Why small business owners want their employees to have affordable healthcare

Main Street Alliance members know the Affordable Care Act keeps premium prices low so that they don’t lose good workers to corporate competitors.

On a recent visit to Wisconsin, the new national leader for a group representing small businesses explained why their organization lobbies to strengthen the “care economy” and opposes efforts by former President Donald Trump and Republicans to erase progress on health insurance affordability.

Richard Trent, executive director for Main Street Alliance, oversees a group dedicated to giving a larger voice to entrepreneurs with fewer than 50 employees—a group often drowned out by big business lobbyists who oppose pro-employee policies such as paid family leave, a higher minimum wage, access to quality childcare, and affordable healthcare. Each of those factors can play a role in the loss of good workers who either have to take jobs with large companies that can afford better benefits—or leave the workforce and stay home.

“I feel like we’re really just starting to connect the dots between what a strong ‘care economy’ means for the sustainability of small businesses,” Trent said. “The fact of the matter is that there’s a big showdown looming, especially around affordable health care for small business owners and American citizens.”

In an interview with UpNorthNews, Trent specifically touted the importance of  extending subsidies that help keep Affordable Care Act insurance premiums low for working families. 

“They were re-upped during the pandemic and have been keeping premiums low for American citizens for a while now,” Trent said. “They’re slated to expire next year, and it’s going to be a part of this larger tax. debate between Democrats and Republicans.” 

While it’s apparent that premium supports have allowed lower-income working families to afford health insurance, they’ve also helped middle class families who might decide to go without healthcare coverage if it’s not offered on the job.

“Just to put things in perspective, if those premium tax credits expire, a 60-year-old couple making around $80,000 a year can expect to pay $17,500 more in health care costs annually,” Trent said. “That’s not me misspeaking. It’s literally $17,500 on the line for working class families, which is unacceptable. And a lot of our members know that when you have to incur those sorts of expenses, it can totally throw your business operations out of whack.”

Trent said he was encouraged to meet conservatives at the Republican National Convention who sounded supportive of other policies that could help protect small businesses and the incomes of their workers—such as stronger antitrust laws.

“I think that’s because so many folks—Democrats and Republicans—have witnessed what actually happens on Main Street,” Trent said. “You’ve got these massive corporations that come into our communities, drive down the prices so that small businesses nearby can’t compete—and then once those businesses are out of the game, then they jack the prices back up.”

Main Street Alliance also has a focus on policies at the state level,  like raising the minimum wage, Medicaid expansion, and paid leave,  and will be working to get voters engaged, registered, and educated on issues that affect their ability to afford local goods and strengthen local jobs.