Government
Sen. Byrd signs onto association health plan bill
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted June 14, 2004
Legislation to create national association health plans by moving their regulation from the states to the federal government has made little headway in the Senate in the past, but that could be changing.
The measure has gained bipartisan status in the Senate with the sponsorship of senior lawmaker Sen. Robert Byrd (D, W.Va.). A companion bill has already passed the House.
Proponents of the legislation have argued that AHPs would enable small business to effectively band together to purchase health plans for their workers. Opponents say the AHPs will remove important state controls that protect plan beneficiaries.
"This proposal is one step that can be taken to open health care coverage to more Americans. 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," Byrd said.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/06/14/gvbf0614.htm.
