Chamber: ACA impact not as harsh in the Valley

March 20--SELINSGROVE -- The Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, may not be as impactful on small businesses as opponents in Congress have alleged.

At least that's what the results of an admittedly un-scientific survey of Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce members indicates, said Bob Garrett, president, CEO, Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, on Friday.

As an adjunct to putting together a 2017 legislative agenda, Garrett distributed a simple questionnaire to his membership.

"We asked, 'what changes to the ACA would you like to see addressed by the American Health Care Act,'" Garrett said.

He was surprised by the answers he got.

"Our members were split 50-50," he said. "That was a real shocker to us. There is so much debate going on about how health care has affected us. And yet half of our businesses here are telling us there has really been no impact at all."

Knoebels Amuement Resort's Rick Knoebel, who sits on GSVCC's governmental affairs committee, is not one of those sitting on the fence. He cares very much about health care "and how it affects our workforce of more than 2,000 people," he said Friday at a midday meeting.

Even those who said in the survey that ACA didn't impact their business had plenty to say, mostly about affordability, access, and choice.

Eliminating the mandate on employers, was a common response. Another responder said, "Just improve it. Don't replace it."

"I think what small businesses in the Greater Susquehanna Valley are saying," Garrett explained, "is rather than this radical, big change, they would rather see Congress working with our medical sector and with insurers and try to figure out ways to make a plan that is more affordable and is accessible to as many people as possible.

At the same time, most survey respondents wanted to see the mandates eliminated or minimized.

"The mandate for businesses has really affected the ability of businesses to grow, to strive and thrive," Garrett said. "If those mandates could be lessened I think we'd see a real explosion in economic development and job creation."

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