The high cost of insurance has been the reason why 41 million Americans were uninsured in 2013. Most recent numbers suggest that the Affordable Care Act has reduced the number of uninsured people in this country. Businesses across the nation were not only apprehensive about the costs, but were hesitant to make changes before they absolutely had to. News about this and other topics happening in Ohio are below. Read more by following the links.
Less angst over health care at small businesses
NEW YORK (AP) — Small business owners are less angst-ridden about health care than you might think.
Health care costs are in second place among owners’ major concerns in a survey released Thursday by Bank of America. Seventy-two percent cited health care costs as a big concern, down from 74 percent in a similar survey in the spring. The No. 1 concern was the effectiveness of government leaders, cited by 74 percent versus 75 percent in the spring.
Owners are less worried about health care now that they’ve seen what insurance under the health care law looks like and costs. Uncertainty about the law had intensified owners’ concerns. And surveys taken before the new insurance began selling last year showed owners were extremely anxious about whether the law would continue to drive premiums higher.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy announced recently nine awards in eight states for small businesses to help them bring innovative green technologies to the marketplace. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy held a press call to announce the awards and reiterate the agency’s commitment to strengthening economic growth, supporting sustainable businesses, and combating the impacts of climate change.
“The small businesses receiving awards today are innovating affordable, energy efficient technologies that are strengthening our economy and building a low-carbon future while bringing a unique vision for addressing complex environmental issues like reducing harmful emissions to create a cleaner environment and enhancing recycling processes,” said EPA Administrator McCarthy. “When we invest in research and innovation, that return on investment builds a healthy economy and a healthy environment for all of us.”
Administrator McCarthy announced almost $3M in funding to nine small businesses through the agency’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. She was joined on a press call by David Levine of the American Sustainable Business Council and two SBIR awardees, John Rich of Nashville-based National Recovery Technologies, LLC., a small business that produced a low cost technology to recycle electronics; and Carol Ann Wedding, president of Imaging Systems Technology, a small business that developed a highly efficient, versatile water purification system, based in Toledo, Ohio.
Hispanic biz summit highlights Ohio’s growing minority business sphere
About 180 people converged on Wright State University’s Nutter Center on Monday for the Amigos Latinos Business Summit, a push to promote the local Latino business community as young minority entrepreneurs look to grow their businesses in Dayton — and local and state agencies look for more such businesses to work with.
The event featured classes on starting and growing a business and working with local and state agencies, as well as an expo to give local Hispanic companies a chance to connect with students and job seekers, as well as each other.
Tony Ortiz, Wright State’s associate vice president for Latino Affairs, hopes to make the event a yearly gathering.
“A lot of the Latino population is headed to places like Florida, but they still have family in Ohio,” Ortiz said, “We hope that in building some opportunities and promoting the business here, we can bring some of that workforce back.”
