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Hope for Small Businesses Struggling with Health Coverage
When Saira Roberts goes to the doctor for an ache, pain or annual checkup, she has to pay up to $200, not just a $20 co-pay
As the sole proprietor of Saira Roberts Bodywork, a Dallas-based massage therapy business, Roberts purchased a bare-bones health insurance policy that only covers major medical expenses. She said she can't afford broader coverage.
"My experience has been what it is for most sole proprietors," Roberts said. "You're not going to get a good rate because it's going to be just you. The premiums are very high."
Every month, Roberts pays a $400 premium, just in case. And she has a $5,000 deductible in case she suffers a major illness or needs hospitalization.
"I'm paying in case something catastrophic happens just so I have insurance," she said. "If you actually have a claim it goes up even more. Mine goes up 15 to 20 percent each year, and I don't have any claims."
Roberts isn't alone in her quest for affordable health insurance. The average cost of health insurance for a small business owner has doubled since 2001, said Dianne Longley, director of special projects for the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI). Longley defined a small business as having between two and 50 employees.
"One...