Increasing Access to Affordable Health Insurance

Increasing Access to Affordable Health Insurance
By Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)

5/17/2005

Many working West Virginians do not have health insurance coverage. Chances are many of these uninsured West Virginias work for a small business. Small businesses are the backbone of West Virginias economy but cannot bare the high cost of providing their employees health insurance because they do not have the same buying power as larger companies.

The Small Business Administration estimates as of the year 2003 there were 118,000 small businesses in West Virginia. Many of these firms, such as your local hardware store or restaurant employ just a handful of people. This makes it very difficult for an employer to provide affordable health insurance.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation about 40% of smaller firms in West Virginia offer their employees health insurance opposed to 95% of larger firms. By leveling the playing field and giving West Virginias small firms the same type of buying power as larger firms, employers will be able to provide their employees with affordable health insurance.

In Congress there is an effort afoot to pass legislation known Association Health Plans. Association Health Plans or AHPs, would give small businesses the opportunity to join together through existing trade associations to purchase health insurance for their workers at a lower cost. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that by 2008, 7.5 million people throughout the United States would obtain health insurance through AHPs and 600,000 would be newly insured.

I have voted for this proposal every year I have been in Congress and will continue to be a steadfast supporter of reforms that will help lower the cost of healthcare.

http://capito.house.gov/press_office/detail-page.aspx?id=26&whichone=column