Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2004 - Continued

SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH FAIRNESS ACT OF 2004-CONTINUED

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Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of association health plans. As we have heard, small businesses pay 17 percent more for their health care than employees of large companies. In a State like West Virginia, where over 90 percent of our business is small business, this is impossible for our small business owners.

Over 44 million Americans, sadly, are without health insurance, and more than 60 percent of those are employed by a small business. The high costs small businesses have to bear to provide health care, for what in many cases are just a few employees, prohibits owners from providing affordable health insurance and losing employees at the same time.

Through a trade association, like the National Federation of Independent Businesses, small businesses would be allowed to band together, pool their resources, drive down health care costs and gain buying power.

Nondiscrimination provisions in the legislation ensure health coverage will be offered to those who need it most, and solvency requirements will make sure that the health plans have the financial resources on hand to cover their employees' needs.

Mr. Speaker, during a roundtable I had several weeks ago with small business owners in my district, everyone was concerned about offering health care coverage. Small business owners want to be able to afford this, not only for them as owners but also for their employees.

This House has passed this association health plan legislation before. Workers need health care coverage, their children need health care coverage, and small business owners want to offer health care coverage. I urge my colleagues to support association health plans.