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The Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce
RESOLUTION #2007-08 #4
Supporting – The Small Business Health Fairness Act
WHEREAS: The primary source of health insurance in America is employment; and
WHEREAS: The number one fiscal concern for small business is the rising cost of health insurance; and
WHEREAS: Successive years of double-digit premium increases have led to a near doubling of health care expenses for small business; and
WHEREAS: 48 million people work or depend upon small business for their income but only 42% of small businesses can now afford to offer employee benefits;
WHEREAS: The number of health insurance carriers in Washington State has dropped from 55 to 3 since 1980 when the state initiated health care reforms;
WHEREAS: Legislation H.R.660/S.545, the “Small Business Health Fairness Act,”
would establish Association Health Plans (AHP’s) under the same federal law (Employee Retirement Income Security Act – ERISA) that governs the health benefits for large employers and unions effectively leveling the playing field for small business; and
WHEREAS: AHP’s would create true group purchasing power for small business, stop hidden subsidies currently being charged to small businesses (i.e. the state, large employers and unions do not pay premium taxes), and stop cost shifting (25% of small business premium rates pay for Washington state employees’ health care costs.); and
WHEREAS: AHP’s would allow small businesses to obtain health coverage through bona-fide associations under federal law, rather than the strictures of state bureaucracy – which has stifled competition and narrowed the range of health plan options for small employers; and
WHEREAS: Through AHP’s small employers would be afforded for the first time greater bargaining power, economies of scale, administrative efficiencies, and the benefits of a uniform regulatory structure; and
WHEREAS: Through AHP’s, small businesses are projected to experience a premium savings of 15% to 30% and have more health plan choices; and restore market competition bringing back more health plan choices; and
WHEREAS: State and local chambers of commerce also stand to benefit enormously under a federal AHP law – providing much greater flexibility in designing and offering benefits for their members, and as a federally qualified chamber health plan could also provide coverage beyond state borders to serve the regional business community; and
WHEREAS: The Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber believes that AHP’s as outlined in H.R. 660/S. 545 will be a critical element of the solution to expanding access to affordable health coverage.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber fully supports the “Small Business Health Fairness Act,” and urges its immediate passage.
2006 -2007 Index to Chamber Resolutions
