMITED Available Presented by Produced by BusinessWest T H E B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L O F W E S T E R N M A S S A C H U S E T T S HEALTHCARE NEWS HEALTHCARE NEWS HEALTHCARE NEWS HEALTHCARE NEWS Silver Sponsors Education Sponsor Media Partners Expo Social Sponsors BusinessWest HEALTHCARE NEWS HEALTHCARE NEWS HEALTHCARE NEWS HEALTHCARE NEWS Director Level Sponsors Executive Sponsor passing the Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employers (PACE) Act earlier this month. The law gives states the ability to keep the longstanding definition of the small-group insurance market, rather than expand it to include companies with up to 100 employees. The timing of the change comes at a busy time in the health beneifts world, with Obamacare open enrollment starting in November and a large percentage of employers looking ahead to January renewals. It has created confusion for employers and insurers, which filed rate requests for small-group plans kicking in Jan. 1 months ago. The Insurance Department issued an Oct. 9 bulletin informing insurers their decision not to expand the small-group market, giving insurers just seven days to refile 2016 small-group plans. However, the department said it would not accept filings that increase rates. Insur- ers will be able to ask for rate increases that would take effect for plans sold or renewed in the second half of next year, based on changes in provider networks and utilization trends, the department said. As of press time Thursday, the Insurance Department had not posted any refiled small- group plans on its website. Brenda Gothers, an account executive in the Farmington office of benefits consul- tant the Lockton Companies, said half of her clients renew at the start of the year. Those mid-sized employers that had been shopping for small-market plans are now changing gears to look at a new set of offerings. "The time of year is lousy," Gothers said. "Feb- ruary would have been easier [for the change]." Phil Vogel, who oversees the Connecticut Business & Industry Association's private insur- ance exchange, CBIA Service Corp., said many anticipated PACE to pass, but the last-minute decision could delay rates from some insurers. "Right now everybody is scrambling to figure out what the end result is going to be and when that information will make it to the marketplace," Vogel said. Beyond the private market, PACE also threatens to put a damper on the state insurance exchange's sales of small-business "SHOP" plans in the open enrollment period that begins Nov. 1. SHOP plans covered approximately 1,350 members as of earlier this month. "As a sales guy, [the expansion] would have opened a completely new bucket for me," said John Carbone, SHOP sales manager. "It does throw a little wrench in everything." Carbone said he hopes Wade changes her mind about the expansion next year. Precise impacts unknown Leading up to Congress passing PACE, there were dire predictions about premium hikes for mid-sized employers that were going to be pushed into the small-group market. Actuarial firm Oliver Wyman said in April that that nearly two- thirds of mid-sized employers would see premiums rise if the small-group expan- sion went forward. Meantime, the American Acad- emy of Actuaries predicted in August that the small-group expansion would cause some impacted mid-sized employ- ers to self-insure, particularly companies with healthier workforces that are willing to shoul- der more risk. That, in turn, would increase the risks within the small-group market because it would attract firms with less healthy workforc- es, potenitally increasing costs. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners and insurance industry lobby America's Health Insurance Plans both said PACE offers states flexibility and will help avoid coverage disruptions and premium hikes. Ken Lalime, CEO of Wallingford nonprofit insurer HealthyCT, said the delay won't have a big impact on his company, which has approximately 15,000 small-group members. "I think it leaves some flexibility for small employers in the state," Lalime said. "I feel like it kind of goes back to the status quo." Hartford insurer Aetna said on its website that PACE allows insurers to use underwrit- ing and plan design that have the potential to lower plan prices. In a statement about her decision to delay the expansion, state Insurance Commissioner Katharine Wade cited those employer worries. "The Insurance Department has heard from employers, brokers and carriers on their concerns in expanding the small-group size from 50 to 100," Wade said in a statement. "As a result of the newly enacted PACE Act, which garnered bipartisan support in Congress and was signed by the president, states now have the flexibility to keep small-group definition to 50 and under. After careful consideration and to be consistent with federal law, Con- necticut is exercising that flexibility and is keeping the small-group definition at 50." Though Connecticut is expected to be in the majority of states that delay the small-group expansion, last year the state was in a minority that declined to allow mid-sized employers to renew their plans into 2017. PACE makes that option potentially permanent. Earlier this year, Connecticut legislators changed state law to the expanded small-mar- ket definition, but included language allowing the commissioner to postpone the expansion from page 1 Employers, insurers face last-minute shift Brenda Gothers, account executive, Lockton Companies Continued