Health Care

Providing quality health care benefits is a top priority for ABC and its member companies. Throughout the health care reform debate, ABC advocated for policies that reduce the cost of health care for employers and their employees. ABC called on Congress to advance common-sense proposals that would address the skyrocketing costs of health insurance, especially for employer-sponsored plans and the rapidly rising number of uninsured Americans. ABC believes true reform should provide greater choice and affordability and allow private insurers to compete for business.

Employer Provisions
Insurance Exchanges
Taxes
Legislative Activities

ABC Supports DOL Proposals on ARPs and HRAs

On Dec. 21, ABC submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration in support of its proposed rule to allow small and mid-sized businesses to band together and offer 401(k) plans to their employees through association retirement plans.

IRS Issues Guidance on Small Business Health Care Tax Credit

On April 27, the Internal Revenue Service issued guidance on providing relief for certain small businesses that wish to claim the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit for 2017 and later years.

Association Health Plans a Common-sense Solution, ABC Tells DOL

On March 6, ABC submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration saying that association health plans provide a common-sense solution to increasing access to health care for individuals and reduce the burden on small businesses that have been affected by the Affordable Care Act.

DOL Publishes Proposed Rule on Association Health Plans

On Jan. 5, the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register on the expansion of Association Health Plans (AHPs). According to a DOL press release, the proposed rule would increase access for small businesses to offer employment-based health insurance through AHPs and give access to 11 million small business employees/sole proprietors and their families who do not have employer-sponsored insurance.

Republicans Release New Health Care Proposals

On Oct. 17, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) announced a short-term deal aimed at stabilizing the individual health insurance market and lowering the costs of premiums.

ABC Urges Congress to Include 501(c)(6) Organizations in Next Phase of COVID-19 Relief

The recently passed CARES Act, a $2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, provided aid for small businesses and affected industries across the country. However, the bill does not include assistance for 501(c)(6) organizations such as trade associations that are, in some cases, experiencing the same operational challenges that large and small businesses are facing due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) Signed into Law

Following the passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) and President Trump signing it into law, ABC has gathered some additional information on the bill’s small business and tax provisions.

Webcast: Compliance Assistance on Health Reimbursement Arrangements Final Rule

On Sept. 12, the U.S. Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service will hold a webcast providing employers with compliance assistance on the joint final rule on health reimbursement arrangements.

ABC Comments on U.S. House Surprise Billing Draft Legislation

On May 28, as part of the Partnership for the Employer-Sponsored Coverage, ABC signed on to a letter to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee supporting legislation to combat surprise billing in health care and providing key insight on the committee’s draft proposals.

ABC Addresses Rising Health Care Costs

On Feb. 28, ABC, as a member of the Partnership for Employer-sponsored Coverage, sent a letter to Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, providing recommendations on how to address America’s rising health care costs.

Register Today for ABC Election Series—South Central Region Update

You are invited to an exclusive South Central region election update on Thursday, Aug. 13, from 3-3:30 p.m. EDT. ABC National staff will be joined by Will McAdams, president of ABC Texas. This is an update you will not want to miss. Register today!

ABC Opposes House Democrats’ $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Bill with Anti-Merit Shop Provisions

On June 22, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter A. DeFazio (D-Ore.) was joined by six other Democratic House committee chairs in a press conference releasing the Democratic Infrastructure Bill, H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act.

Senate Committee Approves Bill to End Surprise Medical Billing

On June 26, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee approved the Lower Health Care Costs Act (S. 1895) by a bipartisan vote of 20-3. This bill seeks to address several cost-driver issues within our nation’s health care system including protecting patients from surprise medical billing and increasing transparency within health care.

White House Moves to Protect Americans from Surprise Medical Billing

On May 9, the White House held a summit on protecting Americans from surprise medical billing, which occurs when insured patients incur unexpected charges after receiving treatment from out-of-network health care providers. On April 2, ABC joined a broad-based coalition in a letter to the U.S. House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions to hold a hearing to examine surprise billing.

Federal Court Strikes Down Association Health Plan Rules

On March 28, 2019, a federal judge ruled that parts of the Trump administration’s 2018 final rule on association health plans were invalid. The U.S. Department of Labor has been directed to reconsider how the rest of the rule is affected by this ruling.