Who among us has not felt the bite of rising healthcare costs in recent years?

That certainly includes small business owners. The cost of healthcare is crushing America’s small businesses. It’s clear that small businesses have been hit the hardest by this crisis. Of the 46 million Americans who lack health insurance coverage, more than 27 million of those are small business owners, employees and their dependents. In addition, small businesses have experienced 129 percent health insurance premium increases over the last eight years, and pay on average nearly 20 percent more than large businesses for the same healthcare benefits.

This is especially troubling because as small business goes, so goes our economy. Nationwide, nearly 99 percent of all businesses are small businesses, and those businesses create two-thirds of America’s net new jobs. If we want them to be able to continue to power our economic success, we must deal with this healthcare crisis now.

For this reason, the National Federation of Independent Business launched Solutions Start Here, the largest and most aggressive campaign in the 65-year history of the organization. This campaign is the small business platform for healthcare reform, designed to help educate America’s policymakers about the impact of this crisis on small business. The goal is to actively involve small business in the debate and help our leaders understand that when healthcare is fixed for small business, it’s fixed for America.

As the cornerstone of this national campaign, we will involve those who matter the most: the small business people of America. For example, we started by touring the country conducting "Fix-it Forums" to listen to small business owners and their employees talk about their healthcare concerns. We’re taking their stories back to lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to ensure that their voices are heard.

In addition, we’re reaching out to each presidential candidate to explain the campaign’s goals. We’re sharing critical information about the state of the small business healthcare crisis, and challenging the candidates to consider those needs as they develop and refine their healthcare reform plans.

And they will hear from entrepreneurs at the ballot box, too. We recently did a series of polls that clearly show the small business voting bloc, including owners and employees, represents 43 percent of the voting population.

When you compare this number to what pundits have considered to be "influential" voting blocs like Soccer Moms and NASCAR Dads, which account for only 5 percent and 2 percent of the electorate, respectively, you can see the power of small business. And nearly 40 percent of these voters say that healthcare costs are the single most important economic issue they face. The presidential candidates need to know that healthcare is the top priority for this key group.

When it comes to healthcare, this election is not really about which party wins. After all, when you visit the doctor nobody asks for your political affiliation. It’s about ensuring that each and every candidate knows that small business demands and deserves a seat at the table when discussing healthcare reform. Right now, our healthcare system is working against small businesses. Our leaders must ensure that it works for them, so that small business can continue to work for America.

Todd Stottlemyer is president and CEO of the National Federation of Independent Business in Washington, D.C. Contact the NFIB’s Arizona state director, Michelle Bolton, at Michelle.Bolton@NFIB.org . The office is at 3550 N. Central Ave., Suite 1806, Phoenix.