Insurance agents and brokers will play a “critical” role in helping small businesses navigate and take interest in the federal health reform, although businesses without an insurance broker them the least, a new report says.

Philadelphia-based Lincoln Financial Group said its Lincoln Small Business area has increased its group group size to 2-14 lives.

The Maryland Health Care Commission today (May 3) launched a new web portal to help small business owners choose a group health plan for their employees.

President Barack Obama signed a repeal of “onerous” reporting rules, forcing insurance agency owners and other small businesses to report on 1099 tax forms any transactions with vendors of at least $600.

The Hanover Insurance Group has expanded its small commercial insurance offerings into six western states and Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Senate has joined the U.S. House of Representatives in passing a bill that will repeal the 1099 tax reporting requirements imposed on businesses with federal health reform.

The U.S. Senate plans to vote April 5 to repeal a tax-reporting requirement included in last year’s federal health reform law that has angered small business owners.

Small businesses would be more likely to offer their employees insurance if they knew more about provisions under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), a survey shows.

Insurance industry trade groups praised the U.S. House of Representatives for passing a bill to repeal the 1099 provision of the health care reform.

Exactly half of small business owners surveyed late last year say health care costs are a major concern, according to a new survey.