Small Business, Group Health Insurance, and The Candidates

Small Business, Group Health Insurance, and The Candidates in Group Health Insurance

More on the Presidential Health Care Campaign 2008:

When it comes to rising health insurance and health care costs, there’s one group that’s hit especially hard: small businesses.

These days, if a small business can afford group health insurance for its employees, it’s just short of a miracle.

So when a small business owner goes to the voting booth on November 4, who will he or she choose?

Well, here’s where your candidates stand on small business health insurance (so far).

Arizona Senator John McCain, soon-to-be the official Republican nominee, wants to actually move away from the employer-based system — offering tax credits to individuals to purchase their own individual health insurance plan.

Senator McCain’s idea of helping small businesses is giving employees more options, such as purchase a health plan across state lines.

Illinois Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee, would rather require all employers kick in something for health insurance for workers. Senator Obama wants all companies to either offer their employees coverage or help pay for their workers’ individual plans.

Under Obama’s plan, small businesses would be exempt.

Unfortunately for Senator Obama, that’s not convincing small business owners — the Democratic presidential nominee hasn’t yet said who qualifies as a small business.

“We’d like to see more specificity on almost everything. A lack of specificity breeds worries,” said a lobbyist for independent businesses.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Obama economic policy director, Jason Furman, said, “We would work with the Treasury to design the appropriate threshold for defining a small business.”

But Senator Obama does have some health insurance specifics for small businesses — he would offer small business employers 50 percent tax refund if they provide their workers health coverage.

“I’m announcing my plan to provide real relief for small business owners crushed by rising costs, an idea championed by my friend Hillary Clinton, who’s been leading the way in our battle to insure every American,” said Senator Obama.

The Wall Street Journal article said McCain has the edge with small business health insurance, but we’re not too sure…

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Rhode Island Governor Can’t Raise Health Insurance Premiums For State Union Employees

Rhode Island Governor Can’t Raise Health Insurance Premiums For State Union Employees in Group Health Insurance

Rhode Island Governor Don Carcieri set a goal to balance the state’s budget, taking aim at a state employee health insurance plan.

Governor Carcieri threatened to lay off hundreds of workers if union members with family health plans didn’t agree to pay more for their insurance premiums and forgo a pay raise.

Union leaders made a preliminary agreement with the governor — affecting some 4,000 members of Council 94, Rhode Island’s largest employees union.

But Council 94 members strongly voted against the proposal, reported the Boston Globe.

Governor Carcieri then tried to implement an executive order that would have forced the proposal, but that order was denied by Superior Court Judge Patricia Hurst.

Now, Carcieri will seek an immediate stay from the state Supreme Court and threatened state employee layoffs if he didn’t win, wrote the Globe article.

Should the family health insurance of Rhode Island’s state employees be a target for budget cuts?

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Texas Firm Shakes Up Health Insurance In Utah

Texas Firm Shakes Up Health Insurance In Utah in Group Health Insurance

A Texas-based company started an Association Health Plan and offers health care coverage like no other health plan. But the Utah Insurance Department is trying to shut it down. [Read More]

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Health Care Costs Increase At A Slower Rate For Large Employers In Wisconsin

Health Care Costs Increase At A Slower Rate For Large Employers In Wisconsin in Group Health Insurance

When it comes to health care, large businesses in Wisconsin are doing something right. This year, their health care costs will increase at a much slower rate than national average. [Read More]

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Bill Would Create Small Businesses Health Insurance Pool

Bill Would Create Small Businesses Health Insurance Pool in Group Health Insurance

A bill proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives would allow small businesses to form health insurance pools to purchase coverage. Under the measure, employees in small firms would also get tax credits to help with premiums. [Read More]

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City Governments In South Carolina To Shake Up Health Insurance Payments

City Governments In South Carolina To Shake Up Health Insurance Payments in Group Health Insurance

An accounting policy change in South Carolina will affect the way cities and local governments pay for the health insurance benefits of retired municipal employees. The change will put cities in hundreds of millions of dollars in debt. [Read More]

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Utah Businesses Reward Employees For Healthy Living

Utah Businesses Reward Employees For Healthy Living in Group Health Insurance

A growing trend among Utah employers is offering health and wellness programs for employees to stay healthy. The incentive for participation? More paid time off and more affordable health insurance coverage. [Read More]

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San Francisco Restaurant-Goers Paying For Universal Health Care

San Francisco Restaurant-Goers Paying For Universal Health Care in Group Health Insurance

Now that there’s universal health care in the city, San Francisco restaurants are upping prices on their menus to pay their share. [Read More]

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Aetna To Launch Personalized Health Search Engine for Group Plan Members

Aetna To Launch Personalized Health Search Engine for Group Plan Members in Group Health Insurance

Aetna is set to launch a new health search engine that serves personally relevant results. To get a search user’s profile, Aetna will use medical records and past diagnostic tests.[Read More]

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Kentucky Bill Would Expand Health Insurance For Small Businesses

Kentucky Bill Would Expand Health Insurance For Small Businesses in Group Health Insurance

A Kentucky House committee approved a bill to expand state-sponsored health insurance coverage for small business employees.  [Read More]

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Georgia Proposes Health Insurance Bill Aimed at Small Businesses

Georgia Proposes Health Insurance Bill Aimed at Small Businesses in Group Health Insurance

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue wants to make health insurance more affordable for small businesses and residents. Governor Perdue and other state lawmakers unveiled a plan to provide tax credits for employees who enroll in high-deductible health plans and Health Savings Accounts. 

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Florida Companies Get Strict On Employee Smoking

Florida Companies Get Strict On Employee Smoking in Group Health Insurance

We all know how unhealthy tobacco is, and we know that quitting smoking greatly reduces serious health risks. And we've seen the positive affect of banning smoking in restaurants and public places.

We also know smokers pay more for health insurance and spend much more on health care every year. Businesses also pay more in overall health care costs because of their smoking employees.

That’s why one Florida-based company, Westgate Resort, put in place a policy in 2003 that prohibits employees from smoking altogether.

Now after four years of the smoking ban, the company’s health insurance costs have stayed much lower than other firms, reported the Orlando Sentinel.

While only a couple companies around the U.S. have banned smoking for employees outright, others penalize their workers for the habit. Some businesses are charging employees as much as $100 more a month for health insurance.

The surprise is that many people won’t quit smoking because it’s unhealthy, they only quit for financial reasons.

“We’ve known for a long time that smoking is hazardous to health, and people are still smoking. Education hasn’t worked, cessation programs haven’t worked. You have to make the individual pay for the bad habit.” Becky Cherney, president of the Florida Health Care Coalition.

“People stop for monetary reasons. Why isn’t health enough of a reason?” asked the chief executive of Westgate, David Siegel.

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HSAs Still Not Convincing Small Businesses

HSAs Still Not Convincing Small Businesses in Group Health Insurance

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The Dark Side Of Business Health Insurance Mandates

The Dark Side Of Business Health Insurance Mandates in Group Health Insurance

Many state and federal lawmakers around the country are backing laws that force employers to provide health insurance for their employees or pay a penalty. But all businesses have bottom lines — money spent one place means resources have to be cut in another.

A report conducted by the Employment Policies Institute concluded that laws requiring employers to provide coverage isn’t always the best idea.

“The cost of providing health insurance is so great that most businesses covered by “pay or play” laws will be forced to cut back on hours and jobs just to stay afloat,” said Jill Jenkins, the chief economist at the Employment Policies Institute.

The report also argues that many workers don’t even qualify for the benefits of the laws because they earn too much income. It also points out that employers are forced to lay off workers because of the high costs of health insurance.

So, will health insurance mandates requiring businesses to provide coverage significantly increase the rate of unemployment?

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A Healthier Workforce: Health Coaches For Employees

A Healthier Workforce: Health Coaches For Employees in Group Health Insurance

Employers aren't just penalizing for health risks — many are helping their employees live healthier.

The number of business owners and employers bringing in health coaches to help their employees life healthier is increasing, reported the Orlando Sentinel. These coaching programs allow employees to see a nurse, or "coach," regularly to help them manage health conditions — and get them back in the habit of living a healthy lifestyle.

Some employers, such as financial and banking company BB&T, have been offering health coaching for over 20 years, but it has just recently become more popular.

"[Health coaching] has skyrocketed in the last two to three years," said director of StayWell Health Management, Michael Staufacker. "Coaching has since proved to be a cost-effective way to help many employees make lifestyle-behavior changes.

Sounds like a good idea for employers to offer a health coaching program — especially healthier employees can help slow the yearly 7% (sometimes 8%) rate of health care cost increase among businesses.

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