WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, Congresswoman Granger (R-Fort Worth) co-sponsored the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Act, H.R. 6210. The SHOP Act would use tax incentives, online information, and predictable costs to make health insurance more available to small businesses and the self-employed.  It would also create a voluntary program to help more than 28 percent of individuals working for small businesses who are uninsured. 

“Many small businesses simply can’t afford to provide health insurance on their own,” said Granger. “This bill would make health insurance more affordable.  It would create more insurance options, and it would make those options easier to research and choose from.  Wise County small businesses need help and this bill is a step in the right direction.” 

More than 28 percent of small business employees are uninsured in America. This is a disproportionate amount when compared to the 16 percent of the general population that are uninsured.

To improve the insurance markets available to small business owners, the SHOP Act would offer tax incentives to states to encourage them to 1) reform existing small group insurance markets that are functioning poorly and 2) develop state purchasing pools backstopped by a voluntary, nationwide pool.  Tax credits will also be available to small business owners who join a state purchasing pool.

“This doesn’t solve the problem, but it does help,” said Granger. “I want to do whatever I can to help our small business owners here at home cope with all the problems they are facing from lowering gas prices to helping them provide health insurance to their workers.”