Issue Position: Health and Medicare - Increasing Access to Affordable Health Insurance

Issue Position

In 2003, Congress created Health Savings Accounts (HSA) which have led to new, more affordable, health insurance plans being offered by insurance companies. HSAs are unique tax-preferred accounts that follow an individual throughout their life, independent of where they work. This brings flexibility, affordability and power to consumers so they can better secure their health care needs.

Additionally, many uninsured Americans are self-employed, a small business owner, or work for a small business that does not offer health benefits. The main reason that large employers offer health benefits is because large employers have the negotiating power to offer their employees benefits that are not available to individuals. To level the playing field, I support the creation of Association Health Plans (AHP). AHPs allow small businesses and self-employed individuals to come together and increase their negotiating power, allowing them to get similar agreements with health insurers that large businesses can demand.

As a former small business owner, I understand that we are often the individuals most penalized when purchasing health insurance. In efforts to minimize the high costs of health insurance on the self-employed, I have agreed to become an original cosponsor of legislation introduced by Reps. Wally Herger (CA) and Ron Kind (WI), the Equity for Our Nation's Self-Employed Act, or H.R. 3660. The legislation would allow self-employed individuals to deduct health insurance costs in computing the tax on self-employment income.

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