Health Care Crisis: Costs Take Enormous Toll On Small Businesses

wsj.com:

For entrepreneurs trying to start or run a business, the obstacles are huge. But few loom as large as one: health care.

For years, small businesses have griped about the burden of rising health-care costs and warned that the situation was near a crisis point. Well, it's fair to say that the crisis point is here.

Read the whole story: wsj.com

Comments

[iridium53]

Health care costs are a big challenge for small business.

So, Obama's answer is in his new healthcare plan is to add to those costs and make them mandatory.

Obama has abandoned small business. His policies are designed, it seems, to drive small businesses out of business in favor of his big business contributors.

[jsgaetano]

You mean Fiscal Conservatives actually DON'T care about small business?

Shocking.

[BluebirdofUnhappiness]

I haven't participated in either of the small company's I've worked for in the last 20 years because I can't afford it either--it's not much cheaper than going out and buying it on your own. Oh that's right, government health plans will *k* *i* LL small business...

[winchestereast]

PLEASE CORRECT TO READ ' SMALL BUSINESSES PUT IN CRISIS BY HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS' -there's a very important issue here - small business, city and state governments, all are funding the salaries like the 205,000,000 bill mcquire received at united healthcare in 2005 - the multi million dollar annual benefit plans for the top level health insurance/hmo industry executives would fund universal healthcare for all of us - over 30% of all premiums paid are not paid to providers of health care services - LET'S ALL CALL OUR LEGISLATORS AND ASK FOR A SINGLE PAYER PLAN - get the private insurers out of the equation, give our towns and businesses a break, resulting in more hires, expansion, more dollars spent on growing this economy, instead of making a small elite club richer

[ncmom54]

oh my, nicely stated.
As a small business employer (20+ years) I wouldn't mind paying an extra payroll tax toward Single Payer.

[Lorianne]

We don't need affordable health Insurance.
We need affordable health CARE.

The media intentionally conflate the words 'insurance' and 'care' so that people are confused about what they actually need and want. This is intentional, and even this site plays into the intentional obfuscation with their many articles on the subject.

Health insurance does not equal health CARE.

[vagabondvet]

Exactly. It's like saying people should call GEICO everytime they need an oil change in their car, or email State Farm to get the lawn mowed.

[indi1216]

agreed

[PSTEN]

I wonder what people think is the best line of action to take if we want reform? I'm just curious. This is the one issue I feel our collective voice needs to be heard in Washington. I just wonder if writing the congress person is the best way. Any ideas?

[Lorianne]

The best course of action is if everyone would cancel CANCEL their health insurance policy. This would shut down the main source of the problem, the health insurance 'industry'.

That would send a clear message ... but it won't happen.

[PSTEN]

hum, not a bad idea. Is that practical?

[sunshinerain]

July 30th big rally planned in Washington DC - do some searches online - there are all kinds of ways of participating.

[Chironomid]

I would like to see a national strike week -- no one goes to work anywhere for a week. And since our jobs in the US completely b*l*ow anyway, what difference would it really make if we get fired?

[Lorianne]

Wal-Mart Supports Health Plan That Will Destroy Small Businesses

http://www.businessinsider.com/wal-mart-supports-health-plan-that-will-destroy-small-businesses-2009-6

[PSTEN]

thanks

[PSTEN]

WSJ makes it sound like this is a new occurance. I've worked with small business consulting on risk management for 20 years and this has been on the radar since day one, next to that is Workmans comp. insurance. Both health and work comp are the largest premiums these small business owners have and it has been unstainable in their eyes for years. There needs to be a public option for health care simply because this country can't afford the price gouging that the insurance companies deal in. The fact is that currenlty we all have a corporate bureaucrat making your health care decisions. In may cases they ration and cancel policies based on your risk profile. Insurance companies are a big part of the problem along with big pharma. Call it socialism if you want but we already have bureaucratic capitalists rationing and making your health care decions. The public systems in Canda and England work far more efficiently and humanely than what we have now in the USA. Our system is not the best at delivering care. We do the best research, have the best hospitals but with almost 50 million citizens not having access to this care what's it good for. We have as many people in the USA with no health care as their are people in Canada. The USA may be the richest nation but least humane when it comes to health care. These nothing christian about denying health care to poor people.

[Lorianne]

Over 1,000 Job Providers Tell State Senate to Oppose Job-Killing Unemployment Insurance Expansion

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-13-2009/0005059044&EDATE=

[lvdragonlady]

All this health care pros and cons could end if Congress would just allow all of us to have the same insurance they have. Expand the current government insurance to cover all of us and let's move on.

[kappa08]

..seriously....I'm with you.

This country would explode with entrepreneurship(had to spell check that one) if the security of health care was out of the way.

[PSTEN]

That's true.

[RJII]

but that's too easy. its gotta drag on and on and on for congress to huff and bluff.

[sc300nc]

Since our goverment can identify who does not have health care, why not develop a program solely for them? Why does everyone have to be included? Why universal when it's not needed?

[lvdragonlady]

You are saying this because you think that it would be 'less' then what is being offered now, right?
Stop listening to the talking heads and the anti-American gop and do some research.
The current health care offered here in America benefits NO ONE but the companies that provide it, period.

[sc300nc]

Talk about drinking the kool aid. You know nothing about my healthcare. I am happy with it. If you want to institute a welfare program for healthcare, let's call it that and give it to those who cannot afford insurance. We don't need to revamp the entire system and we certainly do not need bureaucracy running our healthcare.

[PSTEN]

well said. The fact is the profit motive has keep our health system from being the best it can be. Some profits are good but not when the insurance companies cancel policies for preexisting conditions, or profiling people. This happens on a large scale. We have as many people uninsured as their are people in Canada. Canada covers everybody, period. Once Canada got rid of their insurance system and went to a public system, nobody wants to go back. Americans are grossly uneducated about our system and how it compares to Canada or the UK.

[loki]

Remember when WalMart pushed the public option on its employees a while back. It was hailed as a great business move by the Ivy Greeders, but shunned by the people and politicians? When walmart actually took the time to instruct and coach employees on how to apply for medicare and medicaid so the company wouldnt have to worry about covering them?
Its a little Ironic how its these same Ivy Greeders who are against the public option now .

[Chaimirija]

Badgercare (WI Medicaid) is the health insurance provider for the WalMarts around here...

[Lorianne]

Wal-Mart supports government health care because it puts financial duress on their competitors.

Wal-Mart Backs Drive to Make Companies Pay for Health Coverage
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124640564559176649.html

[PSTEN]

I haven't heard of this. Do you have additional information, any links?

[Lorianne]

Wal-Mart Supports Health Plan That Will Destroy Small Businesses

http://www.businessinsider.com/wal-mart-supports-health-plan-that-will-destroy-small-businesses-2009-6

[progressivegreg]

Excuse me I forgot one other part of the story below, the employees at the Quest diagnostics office DO NOT HAVE HEALTH CARE EITHER!!

[Chaimirija]

google the relationshipebetween Quest or LabCorp and the insurance carriers....

[sunshinerain]

So true. I think people would be AMAZED by how many health-industry related jobs DO NOT PROVIDE insurance AT ALL.

[progressivegreg]

Interesting that this should appear today. My wife is part Native American, was just diagnosed with hypertension, and went to the tribal health service. They prescribed a medication for control her high blood pressure, and after shopping around we found it for $10.00 for a 90 day supply. We have no health insurance, so she now has to apply for medicaid, (she will be turned down, even my social security income knocks us out of the rules) and then she can be covered by the tribe. The doctor wanted her to have some "blood work" done, cholesterol and the like and they sent us to "Quest diagnostics" (turns out to be a huge multi-national). The bill for the "blood work" was going to be $329.00 UNPARDONABLE. The blood work will wait. SINGLE PAYER FOR ALL!!

[sunshinerain]

$329 bloodwork - I wonder how much profit they make off of it? I think that should be public information in the health care industry - profit ratio.

[vagabondvet]

It is. Read a balance sheet.

[jaglon]

You are surprised by this cost? I have lab work done 4 times a year (cancer patient with a incurable, indolent blood cancer) and see how much it costs and what the 'contractural agreement' is with the insurance company. I usually end up paying about $123.00 out of pocket. What a racket. The insurance companies have figured out that we Lemmings will pay more for premiums as well as more in co-pays and out of pocket deductables and all to support their profit margins.

When are people going to wake up, especially those who are convinced that they are making their own medical decisions when in fact some health insurance bureaucrat, with no back ground in medicine, is deciding whom they will see and what procedures they will have and where? These are the same people who have bought the health insurance line that 'you don't want government deciding your health care'. With Medicare you have your own choice.

[itolduso]

I don't want or need health insurance. I do want & need access to decent, affordable health care. In the U.S. far too many pay way too much for health insurance when they don't need it, and are denied services or dropped by their insurance when they do need it. (half of all medical bankruptcies involve people with medical insurance) Most of the insured that I know are afraid to seek medical care for fear of exhorbitant co-pays, fear of getting dropped, and/or fear of having their rates increase. They continue to pay for policies that they are afraid to use for routine care, but keep 'in case of a catastrophy' only to find out in carastrophic cases that their insurance won't cover that. Insurance companies exist to make money by charging those who don't need care and denying those who do. It's time to end their blood-sucking hold on our country.

[Chaimirija]

Man, did your first two sentences sum it up!!!

[roald]

I was really upset when I read your first sentence. Then I read your second sentence and it all made sense. Thanks.

[PSTEN]

The last two sentences are pretty good too.

[Lorianne]

Exactly.
We don't need affordable health Insurance.
We need affordable health CARE.

The media intentionally conflate the words 'insurance' and 'care' so that people are confused about what they actually need and want. This is intentional, and even this site plays into the intentional obfuscation.

[quidam56]

As a former health care giver, I am shocked and saddened to see what has become of health care in America. $ 1. 4 million is being spent per day in DC by the health care lobbyists so your elected representative is getting taken care of and has quality health care we pay for and can't afford ourselves for our families, I know what is deemed, defended and supported in Tennessee and Virginia as quality health care and clearly profit care comes ahead of patient care. http://www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62 MRSA ( methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureas ) is infesting our communities because filthy, uncaring hospitals and emergency rooms are breeding them and spreading them into our schools, homes, restaurants. How many more Americans' will be diseased or die while 74 % of Americans' are begging for health care reform ? More people died in America last year from MRSA complications than AIDS. When MRSA and a flu bug start mixing, it won't be pretty and we are being infected by the very health care system we depend on and trust to keep us safe and healthy.

[hulagirrrl]

quidam56, you are right, and I feel the same way. The MRSA issue though could be more controlled with education alone. I read some time ago about the death of a boy who had boils on his skin and his family did not take him to the clinic. People need to be aware of the danger when they have just little boils. Another aspect is the hygiene in public places, like fitness centers, how often do people just use equipment without wiping it down, not thinking what a breeding ground these places are. MRSA is a dangerous thing, and most people are just simply not aware of it, for lack of public education.