Federal health care mandates have employers worried

In December, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry asked nearly 7,000 business owners what they thought about federal health care reform. The majority of respondents said they felt politicians should stay out of the health care debate, according to recently announced results.

"During this health care debate, we have seen politicians and pundits ... levy wildly varying guesses about how this bill would impact employers," Daniel P. Mehan, Missouri Chamber president and chief executive officer, said in a news release.

According to the release, the Chamber e-mailed 6,933 questionnaires to member and non-member businesses throughout the state. The 392 completed responses represented companies that employed 62,834 full-time and 4,470 part-time workers.

Of those respondents, 67 percent said government-required health insurance would hurt their businesses, and 10 percent said they thought government mandates would have a positive effect.

Most of the employers responding - 85 percent - said they provide health insurance coverage. Of those that offer health insurance, 76 percent make coverage available to all employees, 6 percent cover management staff only, and 3 percent are self-insured.

Of the 15 percent of employers that do not offer health insurance, 66 percent said they don't have a company health care plan because the expenses are too high.

The survey did find support of some health care reform:

• 31 percent of respondents were in favor of added tort reform;

• 28 percent supported tax credits to help employers pay for insurance;

• 19 percent like the idea of creating association plans;

• 16 percent are in favor of health information technology updates; and

• 5 percent say they would support a government-run option.