A letter from the AHP Coalition to the U.S. House of Representatives

July 19, 2005

Dear Representative:

The Association Health Plan Coalition would like to ask for your support when Association Health Plan (AHP) legislation comes to a vote on the House floor this week. H.R. 525, the "Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2005," will level the playing field and bring Fortune 500-style benefits to American small businesses.

The problem of uninsured individuals in our country is largely a problem of small-business owners, their employees and their families. Of the 27 million working uninsured, 63 percent are working in firms with fewer than 100 employees. In addition, most small businesses that provide health benefits can only afford to offer a single coverage option and continually operate under the threat of having to drop coverage altogether.

We strongly believe that AHPs will help reduce the number of uninsured Americans by allowing small businesses the same accessibility, affordability and choice in the health-care marketplace that big businesses now experience.  Banding together across state lines under bona fide trade or professional associations, small-business owners and their employees will benefit from the same economies of scale, purchasing clout and administrative efficiencies that their big-business counterparts currently enjoy. AHPs will provide greater portability and choice of health insurance to workers and their families in the event of a job change.

As a member of Congress, you recognize the importance of giving small businesses access to lower health-care costs so they can hire and maintain a competitive workforce.  We hope that we can count on your support of AHPs this Congress. 

Sincerely,

The Association Health Plan Coalition 

Adhesive and Sealant Council
Air Conditioning Contractors of America
American Alliance of Service Providers
American Apparel & Footwear Association
American Association of Advertising Agencies
American Association of Engineering Societies
American Association of Franchisees and Dealers
American Association of Small Property Owners
ABL – America’s Wine, Beer, and Spirit Retailers
American Bakers Association
American Concrete Pumping Association
American Council of Engineering Companies
American Disc Jockey Association
American Electronics Association
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Foundry Society
American Home Furnishings Alliance
American Hotel and Lodging Association
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
American International Automobile Dealers Association
American Land Title Association
American Lighting Association
American Nursery and Landscape Association
American Rental Association
American Road and Transportation Builders Association
American Small Businesses Association
American Society of Association Executives
American Society of Civil Engineers
American Society of Home Inspectors
American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Board on Member Interests & Development
American Staffing Association
American Textile Machinery Association
American Veterinary Medical Association
American Wholesale Marketers Association
Americans for Tax Reform
AOMALLIANCE
Archery Trade Association
Associated Builders and Contractors
Associated General Contractors of America
Associated Prevailing Wage Contractors, Inc.
Association for Manufacturing Technology
Association of California Water Agencies
Association of Equipment Manufacturers
Association of Ship Brokers and Agents
Association of Suppliers to the Paper Industry
Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association
Automotive Aftermarket Association Southeast
Automotive Service Association
Automotive Undercar Trade Organization
Automotive Wholesalers Association of New England
Automotive Parts & Services Association
Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America
California Society of CPAs
California/Nevada Automotive Wholesalers Association
Center for New Black Leadership
Central Service Association
Chesapeake Automotive Business Association
Cleveland Automobile Dealers Association
Club Managers Association of America
Christian Schools International
Coca Cola Bottlers Association
Communicating for Agriculture
Construction Management Association of America
Consumer Specialty Products Association
Deep South Equipment Dealers Association
Electronics Representatives Association Insurance Trust
Far West Equipment Dealers Association
Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association
Financial Executives International
Financial Planning Association
Food Marketing Institute
GrassRoots Impact
Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association
Hispanic Business Roundtable
Independent Electrical Contractors
Independent Office Products & Furniture Dealers Association
Independent Stationers, Inc.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - United States of America
International Association of Professional Event Photographers
International Foodservice Distributors Association
International Franchise Association
International Housewares Association
Iowa Automobile Dealers Association
Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association
The Latino Coalition
Mason Contractors Association
Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA)
Metal Manufacturers’ Education and Training Alliance
Midwest Automotive Industry Association
Midwest Equipment Dealers Association
Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association
NAMM, the International Music Products Association
National Association for the Self-Employed
National Association of Chemical Distributors
National Association of Community Health Centers
National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses
National Association of Convenience Stores
National Association of Home Builders
National Association of Manufacturers
National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies
National Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors
National Association of Realtors
National Association of Theatre Owners
National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors
National Association of Women Business Owners
National Automobile Dealers Association
National Black Chamber of Commerce
National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
National Club Association
National Concrete Masonry Association
National Council of Agricultural Employers
National Court Reporters Association
National Federation of Independent Business
National Franchise Association
National Funeral Directors Association
National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association
National Newspaper Association
National Office Products Alliance
National Paint and Coatings Association
National Portable Storage Association
National Precast Concrete Association
National Rental Association
National Retail Federation
National Restaurant Association
National Roofing Contractors Association
National Spa and Pool Institute
National Society of Accountants
National Society of Professional Engineers
National Sporting Goods Association
National Systems Contractors Association
National Tile Contractors Association
National Tooling & Machining Association
National Utility Contractors Association
Nebraska New Car and Truck Dealers Association
New Mexico Automotive Parts and Service Association
New York State Automotive Aftermarket Association
North American Die Casting Association
North American Equipment Dealers Association
North American Retail Dealers Association
North Dakota Automobile and Implement Dealers Association
Northeastern Retail Lumber Association
Office Furniture Dealers Alliance
Ohio Valley Automotive Aftermarket Association
Outdoor Industry Association
Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
Piano Technicians Guild
Precision Machine Products Association
Precision Metalforming Association
Printing Industries of America
Printing Industries of Maryland
Process Equipment Manufacturers’ Association
Professional Detailing Technicians Association
Professional Golfers’ Association of America
Professional Photographers of America
Retailers Bakery Association
Service Station Dealers of America and Allied Trades
Self Insurance Institute of America
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council 
Society of American Florists
Society of the Plastics Industry
Society of Professional Benefit Administrators
Southern Equipment Dealers Association
Southeastern Equipment Dealers Association
Southeastern Farm Equipment Dealers Association
Southwestern Association
Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)
Snack Food Association
Student Photographic Society
Textile Rental Services Association of America
The American Institute of Architects
The Association Healthcare Coalition
Timber Products Manufacturers Association
Tire Industry Association
United States Federation of Small Businesses, Inc.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Pan Asian America Chamber of Commerce
Virginia Bankers Association
Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association
Western Growers Association
Women Impacting Public Policy
Wisconsin Automobile & Truck Dealers Association
World Wide Insurance Services, Inc.