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Small Business Survey: Nevada Owners Say Hospital Consolidations Contribute to High Healthcare Costs for Main Street

The Nevada results of a national survey of more than 1,000 small business owners show that Silver State entrepreneurs believe the increasing pace of hospital consolidations is exacerbating the already high cost of healthcare and want action

March 21, 2023—The Nevada responses in a new national Small Business for America’s Future survey of 1,015 small business owners show that Main Street entrepreneurs in the Silver State believe the increasing pace of hospital consolidations is exacerbating the high costs of healthcare and the vast majority support regulating consolidation and creating price controls.

“Nevada small business owners want to see solutions to high hospital costs because they are an important driver of the expense of providing healthcare benefits,” said Shaundell Newsome, former Chair of the Las Vegas Urban Chamber of commerce, Co-Chair of Small Business for America’s Future, and the owner of Sumnu Marketing in Las Vegas. “Small business owners know that competition leads to better prices, and they would welcome solutions to hospital consolidation and the high costs it leads to.”

Four in 10 Nevada survey respondents said they have seen hospital consolidation in their communities and say this leads to less choice, longer wait times, and fewer services—in addition to driving up healthcare costs overall.

• 94% of Nevada small business owners responding to the survey say that the consolidation of hospitals in their areas have made the overall availability and quality of healthcare services in their communities worse
• 75% say the availability and cost of health insurance has been negatively impacted by hospital consolidation
• Nearly half of small business owners say that hospital consolidation leads to a lack of competition making hospital services more expensive for employees and eating into their pay.
• 87% say it's important that federal and state governments intervene in the consolidation of health systems
• 92% say that hospitals are unfairly charging high prices leading to high healthcare costs and it's time for price regulation

“Nevada mom and pop business owners are being priced out of health insurance, and hospital consolidation and pricing are part of the problem,” Newsome said. “Nevada’s recent progress in expanding access to healthcare is under threat. Rather than reversing that progress, the state’s small business owners want to see our leaders double down on making healthcare more affordable by pursuing smart policies that lead to better prices. After all, the rising cost of healthcare limits entrepreneurs' ability to invest in the growth and financial health of their businesses.”

Small business owners across the country have long said high healthcare costs are their top policy priority. The national survey reaffirms that the expense is stifling the growth of America’s small businesses:

• 45% of small business owners nationally said the rising price of health insurance has led them to delay growth opportunities for their businesses
• 41% said they have increased the cost of goods and services
• More than a third have said they have become less competitive in hiring compared to other companies that provide health benefits

What Nevada small business owners are saying about the high cost of healthcare and hospital consolidation:

“Consolidation often leads to less choice, longer wait times, and fewer services—in addition to driving up healthcare costs overall. Small business owners struggling with the expense of providing healthcare benefits to their employees face a stark choice when costs rise: Drop or cut healthcare benefits, making it hard to attract quality candidates, or divert funds to healthcare and away from investing in the growth of their business. “

Tiara Flynn
The Phenomenal Mama & Sumnu Marketing
Las Vegas, NV 

“Higher healthcare expenses stifle business growth, cause entrepreneurs to raise prices and cut into employee paychecks. This damages our economy starting at the local level—employees. These are our neighbors, friends and family members. As a small business owner with employees, I’ve attempted to obtain costly health benefits for my staff without success. Healthcare should be an essential, obtainable resource for our communities. Entrepreneurs understand the value of competition, because we live it, and we know that a good way to bring down healthcare costs would be to regulate hospital consolidations.” 

Tonda Benge
Professional Dog Mom LLC
Stateline, NV 

View the full survey report here. 

To schedule an interview with a representative from Small Business for America’s Future contact: Janel Knight Trulear at janel@emccommunications.com or (617) 875-6581.

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About Small Business for America’s Future

Small Business for America’s Future is a national coalition of small business owners and leaders working to provide small businesses a voice at every level of government. We’re committed to ensuring policymakers prioritize the nation’s 30 million small businesses to create an economy that works for them, their workers and their communities. Visit www.smallbusinessforamericasfuture.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. #SmallBizAF.