The Honorable Mary Landrieu Chair Committee on Small Business

							May 6, 2009



The Honorable Mary Landrieu
Chair
Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chair Landrieu,

On behalf of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), a bipartisan organization representing over half a million
women and minority business owners nationwide including forty-five small business associations, I am writing to
express our view on one of the most important issues facing Congress this year, healthcare reform.

According to the WIPP Economic Blueprint, our business owners believe that six principles must guide any health
care reform efforts. These principles include: 1) Increasing access to small and individual insurance markets; 2)
Increasing transparency; 3) Establishing an interconnected, nationwide health technology system; 4) Increasing
the number of healthcare providers; 5) Promoting healthy employees; and 6) Establishing a healthcare reform
commission.

An overwhelming issue for small business owners is affordability and accessibility to healthcare for themselves
and their employees. Healthcare reform must eliminate the barriers that deny small business access to fair and
equitable premium rates. Healthcare reform that does not address this issue fails to meet the needs of the largest
segment of employers in this country. That is why WIPP supports the establishment of a nationwide purchasing
pool for small business.

The current system has not met the needs of small business owners who want to purchase affordable healthcare
insurance. Any public/private option considered in healthcare reform must be responsive to the needs of small
businesses. Small businesses have had the unenviable choice of decreasing growth or downsizing as rising
healthcare costs have eroded their bottom line or, in the majority of cases, stopped providing healthcare coverage
altogether.

Small business has been characterized as the engine of the economy, and as such, our current economic situation
demands the continuing ability of small business owners and entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and lead more
innovation. The greatest hindrance to their success is the cost of affordable healthcare for their employees. The
continuing lack of healthcare benefits to the majority of working Americans is a threat to business and to public
health.

We believe our perspective is important and should assist the Congress as it makes decisions on reform. WIPP is
anxious to participate in this opportunity. Thank you for your consideration of our views. If you have any
questions, please feel free to contact WIPP’s government affairs representative, Ann Sullivan, at (202) 626-8528.

Sincerely,




Barbara Kasoff
President



                1615 L Street NW, Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036 ~ 888.488.WIPP ~ Fax: 202.626.8593
              1714 Stockton Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94133 ~ 415.434.4314 ~ Fax: 415.434.4331
                                                 Website: www.WIPP.org