A Families USA study in 17 U.S. states reported that, in Georgia, health care premiums rose six times faster than income, over the last 9 years. The cost to employees increased 150% over that period, from 2000 to 2009.
Small businesses are the hardest hit, with the least capacity to pay. The U. S. Small Business Administration advises that there are 27 million small businesses in the U.S. providing income for over 70 million employees and their families. This is over 99% of all U.S. employers and firms with up to 20 staff produced 80% of all new jobs from 1990 to 2003.
So even though small U.S. businesses are the basis of employment growth, the attention given to them in the health care reform debate has been minor. The current health care bill being debated means while some small businesses would pay less, others would pay more.
The influence that large companies are able to exert over legislators is obvious.
A recent survey of 343 small businesses proprietors by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, found that 76% thought that they were not being correctly considered in the health care reform discussions. 78% of firms who don’t provide health care benefits said they wanted to, but 80% of them said that the cost involved stopped them form being able to offer coverage.
Congress needs to address the cost issues for small businesses, particularly the substantial discounts in health care premiums that are offered to large firms compared to smaller businesses.
We assist U.S. small companies by sending them qualified prospects from our Local Search facility in our Business Directory at no cost to them. There are over 10 million businesses listed in our directory and the majority are small businesses.
Monte Huebsch, CEO.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
The average cost of a U.S. employer paid family health care plan has increased by 5% in the last year.
A report by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research & Educational Trust says that the cost of the average employer provided family health care plan is now $13,375 per employee, an increase of 5% from 2008.
The increase is less than earlier years, but inflation was minus .7% over the same period.
The survey of 2,000 companies found that 40% of employers are likely to pass some of that increase on to employees, by increasing the amount that their employees pay for visits to doctors, and for prescription drugs.
9% of employers said they would make the eligibility conditions for health care cover tighter and 8% said they would stop providing health care cover completely.
A separate survey of 1,250 in July reported that now people are more concerned about not being able to afford medical treatment than about meeting mortgage payments or losing their job.
Many large health insurers anticipate a 10% premium increase in the next year. Premiums are now double what they were a decade ago.
The Business Roundtable, an organisation of C.E.O.s of large U.S. companies, anticipates premiums will increase to about $29,000 per employee over the next 10 years.
As the President pushes for health care reform, the various special interest groups are exerting political pressure on legislators to satisfy to their individual agendas.
Small U.S. businesses are the hardest hit by health care cost increases, with the least capacity to pay.
We assist them by providing qualified prospects from our Local Search facility in our U.S.A. Business Directory, which has over 10 million business listed, at no cost to them. Most listings are small firms, so the additional business which is created without expense is very helpful.
Monte Huebsch, CEO.
The increase is less than earlier years, but inflation was minus .7% over the same period.
The survey of 2,000 companies found that 40% of employers are likely to pass some of that increase on to employees, by increasing the amount that their employees pay for visits to doctors, and for prescription drugs.
9% of employers said they would make the eligibility conditions for health care cover tighter and 8% said they would stop providing health care cover completely.
A separate survey of 1,250 in July reported that now people are more concerned about not being able to afford medical treatment than about meeting mortgage payments or losing their job.
Many large health insurers anticipate a 10% premium increase in the next year. Premiums are now double what they were a decade ago.
The Business Roundtable, an organisation of C.E.O.s of large U.S. companies, anticipates premiums will increase to about $29,000 per employee over the next 10 years.
As the President pushes for health care reform, the various special interest groups are exerting political pressure on legislators to satisfy to their individual agendas.
Small U.S. businesses are the hardest hit by health care cost increases, with the least capacity to pay.
We assist them by providing qualified prospects from our Local Search facility in our U.S.A. Business Directory, which has over 10 million business listed, at no cost to them. Most listings are small firms, so the additional business which is created without expense is very helpful.
Monte Huebsch, CEO.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Female C.E.O.’s have been very successful during the economic downtown.
The annual economic survey by the Women Presidents’ Organisation shows that 55% of female C.E.O.’s of large companies have maintained or grown their staff numbers during the global recession.
67% of their companies either increased or maintained their staff’s salaries.
The Women Presidents’ Organisation is an organisation of 1,400 women executives who own or control large businesses in the USA, UK, Canada, Peru, and South Africa.
82% of these C.E.O.’s have a positive view about the results for their businesses in 2010.
Comparing 2008 to 2009:
31% of their companies have grown. 54% have made their business “green”, that is environmentally friendly and 35% additional intend to do so.
These results demonstrate the flexibility of female executives in coping with difficult financial circumstances and support the view that greater female numbers in large company’s boardrooms would produce a positive outcome.
As most of the developed world comes out of recession, unemployment is still a major concern, particularly in the US. Creativity and flexibility are qualities that are greatly needed at this time.
Female creativity and ability to change with changing circumstances is a resource which has been undervalued and not properly utilised. Results like these are an indication of the benefits in making a change to a more gender balanced mix of business leaders.
We support females in business with our USA Local Search facility in our Business Directory, by supplying the 10 million businesses listed, many of which are owned or run by women, with qualified prospects at no cost.
Monte Huebsch, CEO.
67% of their companies either increased or maintained their staff’s salaries.
The Women Presidents’ Organisation is an organisation of 1,400 women executives who own or control large businesses in the USA, UK, Canada, Peru, and South Africa.
82% of these C.E.O.’s have a positive view about the results for their businesses in 2010.
Comparing 2008 to 2009:
31% of their companies have grown. 54% have made their business “green”, that is environmentally friendly and 35% additional intend to do so.
These results demonstrate the flexibility of female executives in coping with difficult financial circumstances and support the view that greater female numbers in large company’s boardrooms would produce a positive outcome.
As most of the developed world comes out of recession, unemployment is still a major concern, particularly in the US. Creativity and flexibility are qualities that are greatly needed at this time.
Female creativity and ability to change with changing circumstances is a resource which has been undervalued and not properly utilised. Results like these are an indication of the benefits in making a change to a more gender balanced mix of business leaders.
We support females in business with our USA Local Search facility in our Business Directory, by supplying the 10 million businesses listed, many of which are owned or run by women, with qualified prospects at no cost.
Monte Huebsch, CEO.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Only 12% of eligible US homeowners have had loan modifications done under the Federal housing rescue plan, the Home Affordable Modification Program.
The US Treasury reports that by August 360,000 homeowners had their monthly mortgage payments reduced, which was an increase, up from 235,000 in July.
The assistance plan, which was launched in February, pays cash to limit monthly mortgage payments to 31% of the borrower’s income.
US Treasury officials report they expect to approve 500,000 borrowers by the end of October. A trial period becomes permanent when the homeowner has made three monthly payments at the reduced amount.
The Treasury spokesman said that even if the program is a success, millions of foreclosures were still expected, the estimate being that more than 6 million US homeowners face the risk of foreclosure over the next three years.
A Federal Reserve official said that the real problem was the rising number of unemployed and that mortgage relief is no assistance if there in no homeowner’s income.
Treasury said that 47 Lenders had agreed to be involved in the loan amendment program, but that 21 of them had altered less than 5% of eligible loans, and that a number of them had amended none at all.
So the impact of the economic downturn will continue to be felt for some time.
Both homeowners and small businesses have been the hardest hit, and the best hope for improved employment, which will help reduce foreclosures, comes from small US businesses.
We help small businesses with our Local Search facility in our Business Directory by providing qualified prospects to the 10 million business listed, most of which are small businesses, at no cost to them.
Monte Huebsch, CEO.
The assistance plan, which was launched in February, pays cash to limit monthly mortgage payments to 31% of the borrower’s income.
US Treasury officials report they expect to approve 500,000 borrowers by the end of October. A trial period becomes permanent when the homeowner has made three monthly payments at the reduced amount.
The Treasury spokesman said that even if the program is a success, millions of foreclosures were still expected, the estimate being that more than 6 million US homeowners face the risk of foreclosure over the next three years.
A Federal Reserve official said that the real problem was the rising number of unemployed and that mortgage relief is no assistance if there in no homeowner’s income.
Treasury said that 47 Lenders had agreed to be involved in the loan amendment program, but that 21 of them had altered less than 5% of eligible loans, and that a number of them had amended none at all.
So the impact of the economic downturn will continue to be felt for some time.
Both homeowners and small businesses have been the hardest hit, and the best hope for improved employment, which will help reduce foreclosures, comes from small US businesses.
We help small businesses with our Local Search facility in our Business Directory by providing qualified prospects to the 10 million business listed, most of which are small businesses, at no cost to them.
Monte Huebsch, CEO.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
The Government is providing funding for small USA businesses for “green” technology development to help them compete with Chinese companies.
Grants totalling $37 million in funding from the Department of Energy are available to small US businesses that have up to 500 employees to develop and apply technology which reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Companies with research capacity in science or engineering are invited to apply for a share of the funds.
Applications in a number of areas are being invited including: building air conditioning and refrigeration, efficient water use in electricity generation, cooling of power plants, gas turbines, wireless networks, solar technology, and more efficient manufacturing processes.
Application must be submitted by September 4 and successful companies can receive up to $150,000 to use towards providing a demonstration of the commercial benefits of their technology.
In the field of solar power, the Chinese are the current leading player, particularly in the US market, where they have reduced the cost of solar panels by 50% in the last year. There is currently an oversupply of solar panels, and the largest Chinese manufacturer is selling them at below the cost of production and transport in the US to capture market share.
Clean energy is an industry that receives substantial support in subsidies and cash incentives from the national, state and local Chinese governments and Chinese companies are about to build factories in the US to avoid tariff penalties.
IMS Research reports that the solar power industry had record sales growth in 2007 and shipments of solar power equipment increased by 81% in the second quarter of 2009, over the previous quarter.
The total stimulus funding for green energy in the US is over $61 billion but it is thought that it will take at least 5 years to catch up to the Chinese in this field.
Small businesses in the USA need all the assistance they can get in the current depressed economic conditions and we help by having them found in an online local search with our business directory portal which provides them with qualified prospects at no cost to them.
Monte Huebsch, CEO.
Companies with research capacity in science or engineering are invited to apply for a share of the funds.
Applications in a number of areas are being invited including: building air conditioning and refrigeration, efficient water use in electricity generation, cooling of power plants, gas turbines, wireless networks, solar technology, and more efficient manufacturing processes.
Application must be submitted by September 4 and successful companies can receive up to $150,000 to use towards providing a demonstration of the commercial benefits of their technology.
In the field of solar power, the Chinese are the current leading player, particularly in the US market, where they have reduced the cost of solar panels by 50% in the last year. There is currently an oversupply of solar panels, and the largest Chinese manufacturer is selling them at below the cost of production and transport in the US to capture market share.
Clean energy is an industry that receives substantial support in subsidies and cash incentives from the national, state and local Chinese governments and Chinese companies are about to build factories in the US to avoid tariff penalties.
IMS Research reports that the solar power industry had record sales growth in 2007 and shipments of solar power equipment increased by 81% in the second quarter of 2009, over the previous quarter.
The total stimulus funding for green energy in the US is over $61 billion but it is thought that it will take at least 5 years to catch up to the Chinese in this field.
Small businesses in the USA need all the assistance they can get in the current depressed economic conditions and we help by having them found in an online local search with our business directory portal which provides them with qualified prospects at no cost to them.
Monte Huebsch, CEO.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
USA small business confidence in the economic conditions is improving.
Discover Financial Services reports, in an August survey, that small business owners’ confidence in the economy was at its highest level in one and a half years.
The small business proprietors indicated that they are more prepared to invest in advertising and stock, the best result since February 2008.
The improvement in attitudes was across a number of areas:
In August, 38% think the economy is improving, up from 30% in July. 27% intend to increase their outlay on advertising, stock and capital outlays, up from 23% in July. 51% say they have had cash flow problems in the previous 90 days, down from 53% in July.
Many small business owners see growth opportunities in “green” industries, with 21% saying that they helped their business. They said that energy conservation was the greatest assistance with profit improvement. Alternative fuels and recycling were also helping with a better bottom line result.
23% said they would incorporate “green” systems in their businesses in the next six months.
Regarding the current health care reform debate, the study says that 39% of small business proprietors had communicated their views to their representative in Congress.
Since small businesses are such an important component in the employment level, the increase in confidence is an indicator that the start of the end of the recession may be at hand.
Online local search is now an important source of new prospects for small USA businesses and our Business Directory Portal provides qualified prospects with no cost involved for the business.
Monte Huebsch, CEO.
The small business proprietors indicated that they are more prepared to invest in advertising and stock, the best result since February 2008.
The improvement in attitudes was across a number of areas:
In August, 38% think the economy is improving, up from 30% in July. 27% intend to increase their outlay on advertising, stock and capital outlays, up from 23% in July. 51% say they have had cash flow problems in the previous 90 days, down from 53% in July.
Many small business owners see growth opportunities in “green” industries, with 21% saying that they helped their business. They said that energy conservation was the greatest assistance with profit improvement. Alternative fuels and recycling were also helping with a better bottom line result.
23% said they would incorporate “green” systems in their businesses in the next six months.
Regarding the current health care reform debate, the study says that 39% of small business proprietors had communicated their views to their representative in Congress.
Since small businesses are such an important component in the employment level, the increase in confidence is an indicator that the start of the end of the recession may be at hand.
Online local search is now an important source of new prospects for small USA businesses and our Business Directory Portal provides qualified prospects with no cost involved for the business.
Monte Huebsch, CEO.
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