Small business continues to see the highest increases in health care premiums compared to medium to large business over the last five years. Something should be done to help small business continue to be America's number one job creator.

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) allows big business to preempt state regulations and state health care mandates in order to provide a multi-state pooling arrangement that allows for consistency in the health care benefits, streamlined regulation, and independent pooling. These benefits should not be limited to just big business. Small business should be afforded the same right to provide affordable health care to their employees in the same way.

Specifically, NFIB feels Congress should enact Small-Business Health Plan (SBHP) legislation that would allow trade and professional associations to independently pool their members across state lines, gaining bargaining power that the government, big business, and unions currently enjoy.

Following is a brief history of the effort to pass SBHP legislation, starting in 1995 and continuing today.