Talk to just a handful of small businesses about buying health insurance over the last few years, and the narrative quickly starts to sound familiar.

It boils down to paying more and more for less and less. Oh, and passing on more of the cost to employees, who aren’t exactly rolling in raises these days.

Increasingly, small businesses have given up, fueling the rise in the ranks of the uninsured and the debate in Washington about how to change health insurance so that more of us can afford it.

Consider Bob & Ron’s World Wide Stereo, which has stores in Montgomeryville and Ardmore. Owner Bob Cole has been providing insurance for 31 years.

At the beginning, he said, “I paid for it 100 percent. I did their families. I did everything. Over the years, I’ve cut back that support because of the extraordinary expense.” Cole still provides family coverage… Read More…