• Bush Makes Health Care Statement
• NASE Lends Support To Small Biz Loan Program
• The Parent-Child Health Coverage Link: SCHIP

Bush Makes Health Care Statement

In a recent White House speech, President Bush addressed various proposals for improving the nation’s health care system, including his plan to offer a standard $15,000 tax deduction and other legislation that calls for a tax credit of $5,000 for every family with private coverage. He also reaffirmed the need to reduce health care spending by simplifying the tax code: “Whichever plan we choose, reforming the tax code would have a major impact on American health care. That's what's important for our citizens to understand. There's a better way from expanding the government, and that is to reform the tax code. For example, just as tax incentives for home ownership have encouraged more Americans to buy homes through the private housing market, new incentives for health insurance would lead more Americans to buy coverage through the private health insurance market.” President Bush cautioned against plans by some lawmakers to increase the scope of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The Administration has been supportive of efforts to increase consumer driven health care, including health savings accounts and greater transparency in the health care sector. He also emphasized that health care reform should involve more than one entity. “It's a dual responsibility. If we want a better system, the federal government has got a responsibility to reform, and so do states,” he added. “As they do so, they should ensure that help is provided to those who can least afford coverage.” The NASE advocates for a level playing field in the tax arena, in order to make health insurance premiums more affordable for the millions of Americans who are working yet uninsured. To learn more about NASE advocacy efforts, go to http://advocacy.nase.org. For the President’s complete address, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/06/.

NASE Lends Support To Small Biz Loan Program The House of Representatives recently passed a bill designed to encourage more participation in the Small Business Administration’s popular 7(a) loan program. The program’s funding has been in decline since an initial dip in 2005. As the cost of the program rose, some small businesses were forced to pay up to $50,000 in order to secure a loan. The NASE recently signed its name in support of the 7(a) loan program. One section in a bill that had been up for debate would have removed funding to reduce fees on the loans. In addition to making it tougher on business owners, reduced fees make it more likely that fewer lending institutions would take part in the SBA program. House Members approved $582 million for the SBA, which is a 20 percent increase from the previous year. According to the House Small Business Committee, the 7(a) program has provided 500,000 loans and over $100 billion to entrepreneurs in the past ten years and currently provides over 30 percent of all long-term financing for small businesses. For more information on the House Small Business Committee, visit http://www.house.gov/smbiz/.   The Parent-Child Health Coverage Link: SCHIP   The link between the use of health care options by parents and the access it provides for their children is being highlighted as a reason to reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). A recent study by the George Washington University Medical Center and the health coverage advocate organization, First Focus, found that health coverage of children was used more often and more effectively when parents also had coverage. In past years, the SCHIP program expanded its coverage to include some parents of eligible children. After reviewing research from 2000 to the present, the authors concluded that offering coverage to low-income parents who are extensively uninsured and who may have significant unmet health needs in particular appears to operate as an incentive for families to both seek and use coverage. Over half (51.1%) of micro-business owners say they do not currently offer, nor plan to offer, a health insurance plan through their business for themselves or their employees. The NASE recognizes that obtaining affordable quality health coverage eludes many micro-business owners. To see how the NASE is working to improve the health care system, visit http://advocacy.nase.org/legislative_briefs.asp. Visit http://www.firstfocus.net/ to read the entire health care study. Share your experiences as a micro-business owner! Sound off on key legislative issues and get some free publicity for your business in the process by becoming a media contact. Visit www.NASE.org/mediarelations/contactsheet.asp to fill out an informational sheet on the background of your business. Then, send it back to us at the contact information listed on the sheet. If getting involved in the legislative process suits you better, go to the Advocacy page and “Tell Your Story” (http://advocacy.nase.org/issues/issues.asp). You have the option of allowing the NASE to share your micro-business story with your Members of Congress. By allowing the NASE to tell your story to legislators, you can play a vital role in illustrating the real life consequences and affects of issues they debate on a daily basis.