06/ 03/ 2008
by NFIB President Todd Stottlemyer
When we announced our 10 Principles for Small Business Healthcare Reform (MyBusiness, February/March 2008), we pointed out that we had spent much time consulting with, and listening to, healthcare policy experts with many different points of view on what is the best solution to the healthcare problems facing small business owners.
As we share those principles with policymakers and candidates, we're continuing to probe more deeply into the healthcare issue by hosting a series of forums. Led by Dr. Bob Graboyes, NFIB's senior healthcare adviser, we kicked off the first forum, held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to look into the idea of an individual mandate to purchase health insurance.
This is an idea that has cropped up in the states, beginning in Massachusetts, and also has become part of the presidential campaign debates. Some national polling has shown that the idea is catching on with the general public as well.
Proponents of an individual mandate frequently use an easy-to-understand analogy: Everyone who owns a vehicle is required to buy auto insurance, so why shouldn't everyone be required to buy health insurance? Of course, the analogy begins to break down when you consider that many people can choose not to own or drive a car, but everyone will eventually need healthcare.
During the forum, which featured proponents, opponents, undecideds and four renowned experts representing a range of views on the right, left and in between, we began considering other questions about the ideas and assumptions behind the individual mandate. For example, what do you do about people who simply can't afford to buy health insurance at any price? If you want to cover 100 percent of the population, who pays for them? Which incentives and enforcement mechanisms are desirable, or even possible? Which type of coverage will be offered, and who makes that decision?
While we know that some NFIB members support an individual mandate, we don't have a clear majority that would allow us, under our policies, to take a position on this issue one way or another. However, we have been conducting additional research among our members to help us understand where they stand on this issue and others in the healthcare debate. If you have been contacted for--and agreed to participate in--this research, thank you for being part of this important effort.
Meanwhile, we're conducting additional forums. For example, in one that took place after this issue of the magazine went to press, a health policy expert from each of the three top presidential campaigns explained in more detail each candidate's proposals to address the healthcare crisis.
In future issues of MyBusiness, you will hear more about these forums and what we're learning from them. In the meantime, you can read on page 26 about our additional efforts to address the healthcare crisis, including how you can share your experiences with us in our Solutions Start Here campaign.
There's no shortage of ideas about how to address the healthcare crisis. You can read on page 25A about one approach being taken in a new bill, the Small Business Health Options Program, recently introduced by a bipartisan group of U.S. senators. We endorsed this bill because it embodies several of the principles we developed.
I hope you will take the time to carefully read the healthcare-related articles in this issue and then give us your feedback. It's critical that we continue to hear from our members, because when healthcare is fixed for small business, it's fixed for America.
Editor's note: Readers can send their thoughts via e-mail to letters@mybusinessmag.com or mail to MyBusiness, 3322 West End Ave., Suite 700, Nashville, TN 37203.
