I own a small business and I can tell you that healthcare is a significant expense. It is not uncommon for medical insurance premiums to increase 2~3 times the rate of inflation annually. As a result of the constant increase, more and more working Americans are uninsured or underinsured. If the petroleum industry subjected us to such increases, the "Uncle Sam, sit your ass in the corner and STFU" crowd would be screaming for the government to stop the rape. Healthcare costs broke the back of the domestic auto industry and will eventually do the same to all US business.