CA Small Business Owners On Healthcare Policies

Opinion Poll: California Small Business Owners Support Policies to Expand Health Coverage Access and Lower Costs 

Small Business Majority

First published March 2019

Small Business Majority published a new report, California small business owners support policies to expand health coverage access and lower costs. The poll of 300 California small business owners revealed entrepreneurs strongly support proposals to bolster the state’s healthcare system, including expanding access to tax credits and addressing issues related to cost and transparency.

Specific findings from this poll can be found below.

• California small business owners support strengthening existing system of ACA subsidies to help more people afford healthcare premiums: More than 7 in 10 small business owners (73%) support strengthening the current system of ACA subsidies by creating additional state subsidies to provide cost-sharing for those who make under 400% of the federal poverty level (less than $100,400 for a family of four). Additionally, 7 in 10 small business owners also support expanding cost-sharing subsidies to individuals who make up to 600% of the FPL, which would impact middle-class Californians who currently do not qualify for any premium assistance.
• Small business owners want more transparency on pricing and quality in the healthcare system: California small business owners overwhelmingly agree that there should be more transparency on pricing and quality to allow patients to make informed decisions about where to receive care, a sentiment supported by 91% of respondents.
• Small business owners support numerous proposals to lower the cost of prescription drugs: California small business owners strongly support numerous proposals aimed at controlling costs of prescription drugs, including allowing the state to leverage its purchasing power to negotiate lower drug prices for state plans (88%), making it illegal for a drug company to pay another company to delay the release of a generic drug (88%) and requiring drug companies to justify prices by disclosing how much they spend on production and how much they profit (85%).
• Nearly 6 in 10 small business owners (59%) of small business owners agree undocumented immigrants should be allowed to access public healthcare insurance options, as giving them access to coverage will ensure that their care is covered and in turn drive down healthcare costs for everyone else.