New US PIRG Survey: Small Businesses Crushed by Rising Health Costs

Small
business owners are being crushed by rising health care costs, and feel left
out of the current health care debate in Washington, according to a new report
released by U.S. Public Interest Research
Group on Tuesday.

"In
this economy," said U.S.
PIRG's Health
Care Advocate, Larry McNeely, "health
care costs are killing small business owners. But instead of leading on this
important issue, the national Chamber of Commerce and other inside-the-beltway
groups are playing politics with a crucial issue and actively impeding reform efforts."

The new
report, The
Small Business Dilemma, which surveyed hundreds of small business
owners and managers across the country, makes clear that small business owners
want and need health care reform.

Mike Brey,
owner of the Hobby Works hobby stores
located in communities around Washington, is one of those small businessmen,
and he is anxious to speak out on the issue.

"We are
creating a greater downward spiral," Brey said about the current health
care system and its rising costs.

U.S. PIRG
surveyed 309 small
business owners and managers around the country for the snapshot survey. The
data collected found that
the costs and administrative hassles associated with offering insurance weigh
particularly heavily on small businesses.

According to
the 14-page report:

• Small
  businesses value health insurance as a key to business success because it
  allows them to attract better employees.

• 78%
  of small business owners surveyed who do not offer coverage would like to do
  so.

• 80%
  of those who would like to offer coverage cite the expense of coverage as a
  reason why they don't

Read an Executive Summary of the The
Small Business Dilemma

Download the Full Report, Click
HERE.