Congresswoman DeGette Convenes Panel to Help Denver Small Businesses Better Understand the Impact of Health Reform

DENVER, CO – Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-1) moderated a panel of health insurance and small business experts to discuss the impacts of health reform on Denver small businesses. Congresswoman DeGette played a key part in the enactment of The Affordable Care Act, and has now taken on a leading role in helping her constituents understand what reform means for them. The reform bill contains many provisions designed to bolster and protect small businesses, including a tax credit for those that offer insurance coverage to their employees.

"Throughout the reform process we took steps to ensure that small businesses were adequately protected and accounted for under the legislation," said DeGette. "Understanding these protections and taking advantage of the credits offered by the law can be difficult, however, and I am glad that I could convene such an extraordinary panel today to help small businesses prepare for the implementation of the reforms, and ensure they can maximize those benefits."

Congresswoman DeGette was joined by the Region 8 Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Marguerite Salazar, Colorado Health Care Policy and Financing Executive Director Joan Henneberry, Colorado Division of Insurance Director of External Affairs Jo Donlin, and the Senior Vice President of Benefits for Locton Companies, LLC Leo Tokar. Together, the panelists brought to the forum a wealth of knowledge and experience from within both the public and private sectors.

"I know the unique challenges these employers are faced with on a daily basis," said DeGette. "I am proud of the steps we took in the health reform bill to protect small businesses, and was excited to help those businesses better understand those reforms here today. Thanks to our extraordinary panel, I am confident that we were able to help those in attendance today take full advantage of the protections and benefits afforded by the reforms."

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