Small Business Asks President Obama to Support Reforms that Help, not Harm
CONTACT: Stephanie Cathcart, (202) 314-2056, stephanie.cathcart@nfib.org
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 9, 2009 — Dan Danner, president and CEO of the National Federation of Independent Business, issued the following statement in advance of President Obama’s remarks on healthcare before Congress:
“When President Obama addresses Congress tonight he has an opportunity to show America that he has heard their thoughts on health reform. He can choose to push for reforms that will lower costs for small businesses or add new mandates and taxes on them; and he can choose to support increased competition or support a plan that will further consolidate and ultimately destroy private markets.
It’s time for the president to tell us exactly where he stands. Will he stand with small business in helping to push reforms that will lead to lower costs for them and their employees?
No one has voiced the need for health reform louder than NFIB and small business owners. But, as we have said for more than 20 years now, it is essential that reform lowers costs for them and their employees. We continue to hear generic talk about lowering costs and improved quality – but none of the bills currently before Congress will actually fulfill those needs. If the president and Congress insist on continuing down the road the House started, they will actually make things worse for small business– leading to increased unemployment, decreased wages and, ultimately, higher health insurance costs.
We must remember that our long-term goal is to create a system where there are affordable, sustainable healthcare options. In order to do that, small businesses need a more efficient marketplace in which to purchase health insurance – one with greater competition and access to larger pools. Portability of health benefits should also be an essential part of reform so that workers won’t continue to suffer from job lock just because of their health benefits. Finally, the tax treatment of the purchase of health insurance must be equalized for all purchasers, regardless of how they obtain their insurance.
The time for rhetoric and promise-making is over. If the president wants to truly help small businesses he will support and outline a plan that will, in fact, lower costs and not add new burdens. NFIB believes reform is possible, but it has to be reform that helps, not harms our nation’s job creators.”
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