• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Care4Carolina

Care4Carolina

Expanding access. Enhancing prosperity.

  • About
    • Overview
    • Member Organizations
    • Steering Committee
    • Business Advisory Council
    • Business Leader & Business Owner Supporters
    • Civic Leaders
    • Faith Community & Leaders
  • Updates
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Submit Event to the Community Calendar
  • Resources
    • Browse All Resources
    • In the News
  • Map
  • Act Now
  • Donate

Sign as a Business Leader

As a North Carolina business leader, I endorse the following statement:

We, as North Carolina business leaders, understand that a strong economy and a thriving workforce require healthy families. Right now, too many hard-working families are uninsured. In fact, about two-thirds of all uninsured adults in North Carolina work. They are construction workers, farmers, child care providers, and even veterans. We urge the North Carolina General Assembly to achieve a bi-partisan solution to close the health insurance coverage gap. Now is the time to act. There are proposals on the table that would require no investment of state tax dollars and closing the gap would create an estimated 37,000 jobs and billions in economic activity. Much of this economic activity would benefit our rural communities and other areas most in need of an economic boost. Closing the health insurance coverage gap is a good deal for the health of North Carolina families and for our economy. We urge you to work together and achieve a policy solution that closes the health insurance coverage gap.

Business Leaders for Closing the Coverage Gap

By signing this statement you are granting permission to Care4Carolina to publicize your endorsement. Your personal information will only be used for the purposes of this public endorsement statement and will not be shared with any other entity. Personal contact information will not be shared in endorsement statements listings or ads. Employer affiliation will be used for identification purposes only. For example: “Mr./Ms./Mrs. John Doe, CEO, ABC Corporation*; Anytown, NC”.

  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will be published
  • Will be published
  • Only your CITY will be published. All other address information will NOT be published or shared.
  • Will not be published.
  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign as an Individual

  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign as an Organization

  • Will be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign as a Civic Leader

  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign as a Faith Community

Faith Leaders Addendum

As a North Carolina faith leader/ community of faith, I/we endorse the following statement:

We, as people of faith in North Carolina, believe that the Lord brings good news to the poor, binds up the broken-hearted, and comforts all those who mourn. We believe that when we work to ease the burdens of our neighbors who are struggling the most, we are caring for God. And, we believe we are called to follow our God by doing good, not only in the halls of our congregations, but by seeking justice in the wider world.

That means we cannot stand silent when presented with the opportunity to provide healthcare coverage for hundreds of thousands of our brothers and sisters. We understand that a community cannot flourish while its people lack access to affordable, quality healthcare. Healthy families are the bedrock of our communities of faith and of our local economies. Uninsured North Carolinians include members of our congregations, pastors, child care providers, farmers, construction workers, small business owners, neighbors, and friends. We urge the North Carolina General Assembly to work together across bi-partisan lines to close the health insurance coverage gap for all of these children of God.

Signing Disclosure

By signing this statement you are granting permission to Care4Carolina to publicize your endorsement. Your personal information will only be used for the purposes of this public endorsement statement and will not be shared with any other entity. Personal contact information will not be shared in endorsement statements, listings, or ads. Employer information will be used for identification purposes only. For example: “Rev. John Doe, Pastor, ABC Church, Anytown, NC.”

  • Will be published
  • Will be published if signing as individual
  • Will be published if signing as individual
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign as a Grassroots Group

As legislation progresses to enact a North Carolina solution to close the health insurance coverage gap, it is critical that we have a grassroots team ready to mobilize. By signing up as a member of the Care4Carolina Grassroots Action Network, you agree to activate your group/organization when action is requested during the campaign. Action requests may include but are not limited to reaching out to legislators, sharing posts on social media, and relaying information to other contacts.

Your work as a grassroots group/organization is essential to our efforts, and Care4Carolina appreciates your support in ensuring that our mission is achieved. Together, we will find a North Carolina solution to close the health insurance coverage gap.

*By signing on as a member of the Care4Carolina Grassroots Action Network, your group/organization’s information will not be shared externally. The information collected through this form is for internal use only.

  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Closing the Gap to Support Small Businesses

October 26, 2021 by Katie Horneffer 1 Comment

By Katie Horneffer, Intern, Care4Carolina

During the pandemic, many of us have watched one or more of our favorite local restaurants or shops permanently close their doors. For small businesses, which often operate on tight financial margins even during normal times, the pandemic struck a difficult blow. Although the interests of small businesses have always been important to policymakers, it is more important than ever to pass policies that ensure our local stores and restaurants continue to succeed. With 47% of small business owners citing healthcare costs as a major barrier to growing or maintaining their operations, closing the health insurance coverage gap is one way to support small businesses. Closing the gap would ensure that both employees and owners have access to affordable health insurance, ultimately creating more productive and financially stable workplaces.

Health insurance is expensive, and many small businesses can’t afford to provide it to their employees. Without employer-sponsored insurance, many employees—such as those working in restaurants, sales, or cleaning jobs— make too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to be eligible for subsidies in the marketplace. Closing the coverage gap gives more small business employees access to affordable health insurance. In fact, in states that closed their coverage gaps, the number of small business employees covered by Medicaid increased by about 50%.

For small businesses that do chose to provide health insurance, closing the gap also makes insurance more affordable. Research shows that, in states that have closed their coverage gap, private insurance premiums are 11% lower compared to states that haven’t. This could translate to important savings for small businesses, who want to provide for their employees while often operating on tight margins.

When their workers have health insurance, small businesses can thrive. Insured employees are healthier— meaning they miss less work and are more productive in the workplace. The CDC estimates that lost productivity due to poor worker health costs businesses $1,685 per employee per year. Additionally, small businesses are better able to compete for workers with larger companies when potential employees don’t have to worry about insurance. Closing the gap may also foster entrepreneurship—people with great ideas may be more willing to take the leap and start their own business if they know they won’t lose access to insurance. Finally, closing the gap would boost the state’s economy, which in turn would help small businesses. Closing the gap is estimated to increase North Carolina’s gross domestic product by as much as $2.9 billion while creating over 37,000 new jobs. This local cashflow could translate into greater support for and more patronage of local businesses.

For many small business owners, their employees feel like family. Owners want to ensure that their employees are healthy and financially stable—but they can’t always afford to provide health insurance. By closing the coverage gap, North Carolina would help support the local shops, stores, and restaurants—and their owners and workers—that make our communities special.

Category iconWeekly Blog Tag iconGood for Business,  Small Businesses,  Workers

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ian R says

    November 1, 2021 at 6:03 pm

    Thanks for this article. I never knew that closing the coverage gap could help small businesses so much! Not to mention their employees, who often have trouble finding affordable health coverage. This is a pretty convincing case for why closing the gap is a worthy investment.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Care4Carolina

Footer

Contact

5001 S Miami Blvd
Suite 300
Durham, NC 27703
Email: info@care4carolina.com

Key Links

  • About
  • Updates
  • Resources
  • News Articles

Act Now

Care4Carolina believes that access to quality, affordable health care helps build a healthier, stronger North Carolina.

Act Now

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2023 Care4Carolina · All Rights Reserved

Website by Tomatillo Design