04/19/2006
Nation's largest small-business group works to reach senators before key vote in May
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Federation of Independent Business, the nation's largest small-business group, today announced details of its nationwide grassroots and media campaign aimed at reaching U.S. senators before a key vote to pass Small-Business Health Plans, expected early next month. The bill, S. 1955, "The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act of 2006," passed the Senate Health, Education, Labor Pensions Committee in March.
This week, radio ads are running in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Washington state. The purpose of the ads is to generate awareness of SBHPs in these states and to encourage people to contact their senators through www.SBHPAlert.com. The ads are available for listening at www.NFIB.com.
NFIB's campaign also includes Web banner ads, which began running this week on major daily newspaper sites in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington state and Wisconsin. Ads also are appearing on AOL small-business sites, small-business blogs and sites nationwide, national and local political blogs and sites, and several Washington, D.C., news publication sites. Print ads will also run in selected news publications in Washington, D.C.
Along with paid media, NFIB is activating members and non-member small-business owners through e-mails and NFIB communications, urging them to put positive pressure on their senators before the SBHP bill comes to the Senate floor. Additionally, NFIB and the SBHP Coalition, whose 200 member groups will also be organizing their members, will work through the news media to reach lawmakers, get the word out, and correct misinformation about SBHPs.
"Access to affordable health care is the No. 1 concern of small-business owners, so making Small-Business Health Plans a reality is NFIB's top priority," said NFIB President and CEO Todd A. Stottlemyer. "The Senate has a critical opportunity to make a real difference for small businesses, their employees and their families. NFIB is working overtime to make sure that every senator understands how important this vote is to small business. Everyday, we hear from small-business owners struggling to provide health insurance for their employees. They can't wait any longer. They need help now. We need the Senate to act."
The Senate SBHP bill is sponsored by Senate HELP Committee Chair Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.). SBHPs will level the playing field and give participating small businesses the same buying power as Fortune 500 companies and unions by allowing them to join together across state lines through trade and professional associations to purchase affordable health benefits.
