Health Care & Prescription Drugs In the News

Oregon City small businesses came out last week to support health care reform when an advocacy group came to town collecting signatures and stories that were presented to Congressman Kurt Schrader.

A number of small businesses, including Classic Cycles, Mi Famiglia and Remember Books?, shared their stories of how the current health insurance climate hurts their business when Jenn Lavelle, of the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group, went door-to-door seeking support for reform.

"I have 17 employees and I can't provide coverage for them,” said Kyle Bradford, owner of Mi Fagmilia. “I've looked at several plans, but they were all way too expensive.”

Kristin Wright, owner of Remember Books?, told Lavelle she, too has had to go without health care for the better part of the last 15 years.

“I had insurance through the state when I had my kids, but I've been uninsured for about 15 years now,” she said. “Sometimes they were covered under (the Oregon State Health Plan) if I met the income guidelines, but it wasn't consistent … It’s just not right that small business owners can't afford to have basic and affordable health care when we work so hard.”

Alvin Snell, owner of Classic Cycles, said he doesn’t know what he’d do if something happened to him.

“I used to work for a company that paid a good portion of my health insurance,” Snell said. “When I bought the shop, I had no idea how expensive it was on your own, and now I don't have coverage because I can't afford it … Right now as it is, my prescriptions cost almost $500 every month.

“At this point, I'm really scared. I wouldn't go to the hospital or a doctor if I get hurt because it will cost too much — I'll just throw on a band-aid and hope for the best. If I have a medical emergency, I'll lose my business and I'll have to go on welfare. This business is my retirement plan! If health care reform passes, I think I will have the option for affordable health care.”

Lavelle said she’s going around and targeting small businesses because they get hit harder than big companies and don’t have the same clout to make sure their voice is heard. She cited a Washington Post article that said the insurance industry is spending $1.4 million a day on lobbying to defeat health care reform.

“They’re just so focused on profit rather than making people well,” Lavelle said.

She said small businesses on average pay 18 percent more for health insurance than large companies, “because it’s harder for them … they can’t bargain and get the better rates.

And, although the Senate Finance Committee rejected two proposals for public options last week, Lavelle said OSPIRG still supports such a system.

“If you’re mandating that everyone have coverage and then not creating a public option … that’s pretty much giving the insurance companies more business,” she said.

A survey of over 300 small businesses nationwide conducted by the Oregon PIRG found that 76 percent of small businesses felt their interests weren’t being recognized in the health care debate and 72 percent said they don’t currently offer insurance because it’s not affordable or too complicated.