Sam Johnson: Increase the Insured

Release Date: 5/12/2004

At a news conference on Capitol Hill, U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (3rd Dist.-Texas) joined House leaders to urge the U.S. House to pass Association Health Plans. The measure, a top health-care priority of the Bush Administration, comes up for a vote in the House on Thursday. "Nearly eight in ten Americans in working families lack health insurance. In fact, Texas has the highest rate of uninsured residents among all employed or self-employed adults -- 27%. Enacting Association Health Plans is best way to increase the insured," said Johnson. Johnson introduced the legislation last spring. Association Health Plans allow small businesses to band together through associations and purchase quality health care for workers and their families at a lower cost. The initiative would increase small businesses' bargaining power with health care providers, give them freedom from costly state-mandated benefit packages, and lower their overhead costs by as much as 30 percent - benefits that many large corporations and many labor unions already enjoy because of their larger economies of scale. "For many small-business owners, affordable health insurance through Association Health Plans is a matter of fairness. Fortune 500 companies have excellent access to affordable quality health insurance. Labor unions have excellent access to affordable quality health insurance. Small businesses should have that same access. It's good for America," said Johnson. At the news conference, Johnson pointed to a North Texas example of how Association Health Plans will increase the insured. "People back in the Third District are clamoring for better health insurance options -- people like Roger Reedy of Triad Healthcare Consultants of Plano. Roger employs about 25 full-time staff eligible to purchase health insurance. Sadly, high costs put this benefit out of reach for 15 of the 25 employees. As the employer, Roger goes to great lengths to pay one half of the premium for both the employees and their dependents. He firmly believes that if there were more affordable health insurance options for the small-business workforce, then his employees would not be in this situation," said Johnson. "The sooner we pass this bill, the sooner 44 million Americans can move one step closer to access to affordable, quality health insurance," concluded Johnson.