National

Whether or not Republicans eventually succeed in repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), it is increasingly obvious that the debate over the future of healthcare is creating so much uncertainty that irreparable damage may have already been done to the ACA.

Earlier this month, the administration announced a proposal to sunset online enrollment for the federal small business health insurance marketplace, otherwise known as SHOP. It’s one more example of how the administration is determined to undo as much of the Affordable Care Act as possible, despite the fact that it's helping small business owners, their employees, and millions of Americans gain coverage.

Entrepreneurs in the United States have a long wishlist of things they would like to see lawmakers do that would help improve their businesses. From tax reform to healthcare changes, there are plenty of ways politicians could make life better for America’s job creators.

Everyone knows that reforming America’s tax system is among the tougher tasks lawmakers consider every year, which is why our tax code has undergone few significant changes over the last two decades. This slow pace of progress, however, is deeply harmful to small businesses that are consistently held back by tax rules that favor large corporations while hindering small firms.

When it comes to employee benefits, the difference between working for a small business and a large corporation can be the difference between eating at a buffet and dining a la carte: neither are bad options, but one usually offers more choices than the other. Unfortunately, far too many lawmakers in Washington, D.C. fail to understand that small businesses often do not have the resources to offer a buffet of benefits, which can result in high employee turnover.

Some lawmakers may be intent on repealing and replacing the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (ACA), but our new scientific opinion polling released today shows small business owners support the ACA over the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the Republican plan to replace the law currently being considered in Congress.

Here are 5 key takeaways from our poll:

At Resilient Beauty Bar in Fairfield, CA, you’ll experience a warm and inviting atmosphere where the wellbeing of the client takes priority. The proud owner, Dee Naylor, has been a beauty professional and stylist for more than fifteen years, and hopes to eventually open a second location. But her plans to expand her business are on hold, as they hinge on the future of the Affordable Care Act.

Lawmakers who dream of gutting the Affordable Care Act (ACA) do not seem to care about its importance to small business owners, particularly those who are solo entrepreneurs. What these politicians fail to understand is that the health care law is the first meaningful insurance reform available to entrepreneurs in decades. In fact, for many self-employed business owners, their firms would not exist without it. That’s why repealing the law is going to be a sizable setback for entrepreneurship.

Maricar Tinio is an example of the quintessential entrepreneur. In addition to having over fifteen years of experience in the legal industry, she is a three-time cancer survivor who has started and co-owned several businesses. Her most recent venture is Mardavis Group, Inc., a legal recruiting firm in Chicago that she launched just last year. But unfortunately her new business may come to a standstill if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is repealed.

When it comes to employee benefits, the difference between working for a small business and a large corporation can be the difference between eating at a buffet and dining a la carte: neither are bad options, but one usually offers more choices than the other. Unfortunately, far too many lawmakers in Washington, D.C. fail to understand that small businesses often do not have the resources to offer a buffet of benefits, which can result in high employee turnover.