A survey out this week from the Small Business Majority (SBM)—a national advocacy group founded by small business owners—shows that small business owners in Louisiana are in favor of setting up a health insurance exchange. The exchange is one of the main parts of the federal health care law and the majority of owners surveyed say that it would offer real benefits for business. According to SBM’s report:
“One of the law’s crucial components, which has tremendous small business support, is the health insurance exchange—an online marketplace where small business owners will be able to pool their buying power when they purchase coverage. By a 6:1 ratio, owners say they would use their state exchange or at least consider using it…The majority of entrepreneurs find specific features of the exchange very appealing, and 6 in 10 support Louisiana applying for federal funds to set one up.”
SBM surveyed owners of Louisiana businesses with 100 employees or less.
A recent fact sheet from the Louisiana Budget Project explained how a health insurance exchange would be a great asset for families and small businesses. It would increase access to private health insurance, and provide consumers with more choices and lower costs. As many as 350,000 Louisianans could eventually benefit from the exchange.
Unfortunately, Governor Jindal remains opposed to setting up a state health insurance exchange, despite the millions of dollars in federal grant funding available to help states do so, meaning that Louisiana will likely have an exchange run by the federal government beginning in 2014.
Time is running out for the state to take the necessary steps to set up an exchange that will work for Louisiana families and small businesses.
View the Small Business Majority press release and the full survey results.