While the election season often yields more heat than light, some clear themes emerged from last night's Brownstein Health Care Panel Discussion. Our panel and the audience of more than 80 health care professionals had consensus on five key issues impacting the health care industry:

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) indeed creates new hurdles for small businesses.

The insurance exchanges contemplated by the ACA will provide a more consumer friendly option for comparing and purchasing non-employer based health care. However, critics note that when a small business hires its 50th employee, it will trigger the employer's requirement to provide coverage for its employees. This may discourage growth of the employee base by causing small businesses to contract for services rather than hire more employees. Those independent contractors may be forced to look for individual coverage options, including through the ACA's insurance exchanges.