Rising healthcare costs are a significant challenge for small business owners in New York State.

New York has the second-highest per capita healthcare spending in the nation, outpacing inflation and wages.

State mandates requiring health plans to cover additional services add to the financial strain on small employers.

Proposed legislation would require a cost-impact analysis for any new mandated health benefit.

Over the past decade, rising taxes, energy costs, insurance premiums and rents have made it tougher for our members and other small business owners to operate in New York State. While weathering these challenges has been enough to squeeze Main Street businesses, it’s health care that could tip the balance and crush them altogether.

A new New York City Office of Healthcare Affordability, or OHA, report found New York has the second-highest per capita healthcare spending in the nation, with hospital care as the single largest category. These costs are outpacing inflation and wages, constraining New Yorkers and punishing small........

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