Republicans have always been on the side of small businesses. The up-by-one’s-boostraps attitude rings quite loudly amid the cacophony of GOP voices clamoring for small business employers’ quest for fiscal independence from government “handouts” — as the party puts it. However, it is this critical demographic which is stinging the most from the ability to reap the benefits of coverage for their beneficiaries.^[1] Amid skyrocketing premiums and the inability for low-wage workers to take advantage of those plans, hope appears to be in the form of the president’s push for key reform in this portion of the healthcare marketplace — a move meant to renew attention to a spate of reform bills making their way through Congress on the eve of the reform vote.

Currently, on the House side of the legislature, those bills in the reform package would benefit small businesses. The senate machinations, amid news that Senate Finance Cmte. chair Max Baucus will be releasing his own version of what he thinks will be a partisan reform bill, are the forces grabbing health reform headlines today, however. A report released on 9/9 highlights key provisions of the Ways & Means, Education & Labor, and Energy & Commerce Committees which could see ultimate passage into law if House progressives have their way. | PDF LINK

1. In 2007 only 25% of employees in small businesses had coverage through their own employers, compared to 74% of employees in large firms. [↩]

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