WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Congressman Sam Graves signed on as a co-sponsor this week to H.R. 241, a bill designed to increase the availability of health insurance for employees of small businesses. The bill would allow small businesses to band together through existing trade associations and purchase health insurance as one big business instead of many small ones. More employees will mean lower rates.

“Where you work should not determine whether or not you have access to health care,” said Graves. “We need to give small businesses and their workers the same opportunity that big businesses have.”

The Congressional Budget Office study estimated that by 2008, 7.5 million people would obtain health insurance through these types of association health plans. The bill would decrease the number of uninsured without a substantial cost to taxpayers.

“This bill is a common sense solution that helps insure more families,” said Graves, a member of the Small Business Committee. “Government needs to get out of the way so that more small businesses can afford health insurance.” 

The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.  

# # #