WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 660, the “Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003,” legislation authorizing the formation and multi-state operation of federally certified association health plans (AHPs). The AHP Bill, sponsored by Reps. Ernie Fletcher (R-Ky.), Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.), Sam Johnson (R-Texas), Cal Dooley (D-Calif.), and 159 additional co-sponsors, prevailed on a vote of 262 to 162 in which 36 Democrats joined 226 Republicans in support.

“Today’s action by the House successfully concludes the first chapter in what can be a very good story for the nation’s smaller employers and their workers,” said Jade West, senior vice president-government relations of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW). “A tough battle lies ahead in the Senate, but the solid bipartisan vote achieved in the House should help build positive momentum there.”

“NAW member companies, like other smaller employers across the country, are truly struggling in today’s highly concentrated health insurance marketplace and their workers are highly affected by that struggle,” said Dirk Van Dongen, NAW’s president. “The AHP bill employs an effective marketplace approach to this problem, and one that involves little if any cost to the taxpayers. For these reasons, enactment of the AHP bill is among NAW’s top legislative priorities and, in fact, leads our health policy agenda.”