In the past I have sparred with Bob Graboyes, Senior Healthcare Advisor for the NFIB, about the best way to reform our healthcare system in the US. We both have agreed that reform is needed, but we have tended to differ significantly on both policy and strategy.
But, today we stand on the same side of this critical issue.
Dan Danner, president and CEO of NFIB, today issued the following statement:
Why is this sweeping take-over of healthcare bad for small business on a day-to-day basis?
Sam Graves (R-MO) had an op-ed published in the Kansas City Small Business Magazine that summarizes the pragmatic impact on small business quite clearly:
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But, today we stand on the same side of this critical issue.
Dan Danner, president and CEO of NFIB, today issued the following statement:
"Today the NFIB joined the 20 states in this historic lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The fundamental mission of our organization is to promote and protect the rights of small businesses and the self-employed to own, operate and grow their business, and this healthcare law directly undermines this core value.
"We didn't enter into the decision to join this lawsuit lightly - we have been representing small business owners since 1943 and we take this responsibility extremely seriously. But the outpouring of opposition to this new law was overwhelming and our members urged us to do everything in our power to stop this unconstitutional law.
"Small business owners everywhere are rightfully concerned that the unconstitutional new mandates, countless rules and new taxes in the healthcare law will devastate their business and their ability to create jobs.
"They are also concerned about their personal freedoms. This law is the first time the federal government has required individuals to purchase something simply because they are alive. If Congress can regulate this type of inactivity, then there are essentially no limits to what they can mandate individuals to do."
"We didn't enter into the decision to join this lawsuit lightly - we have been representing small business owners since 1943 and we take this responsibility extremely seriously. But the outpouring of opposition to this new law was overwhelming and our members urged us to do everything in our power to stop this unconstitutional law.
"Small business owners everywhere are rightfully concerned that the unconstitutional new mandates, countless rules and new taxes in the healthcare law will devastate their business and their ability to create jobs.
"They are also concerned about their personal freedoms. This law is the first time the federal government has required individuals to purchase something simply because they are alive. If Congress can regulate this type of inactivity, then there are essentially no limits to what they can mandate individuals to do."
Why is this sweeping take-over of healthcare bad for small business on a day-to-day basis?
Sam Graves (R-MO) had an op-ed published in the Kansas City Small Business Magazine that summarizes the pragmatic impact on small business quite clearly:
"The new law requires employers to pay a "fair share" tax of $2,000 per employee if they cannot afford to offer "acceptable" health care coverage. More than 219,000 American small businesses could be subject to this employer mandate. In another blow to small business owners, new restrictions will be imposed on Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Medical Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Arrangements (FSAs), and Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), further limiting employers' ability to offer affordable benefit plans that best meet their workers' needs.
"All these new regulations and restrictions will make it more difficult for small businesses to hire new workers, expand their operations, and offer competitive wages. With unemployment still hovering around ten percent, families and businesses cannot afford more regulations and red tape from Washington that will make jobs more scarce and further slow our economic recovery."
"All these new regulations and restrictions will make it more difficult for small businesses to hire new workers, expand their operations, and offer competitive wages. With unemployment still hovering around ten percent, families and businesses cannot afford more regulations and red tape from Washington that will make jobs more scarce and further slow our economic recovery."
Thanks, Jeff. NFIB members are telling us they're glad we joined the lawsuit. Thanks for highlighting, and we'll see how things go ... a preliminary decision is expected in early fall. Jim Brown, NFIB