Senator John Kerry (D-MA), Chairman of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, made the following statement on the release of the National Association for the Self Employed's (NASE) findings regarding small business and health insurance:

"This NASE study is extremely informative -- it paints very clearly the reality of the health insurance crisis facing American small businesses and self-employed workers. Rising health insurance costs are a significant problem for small businesses which struggle with barriers and obstacles different from those facing large employers. The research from NASE further builds the case for real health insurance reform, including assistance to America's small business and self-employed individuals. In the weeks and months ahead, we need to refocus public attention on efforts which reduce the cost of health insurance for small businesses and explore needed reforms in our health insurance market."

Among the findings was that 86 percent of the respondents support Congresswoman Kay Granger's (R-TX) SAVE Health Care tax credit legislation.

Congresswoman Granger said, "The SAVE Act gives small business owners and their employees a second option outside our current employer-based system. It's an option that recognizes that the business environment has changed. Employees demand flexibility in their coverage, portability as they go from job to job, and direct accountability from their insurance company... This legislation gives workers the health coverage they deserve and frees small business owners from the burdens and liabilities of managing employee health insurance.”

House Small Business Committee Chairman Don Manzullo (R-IL) urged his colleagues to follow the President's lead and pass legislation that would give America's small employers better options to battle the surging costs of health care for themselves and their employees.

"This study by the

National Association for the Self-Employed confirms that our smallest businesses and their employees continue to forego needed health care coverage primarily because they can't afford it. They need Congress' help to reign in these surging costs and give them the opportunity to provide coverage for themselves and their employees. If we don't take action, costs will continue to surge and we will find many more Americans without health insurance."

Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) said the survey has offered fresh evidence that small businesses who want to provide employees heath insurance are hamstrung by prohibitive costs and other barriers raised by big insurance companies.

"NASE's members have confirmed what we have heard from other sources or long suspected: Many small businesses would like to provide health insurance benefits to their employees, but often are hamstrung by prohibitive costs or restrictive policies of insurance carriers," said Bond, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Seventy-five percent of NASE members indicated they would participate in AHPs if they were available.

"AHPs are the best way to provide Fortune 500-style health insurance benefits to small businesses and their employees," Bond added. "President Bush and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao agree with me as do millions of other small business owners. We need to apply the efficiency and competition of the free market to the problem of providing health insurance to small firms and their employees. I will continue fighting for passage of AHPs."

U.S. Congressman Ernie Fletcher (R-KY)  comments on the dramatic challenges faced by the self-employed and micro-businesses in accessing affordable health insurance.

"The best patient protection is access to affordable health benefit options. Yet nearly 40 million Americans currently have no coverage at all. The Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2001 that I introduced can reduce the high cost of health insurance for small businesses and the self-employed. Small firms deserve the opportunity to obtain high quality health insurance that is competitively priced. Congress should pass Association Health Plan legislation this year and bring Fortune 500 health benefits to the nation’s Main Street small businesses and their employees.

Representative Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), ranking member of the House Small Business Committee, sums up the study's results.

"This study verifies is something we all have been saying for years --- that for the self-employed and micro-business owners, health care is very much out of reach. What we did not know was just how bad it was. [The survey shows that] 70 percent of micro-business owners cannot offer health care plans, and for a very simple and critical reason – cost."

John Desser, executive director of the Coalition for Affordable Health Coverage, offered a special thanks to Robert Hughes and the NASE.

"This survey confirms our belief that health credits will be of great assistance towards the employees of small businesses who currently lack health insurance...I want to thank you for your leadership in helping address the issue of the medically uninsured in the United States. Your dedication and hard work on behalf of the National Association for the Self-Employed continues to promote solutions to help insure 40 million Americans who are without health insurance today.”