BOUNTIFUL — Health insurance isn’t being sought after by small business owners.

That was the message given by Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, as well as Rand Kerr, CEO of Lakeview Hospital in Bountiful and Tim Pehrson, CEO of McKay-Dee Hospital during Thursday’s Davis Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Bountiful.

Bell, a sponsor of HB188 – which extensively covers health care and the amount of access that should be granted – told Chamber members that the Health Reform task force was created in part to have small businesses as a major market for health care.

“We have set up for this contribution to become pre-tax,” said Bell. “We believe this will make a big difference in contributions by the employer.”

Bell also said the government, as much as they are willing to help, isn’t always going to be there when problems arise; however, small business owners can do their part in helping the government.

“Affordability and access to health insurance has to be a must,” said Rand Kerr, CEO of Lakeview Hospital in Bountiful. “How we approach this is critical to small business owners along Davis County.”

Tim Pehrson, CEO of McKay-Dee Hospital, agreed with Kerr adding “when a business isn’t able to provide insurance to its employees, it places a burden on other businesses.”

However, each offered his own conclusions as to how to fix the insurance situation in small businesses.

“By enrolling in health insurance, we believe it will help streamline what health insurance can do for its employees,” Bell said. “Utah has one of the best health care facilities and systems in the U.S. and maybe even the world.”

Kerr said that enforcing and encouraging health care in small business should also become a major part of all businesses as a whole.

“We should try to enforce healthy business practices as well,” he said.

“Many major corporations and other businesses have healthy eating programs, smoking cessation programs, and many other related health materials that should be employed by nearly everyone who owns a small business with employees.”

Pehrson said businesses should simply provide health insurance to employees while also enforcing that they take it, even if it’s the cheapest insurance plan they can cover.

“Mandating health insurance lessens the burden on other businesses, big or small,” said Pehrson. “(The employer) has to pay for it one way or the other, so they may as well provide it.”

John Pitt, president of the Davis Chamber of Commerce, told members that it’s important for businesses to know what is going on around them and how it affects their businesses no matter the size.

“We should thank Bell, Kerr and Pehrson for speaking about health care,” he said. “It’s a very important piece of the puzzle for businesses.”

sgillet@davisclipper.com