Kaiser Health News checks in with the Chamber's James Gelfand:

Q: Many argue that a public option would provide a cheaper alternative to small businesses who struggle to afford health care. Why is the Chamber opposed?

A: There are no business associations in favor of a government-run insurance plan. There are two groups out there that are talking about it, but they're not real business groups. The Main Street Alliance was created last year to push this health reform bill. It's created by unions and other leftist groups. The Small Business Majority is run out of Washington D.C., and it has no small business members.

In terms of the U.S. Chamber… Our problem is cost shifting. When we look at the plans that our members buy, all of our health insurance costs 20 percent to 30 percent more because Medicare and Medicaid -- government-run insurance plans -- don't pay doctors enough. So when we're looking at this new government-run plan, especially if you look in the House legislation, it says it will use the same rates as Medicare -- we're saying wow, our costs are going to go up another 20 percent to 30 percent. No thanks.

More on the Main Street Alliance and the Small Business Majority