Taking Stock of the SHOP Marketplaces
<p>The Affordable Care Act's Small Business Health Options Program, known as SHOP, enables businesses with 50 or fewer employees to purchase private health insurance for their workers through state marketplaces. In a new <a href="/blog/2014/taking-stock-shop-marketplaces">Reflecting on Health Reform</a> blog post, Commonwealth Fund President David Blumenthal, M.D., and David Squires examine why the SHOP program was needed—and whether it is likely to succeed. </p><p>The rationale for SHOP is fairly straightforward: to make health insurance markets work better for small companies, which are much less likely than large ones to offer coverage. The authors examine why the creators of the Affordable Care Act went with small-business marketplaces separate from marketplaces for individuals and families, and how well SHOP is accomplishing its goals so far. </p>
<p>Read the complete post on <a href="/blog/2014/taking-stock-shop-marketplaces">The Commonwealth Fund Blog.</a></p>