NAR Calls for Swift Passage of Healthcare Legislat
Washington, DC, March 16, 2006--The National Association of Realtors called for swift passage today of the small business health care legislation introduced by Senators Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Conrad Burns (R-Mont.). The bill would dramatically improve the healthcare coverage available to millions of families of small business and self-employed workers.
NAR commends the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Chairman Enzi for advancing this important legislation that would protect a large segment of the American workforce. The legislation would allow the self-employed and small businesses to band together through a trade or professional association to negotiate lower health insurance costs for participants. Small business health plans would be allowed to provide group health insurance to a sponsoring trade association's members, regardless of where the member lives, just as large corporate and union health plans currently are able to cover employees and union members nationwide.
A similar bill, the Small Business Health Fairness Act, H.R. 525, was approved by the House early in 2005. The bill would make quality health care affordable and available to the self-employed and small businesses.
“Most realtors are independent contractors or small business people who struggle to find low-cost, high-quality health care for themselves, their employees and families,” said NAR President Thomas M. Stevens. “Small business health plans will give the self-employed and small businesses and the same right to collectively negotiate for quality, affordable health insurance as corporate employees and union members. Realtors are committed to doing everything we can to help Congress enact small business health plan legislation this year.”
The introduction in the Senate of The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act (HIMMA), S. 1955, is an important step, which has been advocated by NAR and its members for several months. In the last two weeks, NAR members have written over 17,000 letters to members of Congress encouraging them to pass small business healthcare now.
A significant number of America’s 45 million uninsured citizens are self-employed or work for small businesses that cannot afford to offer quality health insurance benefits to their workers.
According to a 2004 NAR survey, 28 percent of Realtors have no health insurance at all. Only 7 percent of real estate firms offer health care coverage for independent contractors, who are the largest segment of real estate agents. With over 1.2 million members, NAR is actively working with members of Congress and the administration to ensure that this NAR priority becomes a national priority.
There has been much disagreement over this legislation and some of its provisions. However, the NAR is pleased that Senator Enzi and the Senate HELP committee have taken action on legislation that addresses accessibility and affordability of health care for millions of uninsured or underinsured Americans.
“We are eager to see this legislation brought to conference committee for immediate action and on to the Senate floor for approval,” said Stevens.
The National Association of Realtors, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
