Premier business groups denounce government takeover of health care
San Antonio – Leaders from the Texas Association of Business (TAB), National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce today held a joint-press conference to denounce the current incarnation of health care reform being negotiated by Congress. The leaders called upon Congressmen Ciro Rodriguez and Henry Cuellar to reject the legislation.
The House legislation will require employers to provide health insurance for the employees or pay an eight percent payroll penalty. The Senate version, which could be worse, would require companies with more than fifty employees to pay a $750 fee per employee if the government subsidizes the employees’ coverage. The bills being considered would also require individuals to have health insurance or be subject to penalties or fines. In addition, cuts will be made to Medicare and Medicaid forcing many doctors to leave those programs, depriving thousands of patients’ access to primary and preventative care.
“Seventy percent of Texas Association of Business membership consists of small businesses,” said TAB President Bill Hammond. “The disastrous effect this bill will have on their companies will undermine the small business foundation that has led to our most prosperous economic eras. There is no question that alternatives like tort reform, access to out-of-state health insurance, reducing fraud and waste, and a host of other ideas will have a more profound effect and not hurt our economy.”
“This bill fails to address fundamental small business priorities. It does not make health insurance more accessible or affordable for small business. In fact, through new taxes, fees and government regulation, this legislation actually increases the overall costs of doing business for small businesses,” said Will Newton, executive director of NFIB/Texas.
“The last thing business owners and unemployed Texans need right now is hundreds of billions of dollars in new taxes that discourage job creation and business expansion. And, at the same time, make health care more expensive for those that are insured'. It's a perfect storm of bad ideas and South Texas legislators like Henry Cuellar and Ciro Rodriguez should reject this bill,” said Pete Havel, Regional Director for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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Founded in 1922, the Texas Association of Business is a broad-based, bipartisan organization representing more than 3,000 small and large Texas employers and 200 local chambers of commerce.
The National Federation of Independent Business is the nation's leading small business association, with offices in Washington, D.C., and all 50 state capitals.
The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.
