[Balding_Eagle]

insurers say the bulk of the letters will be sent in October, shortly before the next open-enrollment period begins. The timing — right before the midterm elections

The Washington Post isn't reporting the news as much as it is waving a flag for Obama to change the dates.

Not that any of us here didn't know that already.

[kabar]

Large numbers of employers may decide they simply can’t afford to pay the additional premiums, especially now that the exchanges are operational. Plus, the exchanges offer a selection of health plans and subsidies that often are more generous than the employer can provide. Employers no longer have to feel guilty about sending their workers out into the individual market and the companies can relieve themselves of the enormous burden of selecting and administering a health insurance program. The savings in the Human Resources departments alone will be substantial.

This decision is a no-brainer for employers not subject to the employer mandate (under 50 workers), especially those with lower wage employees, but also makes sense for a whole lot of larger companies, too. Sure they may have to pay a fine, but that is small potatoes compared to the cost of providing coverage. I would expect the employers of some 50 million workers will make this decision — close to the 30% who told McKinsey three years ago that they would drop their coverage.

Obama can change the dates all he wants. It won't affect the tidal wave of small employers dropping coverage altogether. There will be no need for notices going out from the insurance companies on price increases. The employer will just terminate the policies. It is cheaper to pay the fines even there were minimal premium increases. Employers want to get out of the health coverage business.

[PA Engineer]

The Washington Post isn't reporting the news as much as it is waving a flag for Obama to change the dates.

I agree. The occupation media loses when everything comes crashing down. The WP is one and the same with the political elites.