By Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – Health insurance costs are a big burden for small and independent businesses and there could be a saving grace with association health plans expected to be unveiled this fall and at least one large association is evaluating the idea.
Last month at a rally in North Dakota President Donald Trump championed association health plans as a common sense approach to lowering health costs.
“We’re coming up with so many incredible plans,” Trump said. “We’ve gotten rid of the individual mandate (of the Affordable Care Act), which is terrible. It’s been gutted.”
“We have, through our Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta, just came out with the association plan, which is phenomenal,” Trump said. “Millions and millions of people are signing up.”
Jordan Wishner, president of Chicago-based The Health Insurance Shoppe, said such plans would band small and independent employers from like trades together.
“Which is going to give them a lower premium than what they could attain in the individual market and it’s going to give them more access and they could also tailor plans to meet their needs that aren’t like the current individual plans,” Wishner said.
Healthcare analyst group Avalere in February said association health plans could lead 4.3 million people over five years away from ACA coverage.
Illinois Farm Bureau Executive Director of Operations News and Communications Chris Magnuson said the bureau is evaluating the idea for its 400,000 members.
“We’ll take a number of months, and a lot of research, to consider, so it’s a long ways from coming into place,” Magnuson said.
Magnuson said independent farmers are self employed and trying to find affordable health plans has been difficult.
“Many farmers’ spouses may work off farm strictly to be able to access insurance,” Magnuson said.
Wishner said there’s still some big unknowns for association health plans.
“Nobody knows who the administrator is going to be, who’s the underwriter, but all that talk could go into fruition beginning Sept. 1,” Wishner said.
Association health plans could also include the likes of the Chamber of Commerce or other groups with memberships from similar sectors.
