Our benefits department brokers group plans for dozens of small (10 to 20 employees) businesses located in Arizona. Since some of the new mandated benefits went into effect at renewal beginning on October 1, 2010 we have seen rate increase averaging between 20 and 30 percent. In the past the average rate increases in AZ were between 10 and 15 percent. The statement by Obama that “if you like your plan, you can keep it” is a farce. Many of the carriers we work with, simply adopted the new benefits into their renewal policies thus driving up the rates even more.

I also feel that the carriers are attempting to pad their reserves, not knowing just what kind of an economic impact the new benefits will have on their loss ratios.

We have also lost commissions due to the MLR rule. In losing those commissions, we can no longer provide the level of service we have rendered in the past. For many of our small groups, we acted as proxies in HR functions. We can no longer afford to do that. In fact, we may have to start charge a per employee per month fee just to survive.  Repel or replace!!!  (David Stewart)

We are pleased with health care reform because it provides security that our home, business (of 40 years) and commercial real estate will not likely be lost to medical debt. Our insurance can no longer put caps on treatments or drop us when we get sick which means are assets aren't vulnerable of which in the past they were. And, it's less likely we'll meet an early demise.

Thanks to health care reform there's a good chance we'll bequeath our assets to our children as well. (Susan Hall)

The health industry is broken because it is a third party pay system. This is its major problem and this needs to be changed to individuals contracting for what they need in coverage. The current system of deep discounts for those with insurance and list price for those without is not right. The cost of malpractice insurance for the doctors and hospitals is not fair. they are human beings trying to help their fellow human beings, they are not machines manufactured to meet the unmet needs of the human race. they need protection and encouragement not punishment. The patients deserve protection from incompetence as well, but this must be capped financially, with the real penalty of mistakes being the loss of the license to practice medicine. this is the ultimate protection against bad doctors.

We have not hired a permanent full time employee in over three years. 40% of our employees now are temporary employees. Why? Because of the cost of health insurance. To control the dramatic rise in insurance, we have reduce coverage by reducing the number of employees covered. I am not proud of this claim, but the reality of business is it is adversarial. There is no such thing as "you can just raise your prices and pass it along to you customers". We are hanging on by thin margins through cutting corners and taking risks that could wipe us out. If we covered the other 40% with health insurance it would add up to more than we made over the last 4 years!! I believe my story is typical of many small business who provide services. It is very competitve and there is no room for price increases.

Please fix healthcare do not ruin it. Get business out of it. The only one with less chance of succeding providing healthcare to our employees than I am is the United States Government. Where are the success stories of their efficiency and managerial accumen? I rest my case. Q.E.D. (Steve Murrill)
 

I am a small business owner and we need to repeal "Obama Care" so we may continue (and afford) to offer our valued employees competitively priced health care. Just this year alone, our cost increased 28% and we cannot continue to pay these high insurance costs. We need a common-sense approach to fix health care that will lower cost, make it more affordable to more Americans and continue to provide the highest quality health care in the world.I believe health care costs, and insurance premiums are out of control for a number of reasons, law suits being one of them. With all due respect, I have absolutely no faith in our government's ability to oversee and control health care, which is why I have been against this from the beginning.And was told health care will go down. not the case it went up go figure the Goverment got involved. (Dave Rozeboom)

For the past 20 years I have paid for my employees health care, including their families when qualified. About 5 years ago the spiraling cost of health coverage forced me to look for a more economical plan. Although I was able to find one it does cost my employees more copay and deductible. The lowered cost enabled us to control business cost and remain competitve inour market. This may sound all well and good, but it's not. The continued rise in the COST OF HEALTH CARE is now driving up the cost of my current health coverage policy. In the end this will put more of the cost burden onto my employees as I cannot continue to fund a program that consumes so much of our avilable operating money. Please note that although it is the cost of insurance that drives me to shift cost and burden to my employees it is actually the COST OF HEALT CARE that is the culprit. I do not see any long term advantage to the so called health care reform bill that was passed. It simply forces more peo ple to purchase coverage and that MIGHT cause a short term control of coverage cost but does NOTHING to control the rising cost of health care. It is time to get away from mandates and get to the root of the problem…..rising health care cost caused by unnecessary and over regulation coupled with the cost of defending lawsuits with rediculous settlement cost. This rise in cost to my employees has already had an affect on myself as I am also an employee of my company and have had to delay testing of my health due to the cost not covered by my policy. My health and that of many more Americans is at risk because of the COST OF HEALTH CARE, not the cost of the insurance package.  (Tom Gallagher)

We are a small child care business that is subject to the "Obama Care". We would like to grow our business, but because of federal regulations with our specific industry along with health care reform, we can not. We started offering health care to our employees last April. This year alone, we incurred a 36% increase. We barely meet the guidelines to provide this benefit. The administration of this benefit is enormous. If we do not qualify for a group, we may not be able to withstand the penalty tax. Combine this with the mandatory replacement of cribs for all our infants, we are facing over $30K in just these two areas next year. This more than doubles normal inflation for our industry. In short, our customers can not afford them! Are we really interested in creating jobs? It will likely be more profitable and practical to downsize than to grow. The penalties for growth are too great! The government must start looking at the impact of their regulations on an industry level! The cause and effect must be studied more in depth when making these changes. Bulldozing it through the system is dangerous and will not achieve the desired results! (Rhonda Hatfield)
 

I am a small business owner and have been extremely concerned about the Health Care Bill that was ultimately signed into law. I believe health care costs, and insurance premiums are out of control for a number of reasons, law suits being one of them. With all due respect, I have absolutely no faith in our government's ability to oversee and control health care, which is why I have been against this from the beginning. To be completely candid, I find it hard to get enthused about something that has been put together ultimately for me… and doesn't include ME! (Everett, NV)

I am a small business owner and we need to repeal "Obama Care" so we may continue (and afford) to offer our valued employees competitively priced health care. Just this year alone, our cost increased 28% and we cannot continue to pay these high insurance costs. We need a common-sense approach to fix health care that will lower cost, make it more affordable to more Americans and continue to provide the highest quality health care in the world. (William, AZ)

We are a woman owned small business. Small business is under enough pressure right now. We don't need the Health Care Legislation (PL 111-148 Patient Protection Act) adding to that pressure. The bill either needs to be repealed or significantly modified. Right now we could hire at least 2-3 more staff members, but because this administration is so "anti small business" we don't because we don't know what kind of financial hardships will be enacted next from our government. – Jackie, CO

As a businessman I am keenly aware of how devastating this health care bill is going to be to our economy and the country, as a whole. (Ron, CA)

One reason for repeal should mean more than others: This health care law is harmful to small business and small business wants it undone. Small business owners and their employees have already started to feel the negative impacts of this law. Some have had their insurance plans canceled. Others are looking at changing plans because they will no longer be able to afford to meet new requirements.

Worse than the impact small businesses already feel is the anticipation and uncertainty about what is yet to come. The law is so big and so complicated; many lawmakers who supported it have confessed they don't even know what's in it. How can a small business plan?

While the law leaves small business riddled with uncertainty about how these new costs will impact their ability to reinvest and grow their business, there are things that are certain for small business. Without a doubt, the health care law will increase costs, leave consumers with fewer choices and will bury businesses in new requirements.

For example, there is a special tax on the types of insurance plans that small businesses buy, amounting to billions of dollars annually. There is a new IRS paperwork provision that requires small businesses to file a 1099 form for almost every business transaction that totals $600 or more per year.

There are other funny-sounding taxes – like the suntan tax and the Cadillac tax – that aren't funny to small business, instead nailing their bottom line. Worse, each funny-sounding tax and new provision forces small businesses to spend more money on their insurance plans, tax compliance and accountants, and less on creating jobs and growing the economy.

This isn't the reform small businesses asked for, and it isn't the reform that will help them overcome their biggest health care problem: ever-increasing costs. In fact, this law has made things worse than before. In an economy like this, that is a poison pill for businesses trying to get themselves back in the black.

Democrats hold up pre-existing conditions and stricter rules on insurers as reasons for preserving this monstrosity. It's true this law contains some worthwhile provisions supported by Americans, and there is no reason those wouldn't be included in future, more responsible reform efforts. Using those few to rationalize a trillion-dollar program that taxpayers and businesses can't afford makes little sense, though. It's like buying a mansion because you like the door knobs.

Small businesses wanted reform that lowered costs. This law didn't do that, instead it added new taxes, fees and mandates. Small businesses are ready to work with the president and Congress to reduce costs and expand access to health care. However, they must first respond to the country's unmistakable demand to repeal the current law. (Arlene, CO)

As a practicing OB/GYN, I see the potential disaster the current health care law passed by President Obama will be. The law will prevent physicians from individualizing health care as it pertains to the patient and, from all the red tape it will take to approve procedures and medicines, potentially prevents patients from expeditious and quality care.

Please take to heart that physicians want to help their patients. Not succumb to a system of managed care that takes the art out of medicine and will lead to more disgruntled patients. (Vidya, GA)

As a senior, I have already seen some of the services being eliminated by Medicare just this year. This coupled with no increase in the social security benefit checks, while prices have escalated and my income decreased due to the low interest rate received in CD/Savings Accounts as well as the past drop in the stock market. My small company cannot be burdened with any additional expenses. Insurance premiums up, gasoline prices up, rapid increases in the petroleum based products that my company uses, unemployment premiums going up so states can repay back their debt – where will it end? How does one weather through all these increased costs? (Betty, IN)

My family, my state and my nation cannot afford that poorly constructed and unconstitutional bill erroneously stated as health care reform. (Paul, VA)
Please vote to repeal "Obama" care when/if it comes to a vote in the Senate. I believe that reform of health care is an urgent problem that must be addressed. I expect my representatives to act properly in negotiations that are necessary to create a health care system that will be fair, affordable and in accord with the will of "we the people." (Lloyd, CA)

The bill as passed does not help the average American citizen. If not repealed, it needs a great deal of reform. Mandating a purchase of insurance is not what I need the government to do to improve health care. Allowing a longer extension of the patents of medicine needs to be done so that medical research can be paid for. Tort reform is badly needed to lower malpractice insurance costs. An ideal situation would be to give a form of Medicaid to all that covers one GP doctor's visit annually. Anything else should be covered by insurance that those who choose to have it buy as they have bought it for years. This is the right very simple step that needs to be made now. The larger changes can come over the years without the immediate damage that the current health reform package causes. (Kelly, MD)

As an employer I can tell you that all the health reform law to date has only increased my costs, reduced our options and has me as small business owner contemplating if I can afford to stay in business with all the new regulations, costs, taxes, etc. So If I have to pull the plug on my business after over 40 years all my employees are added the unemployment numbers and another small business is gone forever and never able to create jobs again. (Terri, IL)

The Healthcare Act was a bad piece of legislation that was not read or understood by the overwhelming majority of those that voted for it, was viewed negatively by the majority of the American citizens, was rushed through without a full understanding of the extreme financial impact, both at the State and Federal levels, and has been deemed unconstitutional at 2 judicial levels.

The American citizens recognize that our healthcare system needs a few tweaks to improve but none of the necessary changes are addressed in the Healthcare Act (i.e. Tort reform, the ability to purchase healthcare anywhere in the country, Medicare/Medicaid fraud reform). A vote to repeal this bill is an acknowledgment that we must, and can, do better to reform our nation's health care.

We need health care reform that addresses the needs outlined above and does not add to the national debt and saddles the States with dramatic cost increases when many of the states are already on the brink of bankruptcy. We need to keep the American health care at the forefront in the world and we will not remain there if the Act is not repealed. (Blair, CO)

Yes, we need to health care reform, but NOT via this Act, which, at best is unconstitutional, and more importantly is a disgrace with but a few good points. If nothing else, the "shellacking" taken by the Democrats in the midterm election should stand as proof positive that the majority of Americans, though wanting health care reform, have huge issues with the current Act and the direction it takes us.

A vote to repeal this bill will acknowledge that we need reform, but in a manner which can be supported by the majority of the population—reform that is based on common sense that will lower costs and increase the quality of health care, initiated at and run by the states' government, not federal. (Leland, NY)

I think the government needs to stay out of insurance and healthcare altogether. REPEAL EVERY REGULATION that restricts a free market solution to commerce. Let the insurance companies compete with each other, let everyone compete AND let the consumer choose his own medicines! We need to learn to be responsible for ourselves – We don't need to be told what we have to do according to your best problem solving ability. Get the government out of our business. We can't afford any more of it's help! (Michael, AR)

We want to start all over on Health care and design a better and cheaper way. Get the lawyers in check, over state lines, and clamp down on insurance companies. (Bob, PA)

I urge you to repeal the new health care law. There are too many unanswered questions regarding the long term costs and effects on American businesses. The Federal Government is becoming much too large and expensive, and is involving itself in areas that should be the responsibility of the individual states. (William, NC)

Health care insurance is NOT a right. It is an individual responsibility. A one-size-fits-all approach is simply insane. That would be the same as requiring everyone to buy homeowner's insurance for $1,000,000 when their house only appraises at $200,000.

Let the free enterprise system sort it out. NOTHING is less efficient than ANY government run program. (M. N. Plowman, AR)

We estimate that the cost to comply with the Obamacare 1099 requirement will be not less than $75,000 per annum.  We calculate this expense taking into account our several thousand suppliers, and 5,000+ corporate customers.  Naturally, we are uncertain whether implementing rules will extend the reach of this rule to other categories of our customers – so the numbers could go higher.  The chore of managing the outbound and inbound paperwork among these many thousands of counter-parties, including courtesy copies for our records of other companies' filings, is expected to be mindboggling.  Of particular note is our obligation to verify and validate all tax information. Thus, each form must be scrutinized and any mistakes or ambiguities must be fixed.  The resulting time cost, plus additional mailings, phone calls, data entry, filing and so on, will bog down our daily processes and soak up resources from more productive tasks.  At an estimated $50-$100 in processing costs per form, we believe we will far exceed our estimated $75,000 in costs for this exercise.  We will not create any new jobs for this function, simply funding the paper pushing by discontinuing productive activities elsewhere in the company. (Rick Woldenberg)

As a small business we negotiate our health contract once a year with our provider. This year we wanted to lower our constantly rising monthly premiums by raising our deductible. Because of the administration’s policy on any changes to existing policies even though it was to save money we would lose our grandfather clause. So consequently we did not change it because of that policy. Change is coming alright and my company will campaign tirelessly to see to it happen. (Get Reel Productions)

After several years of small decreases in our small business group health care insurance plan, for which our firm has been paying 75% of the premiums, we got hot with a 34% cost increase on renewal. We looked at other companies and found the same thing. Our agent said this was this was a direct result of the private insurance firms taking defensive actions against the business they expect to lose and the regulations they expect to face as a result of Obamacare. We will have to cut some benefits and make a reduction in the % of the total premiums we pay, and I grieve over that. I have tried to look after my staff just like family for 44+ years, and the current administration is making this impractical. (John Fry)

Our small, non-profit membership organization has six full-time employees and has provided full coverage health insurance for many years.  This year's renewal included a 28.8% increase in premium cost for the exact same policy.  When I called the agent to ask questions, he stated the insurance company is raising premiums on current policy holders in anticipation of higher costs due to the new healthcare reform that will force them to provide benefits to patients with no coverage and/or pre-existing conditions.  In order to meet our organization's operating budget, I was forced to reduce the benefit to my employees–with higher deductibles and co-pays. (Laura Terhune)

It is real simple. I am in a high volume business, with lots of minimum wage employees, and I operate on a paper thin margin. The costs of healthcare will bankrupt me in month number one. I will not be able to make payroll. So, effectively Obama's ingenious plan will put my 200 employees out of work. What else would you expect when the officials who supposedly wrote the legislation admit they have not read it. They are apparently still unfamiliar with the concept of "unintended consequences." (Chas)

The cost of Obama care is going to be staggering to business's of all sizes. The tentacles of this health care monster will reach negatively into areas of the economy that no one has even thought of yet. It would more than likely put us out of business; our profit margins have already been shrinking to the point that it was already getting hard enough to make a profit in this current economy. Portability of health insurance policies across state lines and TORT reform are the answer. Plus eliminate state controlled mandates. Not a health care system that the government will just screw up anyway. The "Superbowl" came early, it’s in November. Small business America, vote these clowns out of office!! (EBM Janitorial Services)

I have not hired any employees since the recession. I do not have a clear idea of what the impact for federal tax and healthcare programs will have on my small business. I cannot afford the current burden of reporting and tax let alone the assumed increase. (Vaughn Business Systems)

In 1999 I fled to the United States to escape the socialist dictatorship of the Netherlands that controlled my life.  In 2007 I started my own company to put my talents back on the market in the apparel industry after a long hiatus. After three years of hard work and preparation the current administration wants to crush my spirit…I find it a great travesty that the government is depriving me of the individual right under the Constitution to make my own choices. I heard about the 1099’s and I have made up my mind to protest this measure by simply refusing to fill it out. I worked very hard to make my dreams become a reality and I will not let bureaucrats dictate my life and mandate what I can and cannot do ever again.  America is the land of the free and home of the brave and it is my duty to help keep it that way. (LENI Enterprises)

I run a small business that employs 28 workers who repair guitars full time for my firm on location at various guitar stores in the northeast. For several years I had a group health plan through the largest provider of such plans in New Jersey.  My employees are all young and pretty healthy so this was a win/win for my firm and for the insurance company as the policies were rarely used.  Soon after Obama care passed my insurance company changed their policy concerning eligibility based on new requirements in the bill. As a result my firm was dropped from this group policy and to date we cannot find any company that can cover my techs. Whenever I or my H.R. manager asks why these rules have changed we always get the same response…they say TO A PERSON…it's that damn health care bill it's got everything screwed up.

So here I am, a small but healthy and growing business with a young and healthy workers who cannot get coverage for my group at any price, and when we ask why even the rep's from the large insurance company admit that it's due to their and other companies repositioning themselves due to and in anticipation of Obama care….often these same agents and company rep's say off the record that many insurance companies are doing this to force people off group plans and onto single policies which they say are more profitable…As a business owner all I know is we had a great group plan, then the health care bill passed and after 7 years we lose our policy…doesn’t seem very fair or very well thought out from where I, as a businessman, am sitting. (Raritan Bay Guitar Repair)

There must be no high risk pools.  There must always be a way for a state to opt out.  That is written in our constitution.  There must be regulation so that charges are in line with what insurers and plans will pay.  What is happening today is charges are way out of line for every medical service, whether that is for tests, hospital services, or medication. (Paul)

We have numerous concerns with the impacts of the PPACA, and the latest is the 1099 issue.  Since becoming aware of its existence we've evaluated its impact.  In 2009, we were required to issue three 1099s, count 'em 3.  If Section 9006 is allowed to stand, using the same data, we would end up issuing a 1099 to:

1.  Airlines
2.  Hotels
3.  Rental car companies
4.  Utility providers
6.  Phone service providers
7.  Internet provider
8.  The company from which we bought 1 office phone
9.  The company from which we bought a cell phone
10. The leaser of our office copier
11. Merchant services provider
12. The agency that processes visa applications for our staff
13. Law firms
14. Office supply stores
15. Insurance companies – several
16. Insurance brokers
17. Banks
18. The restaurant at which we hold our summer event.
19. The caterer of our winter event.
20. The golf club at which we held an event.
21. The sign printer for our golf event
22. Our external audit firm
23. An auto repair shop that worked on a company car.
24. A grocery store, and

Ready for this one..

25. Wal-Mart

All in we determined our 3 1099s turn into almost 300 under PPACA.  What does this do besides create paperwork from which we get no benefit? (David Mair)

The small business paperwork elimination act should be a top priority for advocates of small businesses as the cost to small businesses for compliance to government regulations is absolutely cost prohibitive. (Mack Ferguson – Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce)

We just got our health insurance quote form our current carrier, who has been very satisfactory. Our rates will go up 34% for the next year. Our rates have been stable or even had small reductions for several previous years. Obamacare was supposed to reduce costs to small businesses? (John Fry – Ardent Music)

Regarding the 1099 filing which would be required for all of our vendors, this would be very difficult for us.  As a title company we outsource title searches to many different abstractors, surveys, judgment reports, document storage, etc.  Each file is run through one of two escrow accounts and the vendors are paid out of that escrow account.  The accounting system is not the best, nothing like Quickbooks, so it would be very time consuming to keep track of what each vendor is paid, out of what account.  This would add many man hours worth of work to our industry which is already overburdened with legislation. (Debi Grim – Aegis Title Associates)

My youngest son passed away 13 yrs ago. We went to three or four different medical centers in the United States and met people from five different continents. I know in my heart that he got the best care he could get right here in the United States. Why would people come from all these different countries if the medical care was better there? The health care bill passed is illegal, criminal, and unconstitutional. (Charles M Brown)

We just received our renewal package from Independence Blue Cross with an astounding 53.83% increase.  This is absolutely ridiculous and it seems like there is nothing I can do about it. I am ready to…show (not tell) show these elected officials, most of which never ran a company, how their decisions are hurting our nation’s economic engine – small business owners! (Larry – The Borden Agency)

Our company began its own health care reform initiative in 2003 and as a result has been very successful in managing health care expenditures (we do not need the government run program). Since then our average costs per employee have compounded at 4.2% annually vs. 15 to 20% increases in previous years.  The lower rates even incorporate the additional costs associated with new long-term disability and vision care programs and a doubling of our life insurance benefit for all employees as well as a professionally run wellness program.

A key to our success was the education of our employees about the cost of health care and then shifting the responsibility for payment to our employees.  Our new program is totally free to our employees but includes a high deductible.  We help employees cover their deductible by making contributions to their HSA account each year. Although employees were initially fearful and suspicious of this reform initiative it has proven to be beneficial to our employees as well as the company. THE TRUE KEY TO CONTROLLING COSTS IS TO HAVE CONSUMERS PAYING FOR SERVICES PROVIDED! (Patrick Dolan, G H Tool & Mold)

We are a small business who happens to be in the employee benefits side of health insurance. We also sell to self employed and individuals who do not have an employer group plan available to them.  We are being impacted several ways–the insurance carriers are subject to Minimum Loss Ratios (MLR's) beginning in January, 2011.  This says that 80-85% of every premium dollar must go toward "healthcare" costs.  Just what that means is being decided now.  Our issue is if we get paid 5% (on average) where does our 5% fall?  Also, the pre-existing conditions lifted for children beginning 9/23/10 is a good thing but now the carriers are either opting out of insuring children under age 19 on a "child only" plan, cutting out the broker commission, or both.  Rates have not come down; my clients are still being hit with double digit rate increases.  My industry is threatened with extinction at the time when our clients need our guidance and input the most… (Dianne Kelley, Sandbrook Benefits Group)

As a professional tax practitioner, I realize the burden this will put on the small business owner in our country. I can understand that small corporations should be added to the 1099 requirement but public traded ones such as Office Depot, Home Depot, etc. should not be included.  It is hard enough for the business owners to keep up with all the Federal & State registrations and filing requirements and having to file 1099's to everyone they write a check to for more than $600 just adds to the paper work. The 1099 filing does help reduce the underreporting but since public traded Corporations all ready have reporting to the SEC and usually have a large accounting dept. the requirement of adding them to the list only adds to the paper work that is not necessary. (Pat Schmick, P & L Enterprise)

We recently renewed our health insurance and were just about to change carriers to avoid a better than 35% increase in our rates when our accountant forwarded information explaining that if we changed carriers (even though the plans were virtually identical) we would lose our "grandfathered in" status. Losing that status would expose us to all of the more odious aspects of Obamacare. (Rick Nadler)

[T]he 1099's? Absolutely ridiculous. Can't handle the burden or expense. And CANNOT pass it on to our customers. We are already reducing our prices just to get the speck of business out there. Wake up Washington. Wake up America. This is a frightening time in our country. Old world craftsmen and small businesses like ours will be a thing of the past. (Jane C.)

We are a small company in Kentucky. We have only 10 employees, six (6) of which are covered under our health insurance plan with Anthem. We just received our renewal notice. Our premium has gone up 43% in one year! Our broker says in his 40+ years of experience, this is the largest increase in premiums he has ever seen!  This means the cost of insurance for every employee covered has doubled! Makes me want to hire more people. NOT! The real kicker is we cannot make any changes in our policy, increase deductibles, or such, without losing our Grandfathered Right to keep this private insurance. Make any changes and we go to ObamaCare…oh by the way, no one knows anything about what that it is, and what it covers! ("Angry in Kentucky")

Delete the 1099 provisions, please. (Donald Davis)

I presently sell small manufactured products to small business; the $600 provision will put me out of making products for these small shops.  A 1099 will cause me to also raise my prices and put me in a non-competitive situation. They slide this provision in the back door, like everything else. (Joe M, North East Reproductions)

What the hell are they thinking? 1099's for every purchase over $600? The IRS won't have the capacity to handle all that paperwork, and small business has more to do than spend days on end doing this kind of trivial crap. Tell those guys as tactfully as possible to get their heads out of their backsides and solve problems rather than creating them. (Elmer P Brinkman)

As a small business we work very hard every day to make a success story of our venture. We must lower our prices to keep guest visits yet nearly every factor of our business is seeing increased costs due to new regulations, fees, taxes, rising costs and the list goes on and on. We cannot hire enough staff to do the job we must do and more and more paperwork is piled upon us each and every day. When we do hire staff many of them feel they really do not need to work as they can depend on some sort of government program to reward them for their lack of work ethic. This puts the load on those who are willing to work for a living and the employers who are taking the risks to become business leaders.

Although they have a large impact, the health care provisions are only one small portion of what is being loaded upon the working people and the small business owners. Several requirements of the new health care laws have nothing to do with health care other than funding it and the Obama Administration along with a Democratic Congress refuse to call the funding Taxation. If anyone believes that their taxes are being cut look up the definition of "taxation" or "taxes" you will find that there are literally hundreds of taxes being forced upon families and small business by the current administration. (James Jackson, Lava Mountain Lodge)

I am the owner of multi-media company in Nashville, TN. I am a one-woman shop and have been in business for 11 years. Each year it becomes harder to make a living and adhere to all the state rules, let alone federal rules. God forbid you make a mistake on a form — it's like dealing with the Gestapo! As I was driving home from a business trip this week, I was listening to the radio and heard about the 1099 requirements in the Health Care bill. I was so livid that I could hardly continue driving.

The financial burden that will be placed on me to file this paperwork is unfathomable. I went through the list of companies to which I pay over $600 within a year. I don't have time to do what I do now for the government! How will I keep track of all this? How will I find time to sit for hours trying to obtain Tax ID numbers from large corporations — gas companies, phone companies, software companies, office supply companies, the electric company, insurance companies?! I'll also have to pay a much-added cost for an accountant to put this pile of 1099s together. As businesses deal with this issue, they'll pass on the expense to all consumers. We'll all feel the burden. And now we'll have to pay for more government workers to shovel the paperwork involved! (Aviatrix Enterprises)

We are a retired couple with our primary health care insurance being Medicare and supplemental being Tri-Care. With Obama Care, Medicare coverage has been cut, and we are worried that Tri-Care will not cover the rest of our Medicare now and in the future. We are on a fixed income and not at all wealthy. With a Obama Care Reformed system that America cannot afford, a bankrupt Medicare system and questionable solvency in Tri-Care funding, we are naturally very worried! (Donald Bolster)

I own a small business in Pennsylvania and I am a PA Chamber member.  The health care bill which has been recently passed has a section dedicated to IRS form 1099  being issued to everyone that I as a manufacturer do business with in excess of $600 per year.  This is a tremendous burden on a small business, we sell to 2500 to 3000 customers a year and we buy from 250 companies.  Each of these accounts will require 1099 activity.  Surely the chamber needs to speak out about this burden I will need to assign staff to find TIN on everyone we deal with.  Certainly this is obtrusive and burdensome. We make compressed air filters not health care products.  Reading Technologies (Reading, PA)

I cannot believe that the health care bill voted in today will not negatively impact small business. And I have fought long and hard trying to bring this fact to our representatives. Just having to implement the new law will be a full-time job for any small business owner. We already have so much to contend with as it is owning and running a business and trying to stay profitable. My local representatives just tell me to pass the added expense onto the customer. You can only do that to a certain degree without pricing yourself out of business. … I definitely concur that the coming elections should be used as the instrument to let our voices be heard. And with the help of the U.S. Chamber as well as many other fine organizations, we need to fight tooth and nail for what is right for our economic future. Without a robust economy, we have nothing! – Diane Henning (Fairfax, VT)

Tom is correct. We really do not know how the health care legislation will impact our businesses. In my company we have a high deduct' with HSA. We still pay over $500 per month per employee (that is $2.88 per hour). For companies paying minimum wage this bill will increase the cost of labor by a job killing 40%. The tax credits may look appealing; but, there is a huge accounting and reporting cost to get the tax break. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is great; but, we spend 30 – 35% of the value of the tax credit in accounting and paperwork. At a time when so many people are out of work, this seems to be a very awkward time to be adding so much expense to struggling employers.  Ron Sanders (Madisonville, KY)

All I know is that I feel an ill timed health care bill was rammed down our throat with little or no voter input. It has wide ranging implications for my business. The cost to my employees, the general public and the government is staggering. I worry that the cost to provide health care will not come down. I fear that freedom of choice as well as available quality healthcare providers will diminish. Employers should never have been put in the position of having to make decisions offering and or providing health care to employees. We do it only to attract and retain good people. I flew to Washington at my own expense to hear President Obama speak on his health care initiative only to hear a campaign type speech filled with rhetoric and very short on substance. I for one can't wait to make my feelings known at the ballot box this year. – Steven Holloway (Albany, GA)

I hope my employees who voted for this Administration understand that any losses to the bottom-line, for any business, will have to be made up from Payroll. This is sad, disgusting, and flies completely in the face of freedom. Take heart! November is on the way! – Justin Baxley (Ocala, FL)

The government is the worst business managers there are. They need to clean up the current systems in trouble (Medicare, social security etc) before they start a new mess. Health care run by the government would be just that a mess. The IRS is already impossible to work with, and then they add control over who gets penalized for not having the health care the government wants them to have. The government is the last entity I want with decision making rights to my health. As a small business owner I do not need more financial stress on my business and personal finances. A big we do not need this kind of reform – are you listening Congress. – Barbara Cugini (Boise, ID)