Citing massive healthcare premium increases of 40 to 50 percent and higher, Associated Builders and Contractors Vice President of Fringe Benefits Joe Rossmann, in recent testimony before Congress, called for passage of H.R. 1774, the Small Business Health Fairness Act.
Rossmann testified before the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations, in support of association health plans on behalf of the Association Health Plan Coalition.
“Massive premium increases of 40 percent, 50 percent and higher, and/or benefit reductions, are typical of what small businesses throughout our nation are experiencing today,” Rossman said. “Our coalition strongly urges Congress to enact the Small Business Health Fairness Act (H.R. 1774), bipartisan Association Health Plan legislation sponsored by Reps. Ernie Fletcher (R-KY) and Cal Dooley (D-CA), which is essential to addressing this acute problem.”
Along with Rossmann’s testimony before the subcommittee, ABC submitted “horror stories” from member firms that outline drastic health care premium increases as well as exorbitant quotes for coverage and benefits reductions.
“Association health plans can reduce health insurance costs by 15 to 30 percent by allowing small businesses to join together nationwide to obtain the same economies of scale, bargaining clout and administrative efficiencies now available to employees in large employer and union health plans,” Rossman said. “H.R. 1774 is the only proposal that will put small business workers on a level playing field with employees in large corporations or union health plans.”
