Healthcare Reform Uncertainty
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: June 29, 2012
The supreme court's decision to uphold the Healthcare Reform Act has been the talk of the town and the nation.
The government can require Americans to have health insurance, or pay a penalty. One big question - will it help or hurt small business?
"I don't see a lot of optimism, I don't see anything that's gonna bring costs down, only up," says Joe Valeriano, Owner of A. Valeriano & Sons, Inc.
Uncertainty. That's the word I keep hearing from small business owners. A. Valeriano & sons contracting say they're not sure what's coming but they're planning for the worst.
"If we're gonna insure more people, I just don't understand how the math can make it cheaper. If expenses for a business go up, that means they have to increase revenue to pay for it or cut their costs to pay for it," says Joe Valeriano.
"We wake up every morning and go to work. It's just hard to figure out how we're gonna pay for these new policies or healthcare. Hope for the best," says Matt Valeriano, President of A. Valeriano & Sons, Inc.
But the Director of The Small Business Development Center at SUNY IT says this policy will actually provide broader coverage for the majority of Americans - and he says it may not actually increase costs
"One way or another, we as Americans pay for healthcare coverage. Whether it's through healthcare system or whether it through higher taxes or higher premiums, so if people are concerned whether this is gonna cost us more - it may not, it may even cost us less," says David Maller, Director of The Small Business Development Center.
It all depends on how many employees a business has. They may be exempt from that part of law if they have fewer than 50 employees - Some say the end result is worth it.
"I'm sorry that the burden falls on small business but i think in the long run, it looks like it will provide equitable healthcare, affordable healthcare," says Maller.
Despite the questions that remain, many business owners do agree on one thing. Opponents of what they call "ObamaCare" say this is not the end of the health-care reform debate.
The government can require Americans to have health insurance, or pay a penalty. One big question - will it help or hurt small business?
"I don't see a lot of optimism, I don't see anything that's gonna bring costs down, only up," says Joe Valeriano, Owner of A. Valeriano & Sons, Inc.
Uncertainty. That's the word I keep hearing from small business owners. A. Valeriano & sons contracting say they're not sure what's coming but they're planning for the worst.
"If we're gonna insure more people, I just don't understand how the math can make it cheaper. If expenses for a business go up, that means they have to increase revenue to pay for it or cut their costs to pay for it," says Joe Valeriano.
"We wake up every morning and go to work. It's just hard to figure out how we're gonna pay for these new policies or healthcare. Hope for the best," says Matt Valeriano, President of A. Valeriano & Sons, Inc.
But the Director of The Small Business Development Center at SUNY IT says this policy will actually provide broader coverage for the majority of Americans - and he says it may not actually increase costs
"One way or another, we as Americans pay for healthcare coverage. Whether it's through healthcare system or whether it through higher taxes or higher premiums, so if people are concerned whether this is gonna cost us more - it may not, it may even cost us less," says David Maller, Director of The Small Business Development Center.
It all depends on how many employees a business has. They may be exempt from that part of law if they have fewer than 50 employees - Some say the end result is worth it.
"I'm sorry that the burden falls on small business but i think in the long run, it looks like it will provide equitable healthcare, affordable healthcare," says Maller.
Despite the questions that remain, many business owners do agree on one thing. Opponents of what they call "ObamaCare" say this is not the end of the health-care reform debate.
