A Self-Employed Prescription For Health Reform (NAPSA)—When it comes to health reform, the self-employed say cost containment is key. They also oppose mandating coverage unless there is substantial financial assistance to help payforit. Those are just two key findings in a new survey of self-employed individuals conducted by the National Association for the SelfEmployed (NASE). The majority of the selfemployed who responded to the survey are opposed to a public health insurance program run by the federal government and prefer health reform that builds on the current system of private insur- ance and implements a number of market reforms. “Business owners,” said Kristie Arslan, executive director of the NASE’s legislative offices, “are comfortable with the government as a regulator, not a provider, of health insurance.” Whenasked about various market reforms, self-employed individuals were most supportive of these choices: Create an exchange or marketplace to facilitate the purchase of quality health coverage by allowing small businesses and individuals to easily compare and purchase the health care plans of their choice; Require health insurance car- In a recent survey of self-employed individuals, 71 percent of respondents said that they would prefer insurance offered by a private insurerto a policy offered by the government—evenif it were the exact same health insurancepolicy at the exact sameprice. @ riers to provide health insurance to all those who apply—regardless of their health status; and Create nonprofit insurance cooperatives that are organized by the government but owned by cooperative members. Small businesses and individuals would be able to purchase health coverage from such a cooperative. The top-two health tax proposals favored by self-employed respondents are providing tax credits to businesses andindividuals to offset health care costs and ensuring that everyone receives a tax deduction for health insurance, regardless of how coverage is purchased. The Association provides smallbusiness owners news and resources, legislative advocacy and membership benefits, such as affordable health insurance. To learn more, call (800) 649- 6273 or visit the Web site at www.NASE.org.
