Women business owners debate healthcare

The credit crunch has brought to light the difficulties small business owners are having accessing new lines of credit and business loans, but given ongoing cash flow difficulties it also shines the spotlight on another important topic.

Last week women in business gathered together with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and the director of the White House Council on Women and Girls, Tina Tchen, to discuss healthcare reform and affordability of healthcare for small business owners.

"All Americans are suffering under the current system, but women and small businesses are paying a particularly heavy price," said secretary Sebelius during the roundtable discussion.

"Millions of women are uninsured, and small businesses are struggling to give their workers the care they need and deserve," she added.

Many of the women business owners at the group talk cited the high price of premiums as a key reason why they could not offer healthcare to their employees.

However those companies that are paying up to ensure their employees are covered are seeing a negative impact on certain parts of their business. Approximately 40 percent of businesses providing healthcare say the company is suffering in some way because of the cost burden.