Senate Committee Passes Small Business Health Plan

In a continuation of last week's consideration, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee passed "The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act " (S. 1955) by a vote of 11 to 9. The bill was introduced by Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo. and originally co-sponsored by Senator. Ben Nelson, D-Neb. and Conrad Burns, R-Mont. "The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act" would allow business and trade associations to band their members together to procure lower costs on regional or national health plans.

     The approval of the HELP Committee marks the first major step for Small Business Health Plans in the Senate for more than the last 15 years. The next step for the legislation will be a vote by the full Senate, tentatively scheduled for late April or early May.  Should S. 1955 pass the full Senate, the House and Senate bills would go to conference to attempt to reconcile the extensive differences between the bills before a final draft is voted upon.