Seniors Task Force Members Submit Association Health Plan Comments to Labor Secretary Acosta

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Illinois, issued the following news release:

Today, Seniors Task Force Co-Chairs Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Doris Matsui (D-CA) led 11 members of the task force in providing comments to Department of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would greatly expand the existing definition of association health plans (AHPs). This NPRM could have devastating consequences on Americans' health care. After submitting the comments, Reps. Schakowsky and Matsui released the following statement:

"The Department of Labor's proposed rulemaking would have devastating consequences, especially for Americans 50 or older. Contrary to its stated goal of expanding access to quality affordable health insurance, this rule would actually result in higher health care costs and premiums, and a shaky insurance market that encourages discrimination against women, older workers, and workers with disabilities. By greatly expanding the definition of association health plans, this rule would encourage barebones insurance plans that don't guarantee quality coverage and allow a 5 to 1 age tax that would further harm older workers and their families.

"The proposed rule itself acknowledges that the disastrous consequences that it could produce have not been properly analyzed and explored. By segmenting the market it would increase premiums to those with traditional insurance plans. We believe that our comments today clearly outline the many flaws of this proposed rule, and we encourage Secretary Acosta to withdraw it."

In addition to Reps. Schakowsky and Matsui, the comments were signed by Reps. Lucille Roybal-Allard, Bobby Scott, Lloyd Doggett, Peter A. DeFazio, Gene Green, Joe Courtney, Brian Higgins, John Garamendi, Jackie Speier, Thomas Suozzi and Ted Lieu. The comments are available here (https://schakowsky.house.gov/uploads/Comments%20on%20RIN%201210-AB85%20AHPs%20(002).pdf).