Small Biz Owners Eye Healthcare Changes

When it comes to health insurance, size matters -- if you want to survive the system. Small business owners have their eye on healthcare reform, and what it could mean for their bottom line.

Red Mountain Energy in Arizona specializes in working with the Native American community. Solar and wind energy are their focus. But with just five employees, this small business is taking a hard look at their healthcare provider.

"We have a very middle of the road plan, it's nothing special, nothing gold-plated. We really can't afford to pay the large percentage we have in the past, but to ask our employees to pay, would be a burden on them that's not fair," says Carolyn Stewart of Red Mountain Energy.

Dr. Susan Wilder is a family physician. She sees the healthcare debate from both sides.

"I don't think people who are employees of small business understand just how tenuous their health insurance coverage is," says Dr. Wilder. "Every dollar we have to spend on higher health insurance premiums is a dollar we can't spend hiring or improving our businesses or paying our employees what they deserve to be paid."

As the owner of Lifescape Medical Associates, Dr. Wilder is facing a 43 percent increase come January. "Small businesses, just like small medical providers, have no bargaining power," she says.

"I've talked to other business owners like myself, and we're all pretty much in the same boat, we don't have very good options," says Stewart. Stewart says her proposed increase is 58 percent.

So both women are looking to Washington for change. Dr. Wilder even met with President Obama to discuss reform.

"I think it is essential, economically, that small businesses have this level playing field that we have affordable, portable insurance," says Dr. Wilder.

If the economic climate doesn't change soon, both business owners say they may be faced with dropping insurance altogether.