In a striking about face, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will no longer seek the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, working instead to correct what it sees as its flaws.
It was three years ago this month, during his annual State of American Business address, that the Chamber’s president and CEO, Tom Donahue, labeled the ACA “unworkable” and called for its repeal. During last week’s address he softened his views, calling instead for business-friendly adjustments to the new law.
“The administration is obviously committed to keeping the law in place, so the chamber has been working pragmatically to fix those parts of Obamacare that can be fixed -- while doing everything we can to make regulations and mandates as manageable as possible for businesses,” Donohue said during the speech. “In 2014, we will work to repeal onerous healthcare taxes; repeal, delay or change the employer mandate; and give companies and their employees more flexibility in the choice of health insurance plans.”
Acknowledging that outright repeal of the employer mandate -- already delayed until January 2015 -- is unlikely, the Chamber’s executive director, Katie Mahoney indicated that the group might be satisfied with some modifications. Specifically, the Chamber wants a change to the law’s definition of full-time employees from those working 30 hours a week to those working 40 hours or more. Under the ACA, large employers with 50 or more full-time employees must provide them with health coverage starting next year.
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