Jun 25, 2015

By: Jennifer Hatcher, Senior Vice President, Government and Public Affairs, Food Marketing Institute 
Health in the Supermarket
We hope that today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision on King v. Burwell will prompt Congress to move forward and the Administration to properly consider needed changes to the Affordable Care Act that are currently impacting supermarket associates. FMI strongly supports the following legislative changes currently pending before Congress:

  • Raise the ACA’s “full-time employee” definition threshold above 30-hours per week to reflect practical workplace standards (H.R. 30/S. 30).
  • Fix substantive problems with FDA’s final rule requiring chain restaurant menu labeling at grocery stores (H.R. 2017).
  • Protect voluntary employee wellness programs (H.R. 1189/S. 620)
  • Restore access to over-the-counter (OTC) medicines (H.R 1270/S. 254)
  • Reduce or remove ACA fees and taxes imposed on employers offering health coverage
    • Repeal pending ACA “Cadillac” Excise Tax on Heath Benefits (H.R. 2050/H.R. 879)
    • End ACA fee charging self-insured plans and employee beneficiaries to fund health insurance companies’ “reinsurance” fund (H.R. 1886)
    • Stop collection of ACA fee on health insurance providers that is passed along to employers (H.R. 928/S. 183)
  • Remove duplication, confusion and administrative problems for employees and employers caused by ACA’s looming mandatory auto-enrollment provision (H.R. 1254/S. 2546in 113th Congress; to be introduced in 114th Congress)
  • Streamline employer reporting requirements and improve Exchange verification accuracy (H.R. 2712)

It is time for policymakers to adopt these critical changes to help employees, businesses and the overall economy navigate these ACA challenges.