News Item

New poll: Nearly Two-Thirds of Small Businesses Oppose Health Insurance Tax

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Kelly Klass
Tuesday, November 3, 2015

New poll: Nearly Two-Thirds of Small Businesses Oppose Health Insurance Tax Eight in ten surveyed say rising health insurance costs will force changes to their business

[WASHINGTON, DC] – A new nationwide poll released today by the Stop the HIT Coalition found that nearly two-thirds (64%) of small businesses surveyed are concerned about the impacts of the new health insurance tax (HIT), which is part of the Affordable Care Act. The poll of 251 small business owners conducted last week by Public Opinion Strategies found that more than half (55%) of the small businesses polled noted they expect their insurance costs and premiums will increase due to the new healthcare taxes. The poll was released today at a Stop the HIT coalition event at the Newseum that included small businesses owners who spoke firsthand about the negative effects of the HIT tax on their business.

Click here for the full poll, or click here for the findings memo.

“To keep America’s economy moving forward, we must ensure we’re addressing the concerns of small businesses related to the Affordable Care Act,” said Amanda Austin, vice president of public policy at NFIB, a leading organization in the Stop the HIT coalition. “This new poll underscores that small business owners are not just deeply concerned about the financial strain the health insurance tax is causing, but also that fewer jobs, less health insurance coverage and delayed investments are likely the unintended consequences of this new tax on small businesses.”

The poll finds that eight in ten (78%) small business owners say increased health insurance costs will force them to make changes to their business, including layoffs or delays in hiring, fewer health insurance offerings, and delay in other business investments. In addition, nearly six in ten small business owners say they would be more likely to support a candidate for U.S. Congress who supports repealing ACA taxes like the health insurance tax.

Austin continued, “We have seen significant bipartisan support for legislation to repeal this tax, which will burden small businesses and stall economic growth. This new data continues to confirm that small businesses across the country are looking to Congress to repeal this provision of the healthcare law. Considering the far-reaching impacts of the tax and the broad base of voices supporting its repeal, it’s time for Congress to act in the best interest of small businesses nationwide.”

According to research by the NFIB Research Foundation, the HIT would reduce private sector employment by as many as 286,000 jobs by 2023. Additionally, with nearly 60 percent of these job losses falling on smaller employers, small businesses are disproportionately impacted by this legislation.

The Stop the Health Insurance Tax Coalition (Stop The HIT Coalition) is made up of more than 30 business and independent employer advocacy groups working to repeal the costly, unfair and hidden health insurance tax on small businesses as part of the Affordable Care Act. The coalition generates grassroots support for repeal by educating policymakers and activating small business owners, their employees and the self-employed who are directly impacted by the pending HIT. Learn more at www.stopthehit.com.

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