Survey Finds Broad Small Business Support for New York Health Insurance Exchange

December 6, 2011, New York, NY. A survey released Dec. 5 by HealthPass New York found strong support among New York small business owners for a statewide health insurance exchange. The survey, which mirrors national poll results released by Small Business Majority earlier this year, found small employers believe an exchange would provide more affordable options for purchasing better coverage, and 60 percent of owners not currently providing insurance said they'd be more likely to do so if an exchange were available.

The survey of 300 small businesses found 84 percent of New York small business owners see the exchange as a good idea after learning about the proposed New York small business exchange and 76 percent would consider enrolling their business in an exchange.

If small business owners are going to stimulate the economy they need to focus on growing and creating jobs, said John Arensmeyer, founder and CEO of Small Business Majority. Health insurance exchanges will save them time and money that they can then invest in their businesses. This poll shows that small business owners realize this and want and need an exchange in New York.

Health insurance exchanges, online, state-based marketplaces where small businesses can pool their buying power to drive down health insurance costs, are required to be up and running by January, 2014. If implemented correctly, the exchanges will help contain costs while reducing the time small business owners spend on paperwork and administrative duties. Fifty percent of survey respondents said they could spend more time thinking about how to grow their business if they didn't spend so much time dealing with healthcare for their employees.

This survey closely parallels a national poll Small Business Majority released earlier this year, which found one third of small employers who do not currently offer coverage would be more likely to do so because of health insurance exchanges. Similarly, a third of those already offering coverage said that they would be more likely to continue doing so because of exchanges.

Small businesses have made it clear that healthcare costs are bleeding them dry and making them unable to grow and pull our economy out of this slump. They want a better option for purchasing coverage and believe a state exchange will help them do so, Arensmeyer said. New York legislators should listen to them and work to enact a successful exchange that will give them the relief they need.