Today the California Public Interest Research Group (CalPIRG) released their report on small businesses and the healthcare reform.
Currently high healthcare costs are a heavy burden for small businesses. The rising costs have forced many small businesses to cancel healthcare insurance for their employees.
“Small businesses are being driven out of businesses because they’re unable to provide healthcare for their employees,” said Emily Rich, the state group’s healthcare advocate. “The inefficiencies and wastes in healthcare are driving up the costs for small businesses throughout the state.”
The July report from the national Public Interest Research Group published a survey of 343 small businesses across the country. Only 29% of those business extended coverage to employees. Of those that offer health coverage, 55% do so to attract and retain good employees, and 27% indicated they did so to increase worker productivity.
Of those that did not offer coverage to their employees, 78% said they would if they financially could.
Of all those surveyed, only 24% said they felt small business interest were represented in the current health reform debate.
Since 1999, health insurance premiums have increased 113% for small companies. In addition small business pay 18% higher premiums than larger corporations for the same types of coverage.