Small Business Health Plans Act of 2008

A bill to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Public Health Service Act to provide for enhanced health insurance marketplace pooling and relating market rating.

4/3/2008--Introduced.
Small Business Health Plans Act of 2008 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to provide for the establishment and governance of small business health plans, which are group health plans sponsored by trade, industry, professional, chamber of commerce, or similar business associations that meet ERISA certification requirements. Requires the Secretary of Labor to:
(1) apply the rules and standards of this Act to Alternative Market Pooling Organizations, such as unions, churches, and other groups; and
(2) consult with the domicile state regarding the Secretary's exercise of authority over such plans. Allows other existing plans to be treated as small business health plans under certain circumstances. Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to promulgate Minimum Standards for premium variations and Model Small Group Rating Rules for plans under this Act. Requires the Secretary to issue the List of Required Benefits of covered benefits, services, or categories of providers that are required to be provided by health insurance issuers in at least 26 states as a result of state mandate laws. Applies covered benefit, service, or category of provider mandates from the List to states with laws requiring such mandates, but does not apply such mandates from the List to states with no such laws. Supersedes any and all state laws relating to such mandates in the health insurance market.
Requires the Secretary to establish the Health Insurance Consensus Standards Board to develop recommendations that harmonize inconsistent state health insurance laws. Provides that any harmonized standards adopted by the Secretary will supersede state laws related to the areas covered by the harmonized standards.


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Sponsor

• Sen. Michael Enzi [R, WY]
• and 8 Co-Sponsors
  • Wayne Allard
  • Sen. Richard Burr [R, NC]
  • Sen. Judd Gregg [R, NH]
  • Sen. Kay Hutchison [R, TX]
  • Sen. James Inhofe [R, OK]
  • Sen. Mitch McConnell [R, KY]
  • Sen. Ben Nelson [D, NE]
  • Sen. Roger Wicker [R, MS]
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Committees

• Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to S.2818

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by Senate		Voted on by House		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
April 03, 2008

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All Bill Actions

• Introduced on Apr 03, 2008.
• Apr 03, 2008: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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Related Issue Areas:

• Health policy
• Business
• Employee health benefits
• Executive departments
• 12 more
• Federal advisory bodies
• Federal preemption
• Federal-state relations
• Finance
• Health insurance
• Insurance premiums
• Labor
• Medical care
• Small business
• Standards
• State and local government
• State laws

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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Blog Coverage

November 01, 2008 National Journal Online -- Health Care Experts -- What Should ...

But there is a bipartisan piece of legislation – S. 2818, the Small Business Health Plans Act – that actuaries estimated could reduce health insurance costs for small business by 12 percent, and lower the number of un. ...

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Source: Health Care Experts

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April 19, 2008 S. 2818 - Small Business Health Plans Act Of 2008

This legislation will lower costs and increase health insurance coverage for Americans working for small businesses. The Chamber has long supported the concept of pooling across state lines to drive down the cost of health insurance for ...

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Source: rossiemicah

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April 18, 2008 S. 2818 - Small Business Health Plans Act Of 2008

This legislation will lower costs and increase health insurance coverage for Americans working for small businesses. The Chamber has long supported the concept of pooling across state lines to drive down the cost of health insurance for ...

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Source: alicknefen

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