[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 17182-17183]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1930
                    SUPPORT ASSOCIATION HEALTH PLANS

  (Mr. KELLER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, the number one problem facing small 
businesses today is the skyrocketing cost of health insurance. 
Association health plans are a big part of the solution.
  I met with many small-business people from my hometown of Orlando, 
Florida, and they told me that they need association health plans. I 
believe them, and I will tell you why.
  Of the 45 million Americans now without health insurance, 60 percent 
are small-business employees and their families. They do not have 
health insurance because their employers cannot afford it. If we 
allowed these small businesses to join together, they could have the 
same bargaining power as a large corporation, which could lower their 
health insurance premiums by up to 30 percent.
  Mr. Speaker, association health plans will increase access to health 
care for

[[Page 17183]]

millions of Americans now without health insurance.
  I urge my colleagues to vote yes on association health plans.

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