Colorado Businesses Want More Certainty With Obamacare

DENVER (CBS4) – Over the last year the White House has delayed, extended and adjusted the law more than a dozen times, twice extending the deadline for when business with more than 50 employees have to offer insurance, and the impacts are far reaching.

Centennial Container in Denver is among thousands of small business in Colorado where the Affordable Care Act has become a big hassle.

"The employer mandate changes, the individual mandate changes. Really from day to day I don't know exactly where we stand," said Jim Noon from Centennial Container.

Like many small business owners, Noon wants certainty; something he feels is lacking in the rollout of Obamacare.

The president first extended the deadline for when plans had to be compliant with the new law and now he's extended the deadline for when companies have to offer coverage.

"Business owners are throwing up hands and saying 'what are we supposed to expect next?' They're not hiring, they aren't reinvesting and they aren't expanding," said Tony Galiardi with the Federation of Independent Businesses.

Galiardi says now business owners are even being required to certify they're not letting people go to get below the 50 employee threshold.

"We have process for implementing laws and we're seeing that be completely bypassed for political expediency," said Galiardi.

"When the rules change and change and change again and change back and change again how do you plan for it at all," said Noon.

Noon has provided insurance for his employees for 30 years.

Because he has less than 50 employees he won't be required to provide insurance under Obamacare and he said he probably won't as his rates, he says, will double.

"It breaks my heart to think I'm going to be pulling the rug out from under them because I don't have any choice," said Noon.

One deadline it appears the president won't extend again is the individual mandate. Everyone must be insured by the end of March or pay a tax penalty.

It is unclear whether Coloradans who currently have plans that don't comply with the law will see those plans canceled this year.

The president has asked for another two-year extension of old policies but in Colorado, state law may not allow for it.