04/27/2006
Ohio's largest small-business group “profoundly disappointed” with AG’s move
COLUMBUS, Ohio—The director of the Ohio chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business, the nation's largest small-business group, today criticized Attorney General Jim Petro for declaring his opposition to a bill before the U.S. Congress that would provide more affordable health-care options for small-business owners in Ohio and across the nation. Petro's move comes just one day after NFIB presented to the U.S. Senate 28,000 petitions from Ohioans demanding passage of the legislation to create Small-Business Health Plans.
The U.S. Senate Bill 1955, "The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act of 2006," passed the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee last month and is slated to come to the Senate floor the week of May 8. The U.S. House has already passed similar legislation. 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.
"On behalf of the 36,000 members of the National Federation of Independent Business in Ohio, we are profoundly disappointed that you choose to support big insurance companies and excessive government bureaucracy over the interests of Ohio’s small-business owners and their employees," wrote NFIB/Ohio State Director Ty Pine in a letter to Petro. "Health insurance is one of the most important benefit options employers voluntarily provide, but it has become unaffordable to many small businesses, leaving thousands of hard-working Ohioans without coverage."
"NFIB research data shows that 66 percent of small-business owners rank the cost of health insurance the most critical problem above even taxes and government red tape," continued Pine. "Furthermore, the Kaiser Foundation has cited that nearly 63 percent of all uninsured Americans have a family head of household who is self-employed or works for a small business."
"The legislation you are opposing simply provides small businesses with the flexibility that big business, big labor and big government already enjoy," wrote Pine, criticizing Petro for putting his signature to a recent letter of opposition. "Don't you think small businesses and their employees deserve a level playing field?"
