NORMAL - Offering health care benefits to its 37 employees has not been easy for Fox and Hounds, a downtown Bloomington business, but U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Wednesday he has a plan that may help it and other small businesses offer such coverage. | Interactive Video: Create your own 11th Congressional District debate

Denise Eyre, business manager for the hair salon and day spa, said 18 of its full-time employees use the benefit, but the cost of premiums are shared equally between the salon and the employees. Also there is a $1,000 deductible; the employee pays the first $500 in medical expenses and Fox and Hounds pays the next $500.

"We had to go to such a high deductible because the premiums were increasing and we didn't want to take the benefit away," Eyre said.

Eyre was one of several local business representatives who discussed their concerns about the current employer-based health care system with Durbin, D-Ill., and state Sen. Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete, Wednesday at Medici restaurant in uptown Normal. The two Democrats made the joint appearance to promote Durbin's Small Business Health Options Program.

Under Durbin's proposal, small businesses would be allowed to band together to obtain health insurance, spreading the cost of premiums and the risk over a larger number of people. Businesses also would be eligible for tax credits for contributing to employee health care coverage.

"This is the toughest economy the nation has seen in seven to eight years," Durbin said. "The challenge for businesses to provide health care is only going to get worse."

Durbin is facing a re-election challenge from Republican Dr. Steve Sauerberg. Halvorson is in a three-way race with Republican Marty Ozinga and Green Party candidate Jason Wallace for the 11th Congressional District seat, which includes part of McLean County.