[troupe]

It is not just the tax break that makes it cheaper for corporations to buy insurance. Companies with a lot of employees pay a lot less than individuals because they pool the risk. Back before ACA you used to be able to get in a pool with, for example, other small business owners and pay an amount similar to what companies pay but as an individual. ACA made those plans illegal and insurance that used to cost $500 per month jumped to $1800.

[matwood]

I wasn't aware the ACA made pooling illegal. Awhile back I tried to form a group with small tech companies in my town to do this, but the insurance companies all wanted a larger anchor company. None of the bigger tech companies in town wanted to participate b/c they saw their benefits as a competitive advantage. This was post ACA, and I don't remember anyone mentioning legality.

Small companies get crushed by insurance. Giving employees extra money in their check and telling them to use it on the ACA is probably most effective for all parties at the moment.