Health Care Reform

Starting a small business that creates jobs and serves the needs of a community is part of the narrative of the American Dream. Yet small-business owners who are doing exactly what that narrative says to do are facing a real nightmare when it comes to health care.

Will pending legislation in Congress help ease the traditional barriers  small-business owner’s face in providing health care to their employees, and get them back on track to living the American Dream?  Or will America’s small businesses find themselves stuck in a perpetual American Nightmare?

Members of Congress began the fall stretch of the congressional agenda where they left off before the August recess by addressing NSBA’s number one priority: health care reform. Lawmakers have carried their tumultuous town hall experiences back to Washington, D.C.  While President Obama’s primetime joint address to Congress posited an unwavering course for health care reform this fall, there is undeniably a bumpy road ahead.

Congress recessed for August with four out of five committees with jurisdiction over health care having passed four different versions of legislation. One of those four committees, the Energy and Commerce Committee, could potentially address several amendments that were put aside before the House recessed. At some point, House leaders and committee chairmen will combine their various versions into one bill to be voted on by the full House chamber.

The Senate Finance Committee just recently introduced a bill reflecting the efforts of three Democrat and three Republican Committee members who worked over the recess to find common ground. Their work is largely seen as the only hope for a bipartisan bill. Nevertheless, Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) returned from recess with a framework for legislation for the Committee to consider.  Sen. Baucus said he expects the Senate Finance Committee to consider legislation the week of September 21. A final version from the Senate Finance Committee will then be combined with the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee bill that was passed in July and sent to the Senate floor.
Speculating on the timing of health care reform for the remainder of 2009 is not worthwhile; there are as many opportunities for progress as there are for obstructions. The chaotic health care reform deliberations of the summer are certain to carry over into the fall. Threatening the timing and chances of a bipartisan compromise further are controversial budget reconciliation instructions inserted into the FY2010 budget resolution that would likely end with a partisan and partial health care reform outcome.

Needless to say, NSBA will continue to fight for reform that will provide small businesses with quality, affordable health insurance. Continue to check back with NSBA’s Health Care Reform Today Web for action alerts and more information as it is made available.