Press Release of Senator Cantwell

Cantwell Continues Push to Help Small Businesses Deliver Health Insurance to Employees

Committee holds hearing on legislation allowing small businesses to join together, leverage purchasing power to cut costs and improve coverage

Thursday, April 06,2006

WASHINGTON, DC – Thursday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) applauded the Senate Finance Committee for holding hearings on legislation to create an affordable health insurance program for America’s small businesses. The proposed Small Employers Health Benefits Program (SEHBP), supported by Cantwell, would let small businesses join together to pool risk and leverage purchasing power to help extend health care coverage to more Americans.

“Today’s hearing was an important step toward delivering affordable health care to the millions of small business employees across our country,” said Cantwell. “Small business owners want to help employees pay for health insurance, and we can help them get their employees the coverage they deserve. By pushing costs down, we can get quality health care to more Americans at prices small businesses and their employees can afford.”

The SEHBP Act, cosponsored by Cantwell, is based on the successful, decades-old Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), which provides extensive benefit choices at affordable prices to Congressional and federal employees. The proposed SEHBP program would be open to all employers with 100 employees or fewer. The employees themselves would choose which plan, if any, they want to join. Tax credits would be available to businesses that cover more than 60 percent of an employee’s premium. Employers would also receive additional tax breaks for covering the premiums for low-income workers. Credits would increase for family coverage.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which oversees FEHBP, would manage SEHBP and ensure compliance by the private insurers wishing to compete for the business of program participants. This would guarantee that small business employees receive appropriate benefits at reasonable prices, reduce administrative costs, and free business owners from the burden of negotiating with health plans.


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Weekly Update To sign up for Maria's weekly newsletter, enter your email address: Search The Site	News Press Release of Senator Cantwell Cantwell Continues Push to Help Small Businesses Deliver Health Insurance to Employees Committee holds hearing on legislation allowing small businesses to join together, leverage purchasing power to cut costs and improve coverage Thursday, April 06,2006 WASHINGTON, DC – Thursday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) applauded the Senate Finance Committee for holding hearings on legislation to create an affordable health insurance program for America’s small businesses. The proposed Small Employers Health Benefits Program (SEHBP), supported by Cantwell, would let small businesses join together to pool risk and leverage purchasing power to help extend health care coverage to more Americans. “Today’s hearing was an important step toward delivering affordable health care to the millions of small business employees across our country,” said Cantwell. “Small business owners want to help employees pay for health insurance, and we can help them get their employees the coverage they deserve. By pushing costs down, we can get quality health care to more Americans at prices small businesses and their employees can afford.” The SEHBP Act, cosponsored by Cantwell, is based on the successful, decades-old Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), which provides extensive benefit choices at affordable prices to Congressional and federal employees. The proposed SEHBP program would be open to all employers with 100 employees or fewer. The employees themselves would choose which plan, if any, they want to join. Tax credits would be available to businesses that cover more than 60 percent of an employee’s premium. Employers would also receive additional tax breaks for covering the premiums for low-income workers. Credits would increase for family coverage. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which oversees FEHBP, would manage SEHBP and ensure compliance by the private insurers wishing to compete for the business of program participants. This would guarantee that small business employees receive appropriate benefits at reasonable prices, reduce administrative costs, and free business owners from the burden of negotiating with health plans.
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