The high cost of health care has made it hard for many small business owners to do business.  In some cases, premiums have gone up twenty, thirty, even fifty percent.

"We might not be able to cover all of what we're covering right now, we either have to look for a cheaper policy or decide for the employees that they have to possibly pay part of it.", says Chris Pomplin, Human Resource and Accounting Manager for Axion Power Battery in New Castle.

"And in the Country, less than half of small businesses are able to offer health insurance, and we want to figure out a way in Congress to make health care more affordable so more employers can offer it.", says Fourth District Congressman Jason Altmire, (D-PA).

Some business leaders say they'll soon be forced to choose between insuring their employees, or their own family members.  And higher deductibles and co-pays mean workers are skipping regular trips to the doctor.

"And therefore they may be putting themselves at risk and in harm's way of even a more serious condition if they put off that type of care.", says Doug Danko, Chief Operating Officer for Jameson Hospital.

Altmire introduced the Small Business Health Options Program-- or SHOP Act in the House.  It would give tax credits to businesses that pay at least sixty percent of their worker's premiums, and set up a national pool of small business employees, so insurance companies can't use one person's health status as a way to set their rates.

"Right now if you're a small business owner and one of your employees gets sick or injured, the insurance company will often say well, you're too big of a risk, we have to drop you from coverage, and what's the point of having health insurance if when you get sick or injured you lose it?", says Altmire.

Altmire says every American should have access to health care.  But with forty-seven million people and counting in this country without coverage, we've got a long way to go.