ABC Supports Health Care Bills

By Kirk Pickerel

Associated Builders and Contractors has voiced strong support for three health care bills introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives as a part of the U.S. House of Representatives' Careers for a 21st Century America Health Care Security initiative.
The need to boost employees' access to health care while lowering businesses' health care costs is the first item being addressed in this comprehensive approach to creating successful careers in America.

The need for affordable health care is urgent for the 23,000 member firms represented by ABC. We strongly support the U.S. House of Representatives' Careers for a 21st Century America initiative and the three bills put forward in the U.S. House of Representatives this week to ensure health care security for America's workers.

In its Careers for the 21st Century initiative, the U.S. House of Representatives over the next eight weeks will be addressing eight key aspects of the U.S. economy in order to create rewarding, lifelong career opportunities for American workers. The first issue in this initiative is ensuring health care security for America's workers.

The construction industry needs skilled employees to fill new roles and to replace thousands of retiring workers each year, and ABC provides craft training and apprenticeship training to help prepare the next generation of construction craft professionals for well-paying, lifelong careers.

ABC is one of the most experienced national associations in providing health care benefits to its member firms and has testified on Capitol Hill in favor of Association Health Plans (AHP) legislation. ABC recognizes the need for affordable health care as one of the most crucial issues facing the U.S. construction industry and small businesses nationwide.

ABC has more than 45 years of experience in providing health care solutions for its members, and we strongly support this congressional initiative to solve America's health care coverage crisis. ABC has particular experience in managing Association Health Plans and strongly advocates House and Senate passage of H.R. 4281, the Small Business Health Fairness Act, which allows small businesses such as those represented by ABC to join together through AHPs for access to affordable health care for employees.

The three health care bills offered in the U.S. House of Representatives last week are:

Flexible Spending Accounts
H.R. 4279/Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts: Amends current law that allows an individual to save up to $4,000 (pre-tax) in a flexible spending account or cafeteria plan to be used for medical expenses, to allow up to $500 of those funds to roll-over into a health savings account or cafeteria plan for future years.

Medical Liability Reform
H.R. 4280/The Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-Cost Timely Health Care (HEALTH) Act of 2004: Safeguards patients' access to health care through the speedy resolution of claims, through fair accountability for damages and maximum patient recovery of awards.

Association Health Plans
H.R. 4281/The Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2004: Allows small businesses to join together through Association Health Plans in order to gain access to affordable health care for employees.

Pickerel is president and CEO of Associated Builders and Contractors, a national association representing 23,000 construction and construction-related firms in 80 chapters across the United States.