Building Small Business Support For Health Care Reform
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Transcript of Building Small Business Support For Health Care Reform
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www.smallbusinessforhealthcare.org
Building Small Business Support for Healthcare Reform
Affordable HealthCare Project
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Business Experience John Arensmeyer – CEO Small Business
Majority 15 year as successful Internet entrepreneur Private sector attorney Worked for Mayor of Philadelphia and lawmakers
on Capitol Hill
Terry Gardiner – Herndon Alliance 23 years CEO/Founder – NorQuest Seafoods 5 term state legislator; Speaker of the House
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An Independent Small Business Voice is Needed
Political support of small business is critical to legislative success
New research shows small business can be an ally with reform advocates
Traditional business groups do not represent the majority of small businesses
Voter care deeply about small business and want to hear their voice on health care
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Small Business Strategy
A national network of state-based groups
Working with healthcare reform advocates to achieve comprehensive reform
Credible objective poll of small businesses to shift the debate, engage media and organize
Building an independent voice of small businesses that support healthcare reform
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SBM National Research 87% ranked health care as extremely or very
important
81% favored access to purchasing pools
63% supported a government sponsored healthcare solution
60% were in favor of mandating that all companies provide health insurance
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2007 California Survey 75% rated the availability of affordable
healthcare “Very Important” or “One of the top one or two issues we face in business today.”
80% felt that employers should pay to provide healthcare to their employees.
57% of businesses see healthcare financing as a shared responsibility among individuals, employers and government – almost 3 times as many who do not (19%).
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2007 California Survey 55% were in favor of paying into a statewide
pool that would enable their employees to obtain coverage at favorable rates – over 3 times greater than those opposed (17%).
Support proposal to require businesses to pay 7.5% of payroll in exchange for employees’ ability to purchase subsidized insurance = 47%-33% in favor.
Single Payer = 42%-40% in favor
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Herndon Alliance Research Conclusions
Small business is an extremely important and persuasive voice and issue in the healthcare debate
It is necessary to give a voice to small business
Voters want to help small business
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Give A Voice to Small Business
Voters want to hear directly from small business owners and hear how reforms will impact them
The voice needs to be one that they can connect with and believe in Multi generational blue collar businesses seem to
have strong support. Examples include: Auto repair shop Third generation neighborhood hardware store
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Voters Want to Help
Voters: Are concerned about impact of health care reform
on small business. Support discounts and sliding scales to help small
businesses afford coverage. Want to hear directly from small business owners.
Even voters who don’t own small businesses are strong advocates for small businesses and worry about their costs.
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Business Owner Profile
Optimist with a DREAM
The DREAM - successful business and happy employees
Good employees are crucial – like family
The dream is being undermined Victims of the healthcare cost spiral
Tired of being blamed in healthcare debate
Frustrated that nothing has been done
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Main St. to Hi-Tech to Startup = Diversity Professional firms – high pay & skilled
Main Street retailers – competing with the big boys and globalization
Small manufacturers
High-tech, bio-tech and knowledge workers
Freelancers, consultants and contractors
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Small Business = Backbone of the Economy 26.7 million small businesses
52% of the private sector workforce (vs. 8% union membership)
75% of all net new jobs
14 times more patents per employee than big businesses
Central to American global competitiveness
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The Bottom Line
58% of small business employees do not have health insurance.
55% of businesses with under 10 employees cannot afford to offer health insurance
The health insurance they do buy costs 18% more than big business.
Small businesses pay twice as much in taxes and regulatory costs
Entrepreneurs struggle to obtain needed capital
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Business Attitudes Generally oppose government mandates and
requirements -- though there are signs that this may be changing
Generally oppose new business taxes – though rising deficits may be changing this
Generally support incentives for business to provide health care benefits
Generally support government-sponsored healthcare pooling solutions
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Business Fears = Barriers
Higher taxes
Loss of control of their business
Loss of ability to recruit and retain employees
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Fragmentation of Small Business Voices Traditional national organizations
NFIB, Chamber, NSBA
Industry groups Farm bureau, mining, restaurants, franchisees
Leadership policy groups Business Roundtable Committee for Economic Development (CED) National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC)
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Fragmentation of Small Business Voices “New” national health care reform groups
Better Health Care Together Divided We Fail (NFIB and Business Roundtable are members)
State groups supporting healthcare reform California
Small Business California California Business Roundtable (Safeway)
BALCONY (New York) Oregon
Small Business for Responsible Leadership Oregon Business Association
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Our Principles Guaranteed coverage for all
Affordability for businesses and individuals
No discrimination based on health risk or type/size of business
Shared, equitable responsibility by all stakeholders
Cost reduction within the entire system
Improved, measurable quality
Portability of a base level of quality affordable care from job to job
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Reform Policies Benefit Small BusinessExamples:
Shared Responsibility
Government Insurance Option/Purchasing Pools
Elimination of Discrimination (“Guaranteed Issue” and “Community Rating”)
Controlling healthcare costs
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Effective Language
“Businesses are not used to working with social justice advocates.”
Herndon Alliance Survey
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Effective Language Talk in plain language – not “policy speak”
Play to business pride
Acknowledge business role as source of employment for the community
Speak in "business" language - not "nonprofit" language
Never use "lefty speak”
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Effective Communication
Peer to Peer
Trusted and credible relationships
Business frame and context
Business language
One on One
Existing business hierarchy is not the path
Meeting on their turf is important
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Respectful Approach Small Business is a victim, too.
Business tries and wants to do the right thing.
Employees are like extended family.
Owners are very short on time and busy -- no time for long speeches and meetings.
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Messages that Resonate
Reduced employer health care costs Repeatedly emphasized as the essential message to
enter the conversation and get business attention
Business competitiveness is being undermined by our current system, and healthcare reform can help reestablish competitiveness
A healthier workforce has business benefits
Responsibility to employees
We understand business needs
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Messages that DO NOT Resonate
Moral issues such as “It is the right thing to do.”
“Health Care is a Right.” – Justice arguments are not effective
Government run health care messages
“We need to help the uninsured and the poor that cannot afford health care.” does not engage
Universal Health Care – this is not a winning message. Guaranteed Affordable Choice works better.
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Small Business Narrative
Backbone and engine of the US economy:
The ability to start a business is a cherished freedom
Skyrocketing health care costs have made it increasingly difficult for small businesses to survive
We need a health care system that guarantees access to quality affordable health care so that small businesses can continue to thrive and propel our economy, job growth and innovation.
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The Value of Research
Critical component early in the campaign
Counteracts prevailing view & changes the debate
Offsets early lack of members
Key to credibility
Drives media coverage
Drives small business recruiting
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Building Membership Through Partnerships Seek out non-traditional business groups.
Examples:
AARP – many members own a business
Women’s groups – Women “get” health care issues
Public and Farmers Markets
Consultants, Freelancers and self-employed
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Checklist for Building a Small Business Voice Develop principles that business can identify
with
Recruit peer to peer in non-traditional business groups
Use a business survey to shift the debate
Partner with other business groups
Work with the advocacy community
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SBM-HA Assistance for States Sharing best practices & offering advice
Providing tools based on state experiences
Sharing research results – national and state
Providing national legislative information Example: New small business “SHOP” legislation authored
by Durbin. Lincoln, Snowe & Coleman Example: Planned Senate Finance Committee hearings on
health care reform
Providing national infrastructure for advocacy
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www.smallbusinessforhealthcare.org
Affordable HealthCare Project
Conclusion