WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives has passed H.R. 4281, the "Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2004." The bill allows for the establishment of association health plans (AHPs), which are designed to give small businesses the opportunity to join together through existing trade associations to purchase health insurance at a lower cost for their workers.
"This proposal is one step that can be taken to open health care coverage to more Americans," said Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.V. "It is not the be-all, end-all solution, but this legislation would help to move us toward a goal that we all share, namely, to have as few uninsured Americans as possible."