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NMMA is a member of the Coalition to Protect and Promote Association Health Plans (AHP), a group committed to working with federal and state policymakers to strike the right balance between regulating “association health plans” and providing the appropriate level of flexibility to allow organizations to provide comprehensive AHP health coverage to their small employer and self-employed individual members.

The Coalition is currently comprised of 16 like-minded organizations, including NMMA, that believe employees of small employers and independent contractors deserve quality coverage with strong consumer protections. The Coalition intends to develop standards and principles that other organizations operating an AHP should follow, and we plan to fight against fraudulent actors to ensure the AHP market evolves into a viable, successful marketplace.

“Access to an association health plan provides the recreational boating industry’s hundreds of small marine businesses the opportunity to offer quality and affordable health insurance to their employees and their families. We look forward to working closely with the Coalition’s steering committee and policymakers on the state level to expand access to association health plans across all state lines,” said Thom Dammrich, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

Member organizations on the Coalition’s steering committee include: the American Farm Bureau Federation; American Society of Association Executives; American Veterinary Medical Association; Associated Employers Benefit & Trust; Association of Web-Based Health Insurance Brokers; Financial Services Institute; Foundation for Government Accountability; Indiana Credit Union League; International Franchise Association; Michigan Dental Association; National Apartment Association; National Association of REALTORS®; NFIB; National Restaurant Association; National Marine Manufacturers Association; and the Transportation Intermediaries Association.

On June 21, 2018, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued final regulations that would allow national trade associations and franchisee-based corporations to offer small employer and/or independent contractor members the same type of health coverage “large” employers offer to their employees. This coverage – provided through an AHP – could be offered on a nationwide basis. The final DOL regulations also allow local Chambers of Commerce and other similar associations with members that do not share the same industry to offer “large group” AHP coverage to their members located in the same state or metropolitan area.

With this new flexibility, members of The Coalition to Protect and Promote Association Health Plans intend to work constructively and collaboratively with federal and state regulators to accomplish a single goal - protect employees and independent contractors by ensuring they have access to quality and affordable health coverage.