• NASE Attends Bush Discussion On Small Business And Economy
• Cost May Play Factor In Adoption of Health IT
• Business.gov Helps Companies Meet Federal Requirements

NASE Attends Bush Discussion On Small Business And Economy

President George W. Bush recently met with the National Association for the Self-Employed and other small business groups to discuss how entrepreneurs benefit from the administration’s efforts to reduce the deficit. Based on recently released budget numbers for the 2006 fiscal year, the budget deficit has been reduced by $248 billion. “We cut the tax rate paid by most small businesses,” President Bush said. “It was really the cornerstone in many ways of our economic recovery policy, because we understand that 70 percent of new jobs in America are created by small businesses, and therefore, when small businesses have more capital to spend, it is more likely they'll create jobs.” “We support the President’s push for a less complicated tax code and better options for health care,” said Kristie Darien, executive director of the National Association for the Self-Employed’s (NASE) legislative office. “With the number of self-employed reaching 19.5 million, permanent changes to these systems would benefit a significant part of the population.” An April 2006 member poll by the NASE found that a third of respondents rated tax complexity as a top challenge. In a different study, 62 percent said cost of health care hindered them from offering it to employees. For a transcript of President Bush’s remarks – including information on tax complexity and affordable health care coverage – please click on the following link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061011-7.html Cost May Play Factor In Adoption of Health IT When it comes to health IT, just 9 percent of doctors use complete electronic health records, according to a study by researchers at Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital and George Washington University. The study was conducted to see the scope of national adoption of electronic health record systems. At that rate, half of doctors would have adopted their use by 2014. While initial findings were unable to pinpoint a reliable estimate for the number of hospitals that use electronic health records, other technology upgrades were recorded. The study found that 5 percent of hospitals have adopted computerized physician order entry systems to order drugs from hospital pharmacies. Analysts say these low numbers could be boosted with changes in implementation procedures, including reimbursement for health IT equipment which can be financially taxing for small practices. “It’s a matter of fixing problems at the outset, so that the long-term goal seems more attainable,” says Kristie Darien, executive director of the legislative office for the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE). “By and large, I think people can see that health IT advancements really have the power to change what we do for the better.” The NASE also supports greater transparency in the health care sector as a way to increase consumer choice. We seek to provide helpful information on health care to micro-businesses and the self-employed. The Your Health, Your Choice initiative is one step to assist these individuals in taking control over their health care decisions. For more information on the Your Health, Your Choice initiative, visit www.MicroBusinessHealth.com. Business.gov Helps Companies Meet Federal Requirements According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), firms with fewer than 500 employees often find themselves spending an average of 45 percent more than larger companies to comply with federal regulations including taxes and environmental requirements. Business.gov, a new federal government Web site that offers compliance information and resources, is hoping to change that. Organizers say the Web site searches federal government agencies to offer information on topics like taxes, workplace safety, immigration laws and environmental requirements. It also offers a directory of government contacts and a catalog of government forms. The site was originally launched in 2004. In the future, designers hope to add resources on state and municipal government compliance and the ability for users to customize the site. For more information, visit http://business.gov.