MO Small Businesses: The Time for Real Health Care Reform is Now
"Health care costs are simply too expensive for small businessess"
That's the key message from a new survey conducted on behalf of the Missouri Foundation for Health by Small Business Majority by Lake Research in May. From Missourinet:
"What we learned confirmed, basically, what we already knew as small business owners and sort of anecdotally," said Small Business Majority CEO John Arensmeyer. "That the high cost of health care is just killing small businesses in Missouri."
Arensmeyer says most of the small businesses surveyed like much of what they are hearing being discussed in Washington, D.C., especially the call for eliminating higher premiums or disqualification for pre-existing conditions.
"Another thing that's really part of all the proposals is very significant insurance market reforms," said Arensmeyer. "In particular, eliminating the restriction on buying health insurance or cost based on health insurance based on health status or pre-existing conditions."
That health care is too expensive and limiting business growth is not new information. But interestingly, there was strong support from the businesses surveyed for having the choice of a public health insurance plan (69%) -- and only 18% said they wanted only private plans to choose from. And 82% of the small businesses survey want to eliminate preexisting condition rules.
The key points from the report's executive summary are as follows:
- The number one concern for Missouri small businesses in health care reform is controlling costs, followed by having high-quality standard benefits, and having guaranteed coverage that cannot be taken away.
- 89 percent of Missouri small businesses not offering health insurance report they cannot afford the cost, while 72 percent of those who do offer it report they are “really struggling” to do so.
- 82 percent of small businesses want to eliminate preexisting condition rules, and 68 percent see these rules as a barrier to starting a business.
- 76 percent of small businesses support establishing a health insurance pool to create a marketplace where small businesses and individuals choose their coverage (16% oppose this proposal).
- 69 percent prefer having the choice of a private or public health insurance plan; 18 percent prefer private only; and 6 percent prefer only a public health insurance plan.
- 65 percent say health care reform is important for getting the economy back on track.
- 59 percent say it is important for individuals, employers, insurers, the government, and health care providers to share the responsibility for making health care more affordable.
- 58 percent say their company has a responsibility to provide health coverage for its employees.
- 55 percent believe that businesses not offering health insurance should be required to pay something to cover their employees, although 32 percent say no contribution should be required. Of those who agree a contribution should be required, more than half believe it should be more than 5 percent of payroll.
