Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation authored by U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (3rd Dist-Texas) to increase the number of working Americans with health insurance. Presently, 27 million working people are uninsured; 63 percent are either self-employed or work for a small business that has less than 100 employees.
Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation authored by U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (3rd Dist-Texas) to increase the number of working Americans with health insurance. Presently, 27 million working people are uninsured; 63 percent are either self-employed or work for a small business that has less than 100 employees.
“Due to the significant number of service and retail jobs in the Lone Star State, 27% of working Texans don’t have health insurance. Association Health Plans would change that,” said Johnson. “It’s time to increase the insured and give small business the same access to affordable health care that big business already enjoys. As I like to say, ‘If it’s good enough for Wall Street, it’s good enough for Main Street.’”
Johnson’s bill, the Small Business Health Fairness Act, H.R. 525, passed by a vote of 263 to 165. The Act would give millions of small-business owners, their employees and families access to more affordable, quality health insurance through the creation of Association Health Plans (AHPs). Small businesses would be allowed to band together to purchase affordable health insurance. The group purchasing power would lower costs and protect employers from the high-priced small-group market and cost-driving state-mandates. A private study estimates if AHPs became law, 8 ½ million Americans would have health insurance.
The Small Business Health Fairness Act contains strict patient protections, tough consumer safeguards and numerous oversight requirements that are tougher than those now required by current corporate plans and even some states. Under the law, only bona-fide associations existing for at least three years, for the purpose of OTHER than providing AHPs, may offer the plans. In addition, the Department of Labor (DoL) would monitor the associations to protect people, their money and their plans. Presently, DoL
oversees corporate health plans in America.
Johnson chairs the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. Both committees passed the bill this spring with strong bipartisan support.
“Small business owners and their employees are clamoring for relief from the high costs of health insurance. It’s high time Congress did something about it,” concluded Johnson.
A top White House health care priority, Johnson’s bill boasts numerous supporters. A broad and diverse coalition of more than 160 groups have endorsed the AHP bill, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Business, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the Associated Builders and Contractors, The Latino Coalition, National Black Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Women Business Owners, and the National Restaurant Association.
Johnson represents Dallas and Collin counties.
