WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 1999 -- The small business group NFIB today released a letter to U.S. Rep. Charles Norwood (10th Dist.-GA) expressing mystification over his refusal to include in his health care bill any reforms that would make health coverage more affordable.

"Somehow, we find your statements that you're for helping the uninsured...but just not in your bill, a bit inconsistent," said the letter from NFIB Vice President Dan Danner. "If those 43 million people who can't afford health care today aren't important enough to be in your bill, then they are obviously not a very significant priority."

NFIB has been highly critical of certain elements in Norwood's proposed "Patient's Bill of Rights" (H.R. 2723). Of particular concern to the group is a provision that would leave employers who provide health benefits open to lawsuits filed by employees who become dissatisfied with treatment decisions made by their medical plan. "We ... stand by our belief that your legislation will increase costs and increase the number of uninsured Americans," Danner wrote.

The letter argued that, by concentrating on creating new rights and perfecting coverage for those who already have insurance, Norwood's bill fails to address the greatest and gravest health problem of all-the growing number of people with no health coverage at all. Noting that 43 million Americans have no health coverage, the letter said: "We believe they are the real crisis in health care today." While expressing the desire for reasonable health reform, the NFIB letter warned that "government should[not] go too far to add benefits for those who already have health care ...while ignoring and increasing the ranks of those who do not."

Health care reform has been a hot topic in congressional debate throughout this session. Norwood's bill and various alternative measures and amendments are expected to come up for final vote in the House of Representatives next week.

[NOTE: A copy of NFIB's letter to U.S. Rep. Norwood is below.]

NFIB, the National Federation of Independent Business, is the nation's largest small business advocacy group. NFIB represents the consensus views of its 600,000 members in Washington and all 50 state capitals.

CONTACT: Mary Mead Crawford or Jim Weidman at 202.554.9000.

September 24, 1999

The Honorable Charles Norwood
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative Norwood:

I'm sorry to hear that you are telling constituents that you believe NFIB is lying about the potential impacts of your health care bill, H.R. 2723.

We certainly stand by our belief that your legislation will increase costs and increase the number of uninsured Americans. Also, any cost increases (and coverage losses) will be disproportionately felt by small businesses and their employees.

We also stand by our belief that the expanded liability that you propose will increase costs for already struggling small businesses and could eventually involve them in lawsuits.

In addition, we remain extremely concerned about the needs of 43 million uninsured Americans -- 26 million of whom come from small business. We believe they are the real crisis in health care today.

Somehow we find your statements that you're for helping the uninsured -- through access and tax provisions -- but just not in your bill, a bit inconsistent. Either you are or you aren't. If those 43 million people who can't afford health care today aren't important enough to be in your bill, then they are obviously not a very significant priority.

We are not opposed to reasonable HMO reform and have supported proposals in the past, but we do not believe that government should go too far to add benefits for those who already have health care -- while ignoring and increasing the ranks of those who do not.

On this, we obviously disagree.

Sincerely,

Dan Danner
Vice President
Federal Public Policy