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 health insurance 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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