GOP plan includes Sam Johnson’s small business health insurance solution
November 4, 2009
The newly
unveiled Republican healthcare proposal includes a small business
health insurance solution long advocated by U.S. Congressman Sam
Johnson (3rd Dist.-Texas). For years, Congressman Johnson has
championed legislation to increase the insured through the creation
of small business health plans, sometimes called, Association
Health Plans (AHPs).
“In
all parts of our economy we know that buying in bulk reduces the
price tag, and healthcare is no different. Government-forced healthcare
is not the way to solve our healthcare problem. We can and have
to do better. I am thrilled that Republican leaders included my
common-sense proposal in their comprehensive healthcare reform
bill that reduces costs and without expanding the government’s
reach. Clearly, there are better ways to make healthcare more
affordable and accessible for American families – and this
plan is it,” said Johnson.
Small
business health plans allow small businesses to band together
to purchase quality health insurance for employees and their families
at a lower cost. Johnson’s Small Business Health Fairness
Act, H.R. 2706, would increase small businesses’ bargaining
power with insurance providers, give them freedom from costly
state-mandated benefit packages while keeping important consumer
protections in place, and lower their overhead administrative
costs by as much as 30 percent. These are benefits that many large
corporations and many labor unions already enjoy because of their
larger economies of scale.
Johnson
takes issues with the Democrats’ latest plan for government-run
health insurance. Their bill, H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health
Care for America Act, H.R. 3962, costs nearly $1 trillion and
represents three months of intense secret negotiations among House
Democrats. The 2,000 page bill hurts seniors with sweeping cuts
to Medicare, forces Americans to buy health insurance, taxes all
Americans who do not purchase “government approved”
health coverage, limits personal choices and individual decisions,
and jeopardizes the health insurance Americans already have –
and often times like.
“For
many small-business owners, affordable health insurance through
small business health plans is a matter of fairness. Fortune 500
companies have excellent access to affordable quality health insurance.
Labor unions have excellent access to affordable quality health
insurance. Given that the small business community represents
almost 60% of the uninsured population, small businesses should
have that same access to affordable, quality health insurance.
If it’s good enough for Wall Street, it’s good enough
for Main Street,” said Johnson.
To
read the Democrats’ 2,000 page bill submitted for consideration,
go to http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_hr3962_dingell.pdf.
The
text of the Republican alternative may be found here: http://rules-republicans.house.gov/Media/PDF/RepublicanAlternative3962_9.pdf.
Johnson
represents Collin and Dallas Counties.
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