An edited version of this column appeared on Business Week on April 6, 2010.

Nine months ago I wrote about healthcare reform and how it would affect small companies like mine.  At the time I said I was in favor of the proposed legislation.  At the time I said it would help reduce my costs and make it easier to budget future expenditures.

Well, a lot of things have happened since then.  The economy’s improved a bit, the Yankees got lucky, and Joy Behar won a GLAAD media award.   Yes, it has been a busy year.  But with all that’s happened, one thing hasn’t changed:   I still think the proposed healthcare legislation, even with all of its revisions, will be a good thing for my business.

Politically I haven’t changed. I’m not pining for George Bush, but I still lean to the right.  Even so, I don’t believe a lot of the scary stuff I hear.  I don’t believe there are “death panels.”  I don’t think the government is “taking over” healthcare.  I don’t believe our President is a “socialist.”  And I don’t believe Rahm Emanuel has cellulite on his bottom, no matter what my sources in the Congressional gym tell me. 

As a taxpayer I’m still very concerned about this proposed reform.  I am concerned about the rising deficit. And a government trying to do too much too soon.  I’m also very concerned about all the uncertainty:  one expert says healthcare reform will bankrupt the nation while another guy says it’ll save us billions.  These are huge, scary concerns with huge, scary repercussions.  More scarier than the cellulite on Emanuel’s tush. 

But as a business owner I’m not scared about health care reform.  In fact, I’m kind of liking it.  I’m not being forced to buy health insurance.  That’s because I employ less than 50 people so my company would be exempt from this requirement. So if I were to choose not to have health insurance then my employees would have the ability to get it on their own. And they would also get tax credits to help them pay for it.

But I do offer health insurance.  So it’s not a problem for me.  Unfortunately the plan I offer kind of sucks when you compare it to what larger companies offer. The costs have gone up a lot over the past few years.  Worst of all, these costs continue to be completely out of my control.  So for years business owners like me have been whining and moaning for someone to do something about this mess.  And so something is being done.  Hopefully with success.

With health insurance reform there will be more people available for me to hire too.  These are people that have life-threatening issues, like diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart disease and Toyota ownership.  Insurance companies consider some of these things to be “pre-existing conditions.”  Studies have shown that many of these people are actually smart and would be good employees too.  But many business owners, like myself, cannot hire these people because our insurance plans won’t cover their health expenses and we can’t afford to make up the difference.  But with health care reform, this is something I hopefully won’t have to worry about.    So no longer do I have to turn away prospective employees because my health plan won’t cover them.  Now I can feel free to turn them away due only to their race, religion or sexual orientation.  Phew! 

Health insurance reform, as proposed, will help me compete with larger companies.  I’ll be able to participate in insurance pools, which will hopefully mean I can buy products that offer benefits to my employees that I couldn’t offer before.  This way I can compete on a more level playing field with my larger counterparts.  I can mismanage my finances, overpay my top people and heartlessly lay off my people.  Oh, and I can also provide coverage for dental, eye care and prescription drugs too.   

If this legislation passes then I’m going to have more opportunities to outsource work and therefore keep my overhead under control.  Why?  Because there will be more people willing to leave their jobs and take subcontracted work from me.  Why? Because the cost of health insurance won’t hold them back as much.  It’s kind of tough to be entrepreneurial when the minute you leave your job you have to foot the bill for your own health insurance.  With the tax credits proposed this cost will be significantly reduced for those individuals.   Look for a whole new crop of entrepreneurs to take notice of this…and give notice to their employers.  And look for a bunch of business owners like me who will be taking advantage of their expertise…but only when we need to.

Another good thing?  It seems like there will be more choices for me.  Today there are  the same slippery brokers representing the same cheesy health insurance companies selling the same boring products which, just by coincidence, increase in price the same amount every year.  I’m told with health insurance reform there will be more options available to me.  I’m told small businesses will be able to participate in national insurance pools and have better opportunities to purchase insurance for a lower price too.  This shakeup should be interesting.

And guess what?  I may be able to get a tax credit too.  And I don’t need to save the world, be energy efficient, go back to college or even be charitable.  Phew!   I’ll leave all those qualities up to Sean Penn.  If things happen as proposed I may be eligible for a credit of up to 35% of the premiums that I pay.  And there may be other incentives after 2014 if I buy my insurance through a state exchange.  At least if I don’t provide insurance I won’t be penalized – that only affects firms with more than fifty people.  But from what I read most firms of that size provide health insurance anyway. 

Will the quality of our healthcare improve under these new reforms?  Will the country save tons of money?  Will our taxes go up?  Will the Marriage Ref last more than a month? These are all big uncertainties. As a taxpayer and one who believes in less government I’m not crazy about these big proposals.  But as a profit hungry small business owner I see no reason to complain.