On Wednesday, Gene Barr, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber, Kevin Shivers, PA State Director for the National Federation of Independent Business, Dave Taylor, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association, Tammy Shearer, Owner of the Camera Box, and Dr. Bret DeLone discussed the negative effects of President Obama’s Health Care Law.
Click here or the image below to view the highlights from the event.
Full text of Mrs. Tammy Shearers Statement:
Good morning everyone.
Private sector businesses are still struggling with no clear signs of improvement in the near future. Consumers are hesitant to spend while employer expenses keep rising. With limited revenue and increased costs, businesses are unable to create and keep full-time jobs.
As the owner of a small family owned business, a second generation family owned business, I feel the impact of the state of the economy first hand. We are not “doing fine” as some suggest, we are instead struggling to survive.
Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care act, otherwise known as Obamacare premiums will be lower for every family. Wrong, Mr. President. My healthcare premiums have once again increased by nearly 20% for the second year in a row, in anticipation of your plan going into effect.
I’ve had to alter coverage for my employees. I now am forced to offer them higher deductibles and lower coverage in order to accommodate the rising cost of healthcare coverage. If your plan takes effect, small businesses such as mine may opt to pay fines and penalties which could be more affordable than signing onto the government plan.
But here’s the problem. The more people who sign onto the government plan, the more subsidies there will be which costs us, the taxpayers, more. Obamacare’s higher taxes and demanding requirements have created uncertainty for businesses everywhere making it nearly impossible to hire more employees.
Small businesses such as mine are the backbone of this country and we create the majority of all new jobs. If we are unable to create the new jobs due to anticipated costs associated with this healthcare law, the impact will be devastating to the economy.
Taxes on insurance policies, medical devices, prescription drugs and the like will all be absorbed by consumers. Taxes on businesses that cannot provide coverage will result in lower salaries and lost jobs and we simply cannot afford this.
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