The House adopted an amendment that would expand access to health care for the uninsured by creating federally sanctioned Association Health Plans (AHPs), broaden access to medical savings accounts (MSAs), and accelerate full deductibility of health insurance costs for the self-employed beginning Jan. 1, 2002.

According to ACCA, AHPs would help small businesses by securing the same economic scale as large companies. In turn, this would produce greater bargaining power with providers and insurers to lower premium and administrative costs.

“This legislation will go a long way in providing critical assistance to millions of uninsured Americans,” said Larry Taylor, ACCA president and president of Air Rite Air Conditioning in Ft. Worth, TX. “By enabling small businesses to band together across state lines through trade associations, they will be able to purchase health insurance just as do large corporations and labor unions.”

Publication date: 08/27/2001