Association Health Plans Act

This bill makes it easier for small businesses and the self‑employed to band together to buy one shared health plan under federal rules. Groups can form across different industries if they have at least 51 workers combined, have been around for 2 years, were formed for reasons other than just offering health coverage, keep membership open regardless of health, cover only employees of member businesses, and are run by a real governing board made up mostly of employer members. These groups cannot be owned or controlled by an insurance company . People who work for themselves with no employees can join if they own a business, earn income from it, and work in it at least 10 hours a week or 40 hours a month; the plan’s board must check that they meet these rules and can end coverage if they no longer do .

The bill keeps key consumer protections. Plans cannot deny coverage for pre‑existing conditions or treat people differently because of health status, including by charging higher premiums for that reason. If a group is made up only of self‑employed members, everyone must be placed in one risk pool and charged the same premium. Plans may set a base premium for the whole group, then adjust each employer’s share up or down based on that employer’s risk, as allowed by state law. All workers across the member businesses are counted together as one plan for regulatory purposes, but simply offering this plan does not make the group a “joint employer” under other laws. These plans still must follow the federal health plan rules already on the books .

• Who is affected: Small employers and self‑employed people without employees who join a group plan.
• What changes: Lets cross‑industry groups offer one plan with rules for governance, membership, and premium setting; self‑employed‑only groups must charge everyone the same rate .
• Protections: No discrimination based on health status; no denial for pre‑existing conditions; existing federal health plan requirements still apply.
• Timing: The text provided does not specify an effective date.