100 Small Business Owners Discuss Health Care Reform

With recent studies showing small businesses' premiums rising by 15% in 2010, it is crucial that we work to ensure affordable health insurance coverage for this critical part of the American workforce. Democratic Senators Tom Harkin and Mary Landrieu held an event Tuesday with small business owners to address the health care challenges they face. The high cost of coverage damages small business owners' ability to create new jobs and retain skilled employees. "The status quo in health insurance spending for America's small businesses is intolerable and it is unsustainable," said Harkin. "Today, we have a simple message for small business owners across America: help is on the way and it comes in the form of a health reform plan that puts a stop to the discriminatory insurance industry practice of jacking up premiums for small businesses by up to 200 percent when an employee gets sick or because the business hires a woman."