U.S. small businesses need assistance in meeting the cost of employee health care costs.

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.