Sam Johnson: Increase the Insured
Bill creates Association Health Plans
Washington,
Mar 18, 2005 -
This morning U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (3rd Dist.-Texas) delivered the following statement at a Committee markup of his bill, the Small Business Health Fairness Act (H.R. 525). Johnson’s legislation – aimed at significantly expanding access to health coverage for many of the 45 million Americans who are currently uninsured – would allow small businesses to band together through association health plans (AHPs) and purchase quality health care at a lower cost for their workers.
Last month Johnson re-introduced the proposal cosponsored by Education & the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH), Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), and Rep. Albert Wynn (D-MD), among others. The House passed the measure last year by a vote of 252-162 with the support of 37 Democrats. President Bush supports the legislation, as do 93 percent of Americans according to a poll conducted in March 2004 for Federation of American Hospitals.
“THANK YOU FOR YIELDING MR. CHAIRMAN.
“TODAY WE WILL VOTE ON AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION’S HEALTH CARE AGENDA – MAKING HEALTH INSURANCE MORE AFFORDABLE AND MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR AMERICANS.
“MY BILL, HR 525 – THE SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH FAIRNESS ACT, WOULD ALLOW THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CERTIFIED, FEDERAL, ASSOCIATION HEALTH PLANS (AHP'S). I’D ESPECIALLY LIKE TO THANK MY FRIENDS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE FOR THEIR SUPPORT-- ESPECIALLY NYDIA VELAZQUEZ, ALBERT WYNN AND CHAIRMAN BOEHNER.
“AS WE’VE DISCUSSED FOR MANY YEARS NOW, AHPS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND ACCESS TO HEALTH COVERAGE FOR UNINSURED AMERICANS BY: 1) INCREASING SMALL BUSINESSES’ BARGAINING POWER WITH HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, AND
2) GIVING EMPLOYERS FREEDOM FROM COSTLY STATE-MANDATED BENEFIT PACKAGES.
“AHPS WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF INSURED AMERICANS BY UP TO 8 MILLION PEOPLE! THAT’S GREAT NEWS FOR MY HOME STATE OF TEXAS, WHERE ONE IN FOUR EMPLOYED OR SELF-EMPLOYED PEOPLE ARE UNINSURED.
“HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS ARE STILL RISING AND MANY SMALL EMPLOYERS ARE FORCED TO DROP HEALTH COVERAGE - AND SOME CAN NOT OFFER IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. CLEARLY WE NEED A SOLUTION.
“AHP’S GIVE SMALL BUSINESS THE SAME BARGAINING POWER OF BIG BUSINESS IN THE HEALTH CARE ARENA. AS I’VE SAID BEFORE, IF IT’S GOOD ENOUGH FOR WALL STREET, IT’S GOOD ENOUGH FOR MAIN STREET.
“NOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PASS THE BEST BILL POSSIBLE, FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS WE HAVE LISTENED TO THOSE WHO HAVE VOICED LEGITIMATE CONCERNS AND ACTED ON MANY OF THEIR SUGGESTIONS.
“JUST LAST YEAR I OFFERED, AND THE COMMITTEE ACCEPTED, AN AMENDMENT TO THIS BILL THAT MADE A NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS.
“FOR ONE, STRICT STANDARDS WERE PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE ONLY FINANCIALLY STRONG, VERY REPUTABLE ORGAINZATIONS OFFER AHP’S.
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“THIS WAY, SHOULD THE AHP FAIL FOR SOME REASON, EMPLOYEES AREN’T LEFT WITH UNPAID CLAIMS.
“THIS BILL ALSO CONTAINS A NUMBER OF OTHER CONSUMER PROTECTIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, IT GRANTS THE STATES AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR GREATER ENFORCEMENT TOOLS -- INCLUDING CRIMINAL SANCTIONS THAT CAN BE USED TO SHUT DOWN BOGUS PLANS.
“ALSO, DURING CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL IN THE LAST CONGRESS WE ACCEPTED AN AMENDMENT FROM REP. VAN HOLLEN, WHICH CLARIFIED THAT THE INTENT OF THIS COMMITTEE WAS TO HAVE STATE LAWS DEALING WITH THE PROMPT PAYMENT OF CLAIMS APPLY TO FULLY-INSURED AHPS.
“LET’S FACE THE FACTS. COSTS ARE RISING, BUSINESSES ARE DROPPING COVERAGE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING UNINSURED.
“CONGRESS MUST ADDRESS THE UNINSURED PROBLEM WITH GOOD SOLUTIONS AND MOVE FORWARD WITH ASSOCIATION HEALTH PLANS.
“IT’S THE LEAST CONGRESS CAN DO TO ENSURE THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL RECEIVE BETTER HEALTH CARE AT A MORE REASONABLE PRICE.”
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