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.

    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.

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    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.

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    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. 

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    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. 

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    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.

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