Survey: Michigan small business owners oppose public option

A survey of members of the Michigan Business and Professional Association and Michigan Food and Beverage Association shows 83 percent oppose a government-operated healthcare plan.

The current House health reform bill includes a provision that would impose a penalty of 8 percent of a business’ payroll for failure to follow the healthcare insurance mandate. That bill must be molded into the Senate's healthcare reform bill before it can be voted on and sent to the president for approval.

"Small business has an important stake in the healthcare reform discussion, given the fact that our current economic condition has left many individuals without insurance and many businesses having to cut insurance as a cost savings measure,” said Jennifer Kluge, chief operating officer of the MBPA and MFBA. “Legislators believe that small businesses see the public healthcare option as a positive, but our survey results show otherwise. The associations oppose any healthcare changes that have a public option and we would encourage our lawmakers to do further diligence as they merge these bills."

Association officials also said the survey suggests that many members have little confidence in the government’s ability to provide a quality healthcare plan.

"I can't name one government program that is efficient or that is not out of money,” said Ray Heinlen, owner of Heinlen Trucking, LLC, based in St. John, Mich. “Why would this be any different?"

Other members said they would continue to provide their original coverage should the public option pass.

"My reaction is to continue to offer our current plan, but we may not be able to afford it," said Bonnie Zeigler, an association member and president of New-Tech in Midland, Mich.

According to the survey:

• 85 percent don't support mandatory healthcare for individuals, or the imposition of a 2.5 percent tax on those without insurance.
• Should a government-run healthcare plan take effect, survey respondents said they would make the following choices: 16 percent said their company would pay the tax of up to 8 percent annually of payroll and employees would enroll in the government public option plan; 23 percent said their company would continue to offer their employee healthcare plan and pay the premiums; and 56 percent were not sure what they would do.
• 77 percent said the new government healthcare plan should not cover abortions.
• 89 percent said they don't believe the government can provide adequate healthcare that will meet the needs of the country under the proposed legislation.