A Seemingly Simple Concept: Cost Matters

Posted by: Mark Marich on July 20, 2009 Source: Policy Dialogue on Entrepreneurship

Until late 2008, Tom Sullivan served as the Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the Small Business Administration. While he is now back in the private sector, he is still championing the cause of entrepreneurs and small business owners everywhere. 

In a recent blog post on AmericaSpeakOn.org, Sullivan urges Congress to consider the cost to the employer while debating health reform:

Perhaps a different perspective on small business would help inform the debate.  From 2002-2008, my job was to shape government policy from the perspective of small business.  My government position brought me to cities like Providence, Trenton, Boise, San Marcos, and other places where small business is the life blood of their economy.  Healthcare was a top concern voiced by small business owners at every roundtable, town hall, open forum, and coffee shop that I visited...

It is inaccurate to think that small employers do not want to provide health insurance for their employees.  The opposite is true.  Options that provide affordable health insurance with a focus on keeping costs down have always been attractive to the small business community.  A key problem with legislation that Congress is considering right now is the lack of legitimate cost controls.  And, if small business cares about anything, they care about cost.  In fact, cost of health care has topped the list of small business concerns for twenty-years.

 Unfortunately for all of the entrepreneurs out there -- and those who are looking to land one of the jobs they would create -- it appears that Congress wasn't listening.

Category:  Capitol Hill  Health Care  Tags:  tom sullivan, small business administration