Massachusetts Small Businesses: Partners Merger Will Raise Health Costs
www.NFIB.com
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bill Vernon, NFIB/MA (617)-482-1327 and
Jon Hurst, MA Retailers (617)-523-1900
Massachusetts Small Businesses: Partners Merger Will Raise Health Costs
Boston (September 11, 2014) – The Massachusetts chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business and the Retailers Association of Massachusetts have asked Attorney General Coakley to reconsider the settlement with Partners Healthcare regarding the proposed merger with South Shore and Hallmark Health Corporations.
The two prominent representatives of the state’s small business community say that the merger will not lower health care costs and will lead to higher health insurance premiums for the state’s small businesses and the 1.5 million residents of the Commonwealth who work at small businesses.
“Small businesses have been waiting for the state to make cost reduction the focus of health care policy since enactment of Massachusetts health care reform,” said NFIB State Director Bill Vernon. “Until the state gets serious about health care costs, we must oppose mergers, legislative initiatives and anything else that will not bring financial relief for our members.”
The groups cite the state’s Health Policy Commission conclusions about the “increased health care spending” resulting from “reduced market competition” and eventually leading to “increased premiums”.
“Small business concerns about health care costs and premium increases is not theoretical,” Jon Hurst of the Retailers Association said. “Our small retailers have experienced double digit premium increases in most years for the past decade.”
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