As a small business owner, you know the importance of being able to offer your employees health insurance. You also know the expense associated with it. What do small business owners do? How can they afford it? Well, depending on which state your business resides, there may be government help.

For instance, in the state of New York, Governor Pataki has proposed and Legislature has approved and enacted a program called Healthy NY. This program assists small business owners in providing health insurance for their employees.

Similarly, the state of Ohio, allows Group Purchasing Arrangements (GPA's). This is where small and large employers may band together to purchase insurance plans and reap the benefit of lower premiums. Some are formed as a result of state legislation/regulation and others GPA's a re formed by associations.

Kansas has the Kansas Health Partners Benefit Association. Their mission is to help reduce the number of uninsured in their state by helping small business so that they may be able to offer affordable health insurance to their employees.

A bill introduced on to the House of Representatives by Georgia Democratic Representative John Barrow. The purpose of the bill, H.R. 2073: Small Business Health Insurance Promotion Act of 2005 is to "'to provide tax subsidies to encourage small employers to offer affordable health coverage to their employees through qualified health pooling arrangements'"

This is a proposal before Congress. It would have to be passed by both the House and Senate and signed by the President before it is law. Get involved, contact your representative. Tell them to vote in favor of this proposal. After all, we elected them to do our bidding.

Bottom line, if you're a small business, visit your state's web site to see what legislation has been passed in your state. Additionally, check to see if there are program in existence that offer you help in providing health insurance for your employees.