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Hey Steve, here are the basics that I came away with on Friday - and this is for private companies under the 50 eligible employee thresh-hold - straight from the broker's mouth. My example is with Blue Cross/Blue Shield because that is what we have.

1) less than 50 employees - cancel the plan no penalty
2) anyone on the plan has pre-existing can possibly be denied until 2014 with caveat goes into play the “guarantee shall issue” and with the individual mandate you most prove that for year of 2013, you have coverage, or be penalized when you do your taxes in 2014
3) no maternity on individual plans, period - only on group
4) minimum percentage of the employee only premium is paid by employer - nothing for dependents - based on BCBS (or your company's contract with your provider)
5) as long as your provider offers grandfathered plans, you can continue that particular plan, provided you make NO changes to it at all
6) if employee declines company insurance, then they (the employee) must have insurance somewhere somehow or pay the penalty on their personal taxes
7) BCBS does offer individual plans, but whether they offer through the exchange is debatable
8) Essential Coverage is only through the exchange - Bigger Cost, Bigger Deductible
9) Claims experience on your group plan is included for 5 years in claims history once a “user” leaves the plan. The insurance company already paid out the claim, they are going to get their money back one way or the other.

There is absolutely no incentive to grow small companies under this debacle of OCare.