Arkansas Small Business Owners Eager for Healthcare Reform
Research Shows Small Business Owners Believe Healthcare Reform is Necessary and Important to Getting the Economy Back on Track
Sausalito, CA, Sept. 17, 2009: Recent research shows the majority of Arkansas small businesses are struggling with the high costs of healthcare, and believe healthcare reform is necessary and important in getting the economy back on track. A statewide survey of 200 randomly selected small businesses found that affordability is the primary obstacle in obtaining health insurance. Arkansas was one of 15 states polled over the past five months by Small Business Majority, a leading national small business advocacy organization focused on healthcare reform. Eighty-three percent of Arkansas small business owners not offering health insurance say they can't afford to. Of those who do provide insurance, 65 percent are struggling to provide it. Small business people are in an untenable position when it comes to healthcare. Costs are astronomical and rising every year, yet being uninsured can be just as burdensome financially if illness strikes, said John Arensmeyer, founder and chief executive officer of Small Business Majority. Small businesses are desperate for reform. The cost of doing nothing is just too high. The survey found that 85 percent of the states small business owners believe that people should be able to buy health insurance without regard to any past health problems. Seventy-five percent see these rules as a barrier to starting a business. Healthcare reform would do so many things for me, personally, said Bret Park, owner of Park Company Architects in Fayetteville. It would be better for my business, it would benefit the economy, it would help my children. If I wasn't squandering $1,000 a month on disproportionally expensive health insurance, I could use that money to invest in my employees and grow my business. Additional findings in the report include:
- 71% say healthcare reform is important for getting the economy back on track.
- 64% of small business owners believe that to make healthcare more affordable, it's important to share the responsibility among individuals, employers, insurance companies, providers, and government.
- 69% support the choice of a private or public health insurance plan
Small Business Majority conducts extensive scientific polling and research to determine small business owners̢??? perspectives on healthcare reform and brings a nonpartisan voice to policy discussions nationwide. Based in Sausalito, CA, with offices in Washington, DC and New York City, the organization works with small business owners, healthcare policy experts and elected officials nationwide.