Elizabeth Klinge Reporter

October 16, 2009
Senator Tom Harkin met with Central Iowans at Hiland Park Hardware in Des Moines Friday to talk about health care reform. Harkin says the biggest winners from the reform plan working its way through Congress will be small businesses and the self-employed. Bill Hammen, owner of Bill's Jewelry Shop in Grinnell, says the cost of providing health insurance for his employees has increased 80% in the last eight years. "I don't have a lot of employees. I do have a group policy, but its divided between four people," he said. "All it takes is one person to get ill, and its going to drive everything up." But he says, not providing coverage could threaten his business because many of his employees would be forced to leave. "In my business things like security are very important...and we just cannot have a revolving door of employees." Hammen has increased the deductible that he and his employees must pay in an effort to cut costs. His wife, Jeanne, also says they're working on preventative health measures such as exercising more. "You want to provide for your family and your employees. We know that a lot of retailers our size don't," she said. The Hammens are hoping the reform efforts in Washington will provide some relief. "We've got it covered for about ten more months," said Bill Hammen. "Then we'll have to reassess the situation."
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