Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3799, the
CHOICE Arrangement Act, a legislative package that aims to enhance the flexibility and affordability of healthcare options for small businesses. Included in the
CHOICE Arrangement Act was the
Association Health Plans Act, which Congressman Allen championed, that would give small businesses and employers the ability to band together to improve their bargaining position to reduce healthcare costs for employees.
Prior to passage on the House floor, Congressman Allen delivered the following remarks:
"I rise today to urge a vote in support of the CHOICE Arrangement Act to enhance the flexibility and affordability of healthcare options for small businesses. Competition is the only way to drive down costs.
"Democrat policies, like Obamacare, have led to consolidation in the marketplace, skyrocketing premiums, and a broken individual health market that costs taxpayers more than one trillion dollars a year while covering only 4.6 percent of the population. Make no mistake, the federal government owns healthcare and there is no private system to compete with it.
"As a small business owner, I was fortunate to be able to offer my employees private health insurance without having to send them to the ACA exchange and I understand how much employers want to be able to offer their employees quality healthcare coverage at a low cost. I guarantee you the business community will figure out healthcare and how to lower costs.
"Unfortunately, many small businesses lack the economies of scale needed to negotiate lower prices with insurance companies.
"This commonsense package aims to reduce administrative burdens and empower small employers to be able to provide healthcare coverage to their employees by removing barriers and implementing innovative solutions, like Association Health Plans.
"Small businesses and private employers can band together in Association Health Plans to be in a better bargaining position to reduce healthcare costs for their employees, and as an original cosponsor of the Association Health Plans Act, I am pleased that it was included in the package we have before us today.
"This legislation will also expand Association Health Plans by allowing self-employed individuals to participate in an ERISA-covered health plan.
"I was proud to work with Congressman Hern on the Healthy Future Task Force Affordability Subcommittee last Congress and the legislation we are debating today is a culmination of our hard work.
"We were able to produce solutions to provide high-quality, affordable, and personalized healthcare for workers and their families, as well as innovative policies so more small businesses can offer healthcare benefits.
"I am proud to have worked on the solutions included in the CHOICE Arrangement Act which will give small businesses the freedom to focus on serving their customers and employees, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill."
