BALCONY,
THE GREATER NEW YORK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE and
THE AMALGAMATED BANK

PRESENT SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE HEALTH CARE PROGRAM

At the Amalgamated Bank
564 West 125th St.

December 18th 2012
Reception briefing at 4:45 pm (with refreshments)
Workshop from 5:15 pm until 6 pm

Now that President Obama has been re-elected the Affordable Care Act will remain the law of the land!

Come learn how your company can finally provide health insurance to your employees.

Learn about how the New York State Health Insurance Exchange in 2014 will impact your workers and your business.

Learn how your young adults ages 20-26 can be provided with health insurance through your own policy.

Find out how the donut hole for seniors will finally close. Meaning, the total cost of prescription drugs will be borne by the government via ACA.

Learn how your company can receive tax credits for signing up for ACA.

For more information contact: Mark Jaffe, Greater New York Chamber of Commerce: 212-686-7220 or Jaffe@chamber.com

Lou Gordon, BALCONY: 212-219-7777 or loug@balconynewyork.com

Cinnamon Chambers-Lewis, Amalgamated Bank: 212-895-4372 or cinnamonchambers@amalgamatedbank.com

Greater New York Chamber of Commerce,
BALCONY and
NYC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Conduct Health Care Insurance Workshops for Small Businesses

Now that the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled the Affordable Care Act (ACA) constitutional, the Business and Labor Coalition of New York (BALCONY), the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce (GNYCC) and the New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce are going full blast with a series of workshops for small businesses and labor unions.

Public reception has been overwhelmingly positive for the 60-minute workshops which have been held in New York City and Long Island. The complexities of the new law are explained and attendees are shown how to best use the benefits of the Affordable Care Act for their business and employees.

"Between 30 and 60 small business owners have attended each of the five forums, where we explain how the health care law is already impacting them and specifically helps them provide vital health services and coverage for their employees," BALCONY Director Lou Gordon said. "People were very receptive, asked a lot of questions and the reaction was quite good."

"We've received terrific feedback from employers who were thrilled to learn how their companies can benefit financially via the valuable tax credits provided thru the Affordable Care Act," said Mark Jaffe President and CEO of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce."

BALCONY, the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and the New York Hispanic Chamber of Commerce are holding 22 forums over 11 months as part of a grant from The Community Service Society's Small Business Assistance Program (SBAP)¹.

For a schedule of FORUMS, to co-sponsor, host, or attend an Affordable Care Workshop, please email Lou Gordon or Liza Kramer or call BALCONY at (212) 219-7777 or email Mark Jaffe at the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce or call (212) 686-7220.

(L to R) Lou Gordon (BALCONY), Eileen Hayes (NYS Dept. of Financial Service),
Ben Geyerhahn (Small Business Majority), Betty Heiman (Transparent Health Services),
Mark Jaffe (Greater NY Chamber of Commerce)
at the Trade Brooklyn Expo

Dedicated professionals and leaders in the public policy and health care fields will conduct the forums, which will be held all around the state.

While the content and focus may be customized to suit the interests of audience, the standard presentation features a detailed POWERPOINT PRESENTATION on the ACA and how it impacts small business owners, their employees, and labor unions.

The presentation begins with a startling chart that shows that since 1999 health premiums have gone up 160% and workers' contribution to those premiums have gone up 168%. Meanwhile, workers' earnings increased just 50% over that same period, according to the Kaiser Foundation and Health Research & Educational Trust.

Research shows that 800,000 small business employees lost coverage in the last decade, 52% of businesses with fewer than 10 workers don't offer coverage and small firms pay 18% more for insurance than large ones. Without reform, small business health insurance costs were expected to more than double in the next decade.

The BALCONY / GNYCC / NYCHCC presentation further explains employer coverage requirements and the sliding scale of available tax credits for businesses. Some 81% of small businesses in New York State are eligible for the tax credits, but many don't know about them. Even so, ACA tax credits have helped more than 360,000 small businesses - and their 2 million workers - across the country.

Our presenters will also explain the New York State Health Insurance Exchanges that will be set up to lower the cost of buying insurance. Exchanges are expected to reduce individual premiums up to 66% because of volume discounts and competition; a 5-22% reduction is anticipated in the small group market.

Lou Gordon, Liza Kramer		Attendees

¹The Community Service Society draws on a 168-year history of excellence in addressing the root causes of economic disparity.
As a leading voice on behalf of low-income New Yorkers and the working poor, CSS responds to urgent, contemporary problems
through applied research, advocacy and litigation, and innovative program models that strengthen and benefit all New Yorkers
and help promote a more prosperous city. Visit www.cssny.org

Presentors Include

Lou Gordon, Mark Jaffe, and Nick Lugo

Click HERE for resumes of all of the presentors.

Click HERE for the BALCONY/GNYCC Affordable Health Care Presentation.

Click HERE for the Recommended Providers of Small Business Health Insurance.

Click HERE for "What's in Health Care Reform for Small Businesses?"

Click HERE for "Key Points: Small Businesses Reap Big Benefits & Tax Credits Under Affordable Care Act"

Click HERE for the "Labor Union Benefit Perspective on the Affordable Care Act" by Larry Singer of Segal Company

The Small Business Assistance Program will provide education and assistance about the availability of small business tax credits; health insurance and care options for small businesses and their employees; how to understand and comment upon proposed insurance rate increases under New York’s new prior approval law; how to work with brokers; and the pros and cons of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and other small group products. In addition to the workshops, the groups will provide one-on-one counseling for small businesses to help them navigate the new law and the available health plans.

For more information contact: Mark Jaffe, GNYCC (212) 686-7220 or Lou Gordon, BALCONY (212) 219-7777

Click HERE to print the initial press release.