Association Health Plans

Statement

Association Health Plans

STRAIGHT TALK WITH SAM

Fair play and equal opportunity are an American ideal that we work hard to maintain. Too many Missourians though are being discriminated against based solely on where they work. As health insurance costs have risen they have become too expensive for many small businesses or individuals to afford.

Currently, 45 million Americans have no health insurance. Many of those Americans- 60 percent or more- work for or depend on small employers who lack the ability to provide health benefits for their workers. Where you choose to work shouldn't affect your ability to get affordable health care.

Last week the House passed H.R. 525 which would improve the ability of small businesses to gain access to affordable health care. Association Health Plans (AHPs) allow small businesses to band together through their association and purchase health care at a lower cost. This would allow many small companies to negotiate as a large company.

For example, if you and I owned a restaurant downtown and employed 5 people it would be very expensive to buy health insurance for our employees. However if many restaurants could band together and buy insurance as a group then we would have health insurance that would be affordable for everyone. Negotiating for thousands of people will give us more leverage than if we each negotiated individually.

I believe that we need to increase Missourians access to quality, affordable healthcare. AHP's will open the door for millions who are being discriminated against simply because of their chosen place of employment.

Source