Colorado business groups are asking Congress to delay reinstating a tax on insurers, which could be passed on to small businesses in higher insurance costs.

Colorado Politics told you Friday about the Health Insurance Tax that business groups and insurance companies hoped would perish from the Affordable Care Act this year. The Obamacare assessment on insurance companies, based on their share of the market, took effect in 2014 and was suspended in 2015. Now it’s set to resume on Jan. 1, unless Congress steps in.

Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner is sponsoring legislation to do just that, but the congressional clock is ticking toward the new year.

“We appreciate Sen. Gardner’s leadership in advocating on behalf of Colorado’s citizens and businesses,” Jeff Wasden, president of Colorado Business Roundtable, said in a statement Tuesday. “By voting to delay the Health Insurance Tax, he and Congress can continue to help support our state’s business community, strengthen our economy, and ultimately make all of Colorado proud.”

The National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation predicts higher insurance costs resulting from the tax would imperil up to 286,000 private-sector jobs by 2023.

“Growth would necessarily slow as small business owners face increased uncertainty and an inability to properly budget for the future,” Wasden said.

The Colorado Business Roundtable is sharing the request to Congress with the Colorado Farm Bureau, and the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce among others in Centennial last week to hear concerns about the insurance costs by small businesses, farmers and ranchers..

“The health insurance tax has the potential to have devastating effects on the farming industry,” Zach Riley, director of public policy/national affairs for the Colorado Farm Bureau, said in a statement. “With net farm income down by more than 50% in the last two years due to a drop-in commodity prices, now is not the time for increasing the tax burden on rural America.”

Bob Golden, CEO of the Southwest Denver Metro Chamber, said the tax could “cripple the small businesses that serve as the very lifeblood of Colorado communities.”

“The average business size of the 700 businesses we represent is seven employees.” Golden said. “It’s tough enough right now for small businesses and this would make already expensive health insurance even more expensive.”

The statement from the Farm Bureau said Colorado has more than 33,000 farms and ranches and 572,000 small businesses that employ more than 1 million workers.