Maine small business owner: U.S. Chamber's attacks on healthcare hurt small businesses

In response to recent attacks from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Maine small business owner Lisa McSwain advocated for healthcare reform to help other small businesses struggling with growing healthcare costs.

"At a time when small businesses are struggling, I can't imagine why the US Chamber is fighting healthcare reform that would ease the crushing burden of rising costs," said Lisa McSwain, owner of Mid Maine Restoration in Edgecomb, Maine.

McSwain continued:

"We started to offer healthcare to our employees 12 years ago when it was affordable. Back then, we had about 15 employees, but now we are down to five and just can't afford to pay the high premiums anymore. I would like to see healthcare reform so that I, as an employer, don't have to make life or death decisions for my employees."

McSwain's story is one repeated throughout the country. Small businesses are struggling to pay for skyrocketing costs, while big corporations represented by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce fight to keep the status quo.

Here are some facts on how small businesses are affected by the need for healthcare. Click here for more.

Small Business Struggling Under Crumbling Healthcare System

Small Businesses And Employees Pay 18% More For Health Insurance Than Larger Companies. According to the Small Business Majority, "small businesses and their employees pay an average of 18 percent more for the same level of health insurance benefits as large businesses." [Small Business Majority, 6/11/2009]

Over Five-Year Period, Small Businesses Saw Healthcare Costs Rise By 30 Percent. According to Rand, between 2000 and 2005, "small businesses (those with 25 or fewer employees) saw the expense of providing health insurance rise by nearly 30 percent..." [Rand, 4/4/2008]

Less Than Half Of Small Business Community Offered Employees Health Insurance In 2008. According to the Center for American Progress, "Only 49 percent of firms with fewer than 10 workers offered insurance in 2008." [Center for American Progress, 10/30/2008]

Small Business Owners And Employees Account For Over Half Of Uninsured Population. According to the Center for American Progress, "Small business owners and their employees account for the largest share of the uninsured population - an estimated 27 million of the 47 million Americans without health insurance." [Center for American Progress, 10/30/2008]

Failure To Act Could Cost Small Businesses Hundreds Of Thousands Of Jobs. According to the Small Business Majority, if healthcare reform is not passed, there will be 178,000 fewer small business jobs in 2018. [Small Business Majority, 6/11/2009]

Healthcare Reform Will Help Struggling Small Businesses Offer Affordable Coverage To All Workers

Health Insurance Exchange Would Provide Affordable Options For Small Businesses. According to Sen. Max Baucus' healthcare plan, "the Baucus plan would establish the Health Insurance Exchange through which individuals and small businesses in the market for insurance could obtain affordable healthcare coverage." [Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, 11/12/2008]

Public Plan Option Would Help Small Businesses By Providing An Array of Health Insurance Options. According to a health reform plan put forth by the Commonwealth Fund, including a framework that includes a public plan option "would permit individuals to keep their current coverage if it works for them while providing new choices through the insurance exchange, including a range of private plans and the new public plan. Small employers in particular would be able to offer their employees a choice of multiple plans. Large employers would gain a nationwide plan plus employee choice of regional plans." [Commonwealth Fund, 2/19/2009]

Healthcare Reform Can Save Small Businesses 36% Of Their Healthcare Costs and Reduce Profit Losses By More Than 50%. With healthcare reform, "small businesses can save as much as $855 billion, a reduction of 36 percent." In addition, "over the next ten years...small businesses will lose $52.1 billion in profits to high healthcare costs. Healthcare reform can reduce these losses by more than 56 percent, saving $29.2 billion in small business profits..." [Small Business Majority, 6/11/2009]