Small Business Owners Wiegh In On Health Care Reform WASHINGTON, DC (wypr) - Many Maryland and Virginia small business owners want health care reform so they can afford to insure their employees. They fear they won't be able to grow or attract good workers without it. Sara Sciammacco has more from Washington.

Brian England is the president of British American Auto Care in Columbia Maryland. The businessman provides coverage for his twenty employees. This past year he faced nine to twelve percent increases in premiums. And said he has to take on even higher costs to insure older workers.

"One person is going to cost me 14 thousand dollars more to employ the other and I think that actually falls down to age discrimination. That shouldn't be something we shouldn't have to deal with. We need to employ the very best people."

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says Democrats want to give small businesses tax credits if they purchase insurance or subsidize workers who buy coverage through a health care exchange.

"Small businesses and their employees will be among those who have the most to gain under reform and frankly the most to lose under the current system."

Republicans oppose mandating employers buy insurance for workers. Instead they want to let small businesses pool together their resources to purchase plans and drive down cost.
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