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Small Businesses Still Waiting for Health Insurance Reform
The Senate on March 23 unanimously approved a bipartisan amendment to budget bill S. Con. Res. 21 that lays the financial groundwork for market-based pooling to be allowed in future health insurance proposals.
Passage of the amendment, cosponsored by Sens. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), is the first step toward paving the way for a health insurance reform bill that would take aim at reducing the rolls of the uninsured — estimated to number as many as 45 million today.
Enzi, who serves as ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and is a member of the Senate Budget Committee, offered the amendment to the budget bill to create a deficit-neutral reserve fund to be used in the event that the Senate comes up with a bill to allow market-based, small business health care pooling plans.
To highlight America's health care crisis, Congress designated the week of April 23 as "Cover the Uninsured Week." For more information on this event, click here.
In conjunction with last week’s event, many members of the building community contacted their lawmakers and emphasized the need to enact small business health care reform.
To enable small businesses to access greater health insurance options and lower premiums, builders called on Congress to:
- Enact market-based reforms to expand competition and choice in the market to purchase private health insurance
- Provide the ability to create pooling arrangements across state lines
- Offer tax incentives to help with the purchase of health insurance
- Grant federal relief from state health insurance mandates
For more information, e-mail Erin Tario at NAHB or call her at 800-368-5242 x8413.
Mark Your Calendar for the 2007 NAHB Legislative Conference
The 2007 NAHB Legislative Conference provides a unique opportunity for builders to speak directly with their members of Congress and to take a stand on the issues that affect their businesses and bottom line.
The day-long conference is on Wednesday, June 6 and coincides with the NAHB spring board meeting in Washington, D.C.
Attending the 2007 Legislative Conference offers NAHB members an unparalleled opportunity to:
- Lobby members of Congress to protect your business
- Establish lasting relationships with your elected federal officials
- Share builder concerns in a national forum in Washington, D.C.
- Learn the latest policy developments on the key issues affecting your business
- Demonstrate your industry’s commitment to responsible policies, pragmatic reforms, effective programs and providing the resources necessary to meet our nation’s ongoing housing needs
- Network and share business strategies with your peers
- Learn how to be an effective advocate for your business and your industry
- Make your views known on Capitol Hill
- Do your part to ensure that NAHB’s issues are heard by Washington policymakers
- Galvanize a united front on Capitol Hill
For more information or to register, click here.
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