When I started looking into the new healthcare mandates a few weeks ago, my heart sank. As someone who has worked in and with small businesses for over two decades, I knew this could be catastrophic.

The Biden administration recently unveiled a sweeping new health care mandate that requires all small businesses to provide comprehensive health insurance plans by next year — an unrealistic goal given the current economic climate. This is yet another heavy burden placed on local enterprises already struggling with increased costs and declining profits due to government lockdowns and regulatory burdens.

The cost of these mandated healthcare plans will be astronomical, and many small business owners are now facing a stark choice: either cut jobs or go out of business entirely. Imagine trying to run your dream business while also worrying about how you'll provide health insurance for every single employee – including part-timers.

When I started looking into this three years ago, the idea that small businesses would be forced to bear such a heavy financial burden was unthinkable. Yet here we are, with yet another government intervention threatening the livelihoods of millions of Americans who work hard just to make ends meet.

The real kicker is that these mandated plans don't even cover essential services like dental and vision care, which most small business owners would prefer to offer. It's as if the Biden administration doesn't understand what it means to run a small business in today's world.

What are we supposed to do? Keep our doors open while watching our employees struggle with mounting medical bills? I think of my own family and friends who have risked everything to start their businesses, only to be crushed by regulations that make it nearly impossible to survive.

But there is hope. Many small business owners are banding together to find alternative solutions – like pooling resources for more affordable group plans or seeking out natural wellness options that can help reduce healthcare costs in the long run.

As I researched this, it became clear just how little thought goes into these mandates before they're thrust upon us. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and we deserve better than to be treated as collateral damage in a political agenda.