On October 1, U.S. House Committee on Small Business ChairmanSam Graves (R-MO) released the following statement about theongoing problems of the Small Business Health Options Program(SHOP), one year into Obamacare's operations.

"From the time then-Speaker Pelosi proclaimed Obamacare shouldbe passed 'so you can find out what's in it' to today's one yearanniversary of this burdensome law's botched implementation, theadministration has widely over-promised and painfullyunder-delivered every step of the way," said Rep. Graves. "The pastyear has been littered with problems, including rising costs,cancellation notices, and a faulty $2 billion website." Likewise,he continued, Obamacare's Small Business Health Options Program hasfallen woefully short of any kind of acceptable standard.

"To this day, the administration is unable to answer basicquestions, such as how many are enrolled in the program—thequestion this Committee has asked repeatedly since January," saidRep. Graves. "Instead of simplifying the health insurance processfor small business, the SHOP program has created confusion anduncertainty with five delays along the way. Small businesses havepaid the price of this inept management."

During the September 18 hearing of the Small BusinessSubcommittee on Health and Technology, titled, "An Update on theSmall Business Health Options Program: Is It Working for SmallBusinesses?" Chairman Chris Collins (R-NY) opened the hearing bystating: "The SHOPs are marketplaces established by PresidentObama's health care law and are intended to assist certain smallbusinesses in shopping for, comparing, and enrolling in healthinsurance plans for their employees."

He continued: "The Administration has promised that the SHOPexchanges would simplify the process of obtaining insurance, expandhealth insurance coverage options for small businesses, increasesmall business purchasing power to lower costs, and put consumersin charge of their health care."

Unfortunately, according to Rep. Collins, the reality of theprogram is far less than promised. "Despite spending vast amountsof time and taxpayer dollars establishing the SHOPs, the programcontinues to be beset by operational delays and other problems thathave undermined their utility as a tool for small businesses."

During the hearing, Rep. Collins specifically asked the Centersfor Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) witness, Director of theState Exchange Group, Mayra Alvarez, about the SHOPs enrollmentdata. However, according to Rep. Graves, the administration wasstill unable to provide the information.

Rep. Graves added that the SHOPs challenges have occurred whilesmall businesses in general are grappling with rising healthinsurance costs. In fact, he said, costs are increasing for nearlytwo-thirds of small businesses that provide health insurance totheir employees.

The National Federation of Independent Business found that 54percent of small business owners paid more per employee for healthinsurance in 2013 than in 2012.