04/29/2008
NFIB's Solutions Start Here campaign aims to increase affordable healthcare options for small business
Washington, D.C.--The National Federation of Independent Business, the nation's leading small business association, announced today its support of Cover the Uninsured Week, a national initiative to raise awareness about the millions of Americans living without health insurance. Increasing affordable healthcare coverage options is a paramount issue for small businesses whose owners, employees and dependents represent 28 million¹ of the 47 million Americans without health insurance².
Small business generates half of America's GDP and creates two-thirds of the net new jobs annually. However, rising healthcare costs are threatening small business' economic viability. According to a recent study by the Kauffman-RAND Institute for Entrepreneurship Public Policy, small business owners spend a higher percentage of their payroll on healthcare than large business. Furthermore, small businesses lack the bargaining power of large business and have less competition when it comes to insurance providers. In fact, small businesses pay 18 percent more in health insurance premiums than those in larger corporations³.
"Small business is the backbone of our economy and healthcare is their No. 1 issue. This is because finding and providing affordable health insurance has become an overwhelming obstacle for many small business owners," said Todd Stottlemyer, president and CEO, NFIB. "Affordable healthcare coverage must be made more accessible for many Americans and NFIB is committed to working with policymakers and the next Administration to ensure healthcare reform is introduced that does just that."
Insurance premiums have increased 78 percent since 2001 while wages have only increased 19 percent4. In many cases employers are forced to choose whether to increase wages, hire new employees or provide healthcare coverage. Small businesses are plagued by the lack of affordable healthcare options; however, before the issue of coverage can be addressed, there must be a solution that effectively reigns in unsustainable costs.
To address the need for realistic healthcare reform that works for small business, NFIB launched Solutions Start Here, its largest and most aggressive healthcare campaign to date. This campaign serves as the small business platform for healthcare reform and educates policymakers about the unique healthcare needs of America's job creators. As part of the campaign, a petition has been created calling on policymakers and the presidential candidates to specifically consider the unique needs of small business when drafting any healthcare reform legislation.
"We are committed to being the voice for small business and we are delivering the message to policymakers that this crisis is unsustainable," continued Stottlemyer. "Our next president and Congress must introduce healthcare reform that addresses the needs of small business, because when it's fixed for small business it's fixed for America."
For more information about Solutions Start Here or NFIB, please contact Stephanie Cathcart at 202-314-2056.
Solutions Start Here is a campaign developed and led by NFIB and its members as the small business platform for healthcare reform. By working to engage and educate policymakers about the unique healthcare issues faced by small business, Solutions Start Here will drive and integrate the concerns and needs of America's small business community into the national health reform debate. Because when healthcare is fixed for small business, it's fixed for America. For more information visit www.FixedForAmerica.com.
NFIB is the nation's leading small business association, with offices in Washington, D.C. and all 50 state capitals. Founded in 1943 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, NFIB gives small and independent business owners a voice in shaping the public policy issues that affect their business. NFIB's powerful network of grassroots activists sends their views directly to state and federal lawmakers through our unique member-only ballot, thus playing a critical role in supporting America's free enterprise system.
NFIB's mission is to promote and protect the right of our members to own, operate and grow their businesses. More information about NFIB is available online at www.NFIB.com/newsroom.
³www.commonwealthfund.org/newsroom/newsroom_show.htm?doc_id=371980
