YOUR COMMENTS

So Francis, Nashville, TN: Who do you work for, SEIU/ACORN, AFL/CIO or UAW you're obviously being paid for writing this non-sensical drivel
- SAndy, Thornton

Of course health care reform is a partisan issue. Both parties see a problem, but only democrats are interesting in fixing it. The republicans brushed off the problem during their control of congress and the WH. Bush said American's have health care they can go to the emergency room.

If we are going to debate the costs, we need to use a source of real, non-partisan numbers. We all have an interest in successful reform. To do that we need to deal in facts not fears.
- Frances, Nashville, TN

Sure it will save federal dollars- because it shifts trillions in entitlement costs for Medicare & medicaid directly to the Consumers/taxpayers through higher taxes, "fees" & premium costs. I believe that has been described as "spreading the wealth", but can also be seen as spreading misery. Repeal the 111th Congress and all their works!
- Mae, Plaistow

Several commenter’s have made statements that imply that business owners are less than legitimate, or are less than honest or are just plain bad people because they don’t offer certain benefits that some of you obviously feel you should be getting.

How a business owner chooses to operate should be none of an individual, the state or the Federal government’s business, nor should they interfere as long as it is a legitimate business and pays its taxes and compensates its employees according to existing law. A business owner is obligated to compensate you for your services by paying you wages for a full days’ work. The business owner is not “avoiding” paying your health insurance because he is not obligated to offer health insurance and you are not ENTITLED to it. If you don’t like his employment terms, don’t work there.

Health insurance is a benefit, not a right and no business should be forced to provide it. I also believe that nobody should be forced into a health plan they don’t want and nobody should also be forced to pay for those who choose not to pay for their own. Because, aside from 10 or so million who truly need help with insurance, the rest of those without health insurance either choose not to take it or are illegal aliens. We should take care of those who truly need help and stop abridging the Constitutional rights of those who don’t choose to partake of government control. Tom of Campton lists the specific areas where the Government should be working to make changes –real “reform” – to health care so that all can find an affordable policy.

Read the comments from Cathie of Chester, Jeff, Exeter and Andy, Milford – all three make excellent points.

And P.S. I’m not a small business owner.
- Sandy, Thornton

This article is not about the bill that was just voted on in committee in the senate. Why not investigate that one. That's the one with a legitimate shot of passing.
- Tom, Manchester

How much will it cost the citizens of NH if no reform is made? How many small businesses are actually avoiding paying employee heath insurance costs by calling their employees "contractors", and how many workers are not receiving anything close to full health benefits?

Let's get some perspective on the affect of the status quo on our entire communities, not just business owners.

The continual fear tactics are so predictable. Pay attention voters and demand impartial information, or maybe even, gasp!, read the bill for yourself.

LIza
- Liza Lee, Wolfeboro New Hampshire

One thing I really don't like about a public insurance option, which, thankfully, is not being included (yet), is that it's touted as a "good way" to add competition to the insurance industry. I just don't think the government should ever, in any industry, add competition. As inefficient as it would probably be, it's still not required to turn a profit and could even get subsidies from our taxes. No other company can compete with that.

The government should never be involved in any business, in my opinion. It's anti-capitalistic, and our country's success has been based on capitalism from Day One.

I'm no fan of insurance companies' greed, but we can work on that as a problem, and not violate the principals that got us where we are today. Yes, there are some obvious problems, but widen your scope to the rest of the world and see how they live.
- Marc, Derry

Nothing is for free. Uncle Sam doesn't make money. It gets it from people who do. If you want free anything from the government you take from those who have money. Folks are extremely worried about their jobs and homes. Nobody wants to lose anymore income. There isn't a magic pill but raising taxes in a recession on people and business is a dumb idea. You can run around and point fingers at everyone but every business and organization you demonize employees millions of Americans. You rip out their ability to do business and what going to happen more people hit unemployment and the recession continues
- Andy, Milford

As a small business owner, all I can tell you is that this will do nothing but impede growth and stunt job creation!!! Knowing That my marginal tax rate will increase so dramatically after 2010, I can tell you that I will not be hiring anyone due to the incremental tax I would have to pay. For 500K in income i would generate, I would have to pay an additional $27K in tax. That is exactly one employee that would not be hired.

Also, why is the burden put on the business to provide healthcare? Last time I checked, it is called a benefit and not an entitlement. If a person does not like the fact that an employer doesn't provide it, then don't work there!!!

Get insurance on your own people!!! I have to do it, so why don't you!!!!
- Jeff, Exeter

It would more helpful to see the effective tax rate, not the marginal rate. What are the actual out of pocket differences? We have a higher marginal tax rate for businesses than many countries, but out whacked-out IRS system means that the effective rate is fairly low.
- Suzanne, Concord

It's not just the increased tax burden on businesses, but the increased taxes and premiums for workers, and the increased burden put on the states. This bill is a disaster and it must be defeated.

Health care reform should consist of three things:
(1) lawsuit abuse reform
(2) allowing interstate competition
(3) eliminating government mandates on coverage

These won't expand government or cost the taxpayers a red cent. Start here and see what happens - and get to creating some jobs, Obama.
- Tom, Campton

People who don't like the partisan analyses should take a step back and realize what a partisan bill this really is. Pelosi clearly is looking to ram this through and quite blunt about the "whatever it takes" tact being pursued.
- Chris, Bow

Tim, Frances, and Jerry-
What differance does it make who conducted the study? If you truly believe that health insurance mandates by the feds will not cost business a small fortune you are in la-la land. Who are you going to the believe...the government and self-serving politicians?

This small business owner currently pays 65% of premiums for single employees. If I was required to pay say 65% for family plans those cost would rise to more than $187,000 per year, an impossible amount. According to the penalty currently proposed in HR 3200, if I didn't offer health insurance I would pay an 8% penalty on $520,000 payroll equalling about $42,000 per year, about $26,000 less than I currently contribute. What do you think I will do as a business owner? I will drop all health insurance and pay the penalty.

Also, you may be interested to know that as a business owner, everytime our premiums took big jumps it was mainly due to new government ordered mandates on health insurers (excluding maternity riders, including bariatric surgery, excluding 6 month waiting periods for pre-existing conditions, etc., etc.).

I pay over $11,000 a year in workers comp ins. and have had less that $3,600 in claims since 1979. I pay state and federal unemployment taxes which have increased yet I have never laid off a single employee, I pay BET taxes based upon the amount of payroll and the state income tax on business also known as the Business Profits Tax.

While employers contribute 50% of an employees social security and medicad taxes, as an owner I have to pay the entire amount on myself. Just like health insurance...no one contributes a single dime to my SS or Medicaid taxes! Take away Bushes tax cuts and suggested tax increases and I will pay over 55% of my income in federal taxes! Is this why I started with nothing and have worked 33 years to build a business with no retirement in sight?

If Jerry thinks single payer is the way to go, how about doing it like Canada and charge over an 18% GCT tax on everything or a VAT? Everyone then will be forced to pay including all people on the public dole, illegal aliens, people being paid off-the-books, illegal enterprises not paying taxes, or young people who don't want health insurance.

Jerry, you probably wouldn't like that idea because then you might have to contribute something to government mandated health insurance.

People who support this plan are those who think that they're going to get something for free or who expect to see their health care costs go down (which will never happen).

And by the way, Jerry...how much do you pay for health insurance and how much do you pay in income taxes? How many people do you employ? If my employees don't like the pay and benefits I offer, they can always walk out the door!
- Cathie, Chester

Lets have the gov't prove they can run a business. So far the post office, social security, medicare, medicaid etc... almost all gov't run programs are insane to try and deal with. They are constantly being subsidized by the gov't because they lose money due to poor management and TOO MANY EMPLOYEES. When they can do something without hiring 3x the people who work at 1/10 the pace of normal people and actually make money then they can talk about running healthcare. Try and figure out medicare for aging parents and you will learn quickly you don't want them managing your health benefits. Layer after layer of red tape, people answering the phone who are rude, don't care, bad information etc... Prove yourself first Obama and the rest of you, do it like we have to. Provide us a reason why you are qualified to run (ruin) our healthcare system.
- cindy, henniker

Healthcare reform is so critical, yet we seem to be in a FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) war. Nobody on either side seems to know or be able to explain the truth. It might take 10 years, and several swings of party rule, to get it right, but now is the time to start. Pass some laws, measure the impact and then pass some more. Efficient delivery is the key. There must be the incentives to drive providers, payers and consumers to be more efficient. Maybe home diagnostics via the Internet will be part of the solution, but we will not move forward until we commit to reformation and take some steps.
- Bill, Moultonborough, NH

Of course every NH business (public or private) that offers health benefits to its employees is already at a tremendous disadvantage in the global market, due to the fact that in EVERY other developed country, and many developing countries, health care is provided to citizens. US health care costs continue to be a drag on businesses, towns and the state. Until real reform occurs, we will continue to be hampered financially.
- JPKANT, Northwood

"a new study by two conservative economists" That pretty much said it all. When are we going to get some independent reporting that tells the reader the facts so we can make our own decisions. Does the UL feel we are not smart enough to make our own decisions?
- Joshua, Manchester

Not that the report might be slightly partisan, nothing was said about the impact of no health reform. What is the comparison? My employer and I've been paying more each year for my company plan and getting less.
- Leonard Campbell, Center Harbor

Can you tell us the cost is for Medicaid for the state.
- MarthaLong, Columbia,nh

If this study had been in favor of health care would it then be non partisan? You libs always think everyone and everything that is not as you like is either partisan, biased, racist or just downright false!

Since this government run emergency bill is being rammed down our throats, in spite of what we want, I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens. It'll be too late then, but what the heck, we can get Congress to pass more legislation to fix it, again. Naturally, we will pay for it all.

I'm not an economist, but this looks like very simple: Can we afford it? Nope. Do we need it? Nope. Can we make some changes and make the system better? Yes. Will the people in Congress who screwed the system up, actually fix what is broken? Nope.

Will they make it worse and then keep their own plan? Yep.

Will we vote them out in November? We'll see.......
- Melvin, Keene

Private business in NH has chosen not to provide health care for their employees.The poor and the wage-slaves have been ignored for too long.A single payer system is the only one that works.EVERY other modern economy uses this model.The haves have bled the common person for too long(wages stagnated for 20+ years).Don't like it? THEN LEAVE
- Jerry, Claremont

Why don't you give numbers on what businesses spend now on health care and compare that to what they would pay under reform?

Are these partisan organizations the only sources you used for the costs you stated? You might have some good points, but unless you can give some non-partisan sources the reader has to assume there are none.
- Frances, Nashville, TN

Was this story written by Health insurance companies or only the GOP?
- Tim, Dover