GEORGIA MICRO ENTERPRISE NETWORK
HEALTHCARE: A HEALTHIER BUSINESS... A HEALTHIER YOU!
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AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
he Georgia Micro Enterprise Network (GMEN) received funding in 2014 from SEEDCO, a partner with the Department of Health & Human Services who assists in informing all Georgians about the education, importance and necessity of healthcare in the State of Georgia. GMEN, along with thirteen consortium partners in the State of Georgia travel the state assisting Consumers in attaining healthcare, many with financial assistance, called
“tax credits.” GMEN is charged with educating and enrolling small and micro businesses in the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) that is now available to small businesses with less than 50 employees. Historically, it has been cost-‐prohibitive for small businesses to provide their employees’ health care based on the lack of volume for health enrollees. SHOP has changed the game and small for-‐profit and non-‐profit businesses alike are receiving tax benefits (for-‐profit companies) and good-‐will assurances (non-‐profit companies) to help insure their employees.
• For Program year 2014- ‐2015, GMEN has educated, assisted and/or enrolled over 2000 individuals/ families/small businesses within the state of Georgia, including but not limited to areas such as Savannah, Columbus, Brunswick, Valdosta, Hephzibah, Marietta, Douglasville, College Park, Lawrenceville, Gwinnett, Athens, Royston, Atlanta, Decatur, Ellenwood, Stockbridge, Union City, St. Mary’s, Clarkston, Stone Mountain, Lithonia, Albany, Ellenwood, Conyers, Covington, Macon, Newnan, Riverdale, to name a few.
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• GMEN has enrolled over 40 micro-‐businesses within the State. Many of these micro-‐ businesses are entrepreneurs who do not employ additional workers. These non-‐ employer businesses make up more than 80% of the small businesses within the State of Georgia. The recent June 25, 2015 U.S. Supreme Court Decision ruled in favor of Secretary Burwell, the American People and small businesses in the King v. Burwell, Secretary of Health & Human Services case. This case confirmed, “that the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) tax credits are
available to all eligible Americans no matter where they live (HHS Press release www.HHS.gov/ news).” This has translated into more Americans, especially the 962,085 small businesses in the State of Georgia (Small Business Profile, SBA Office of Advocacy published 2015, p4) being in a position to insure their employees with either benefits of business tax credits (to the small for‐- profit business) or those “non-‐employer small business owners” are able o be insured with individual tax credits based on their household size and income level.
MEN is charged with educating and enrolling small and micro businesses in the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) that is now available to small businesses with less than 50 employees. Historically, it has been cost-oprohibitive for small businesses to provide their employees’ health care based on the lack of volume for health enrollees.