Trump order on health care similar to Enzi bill

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., applauded President Donald Trump’s attempt Thursday to create a path for Americans to have more affordable health care choices through increased flexibility and competition.

The executive order paves the way for a change similar to Enzi’s Small Businesses Health Plans Act introduced earlier this year that would allow small businesses better opportunities to provide affordable health care for their employees.

Under the modification, more small businesses could join together as Association Health Plans (AHP) based on common industry or geography. This would allow more small employers to join together when negotiating health care options for their employees, potentially providing them with advantages that large businesses now enjoy.

“I appreciate President Trump taking action to provide relief to Americans struggling under the failures of Obamacare,” Enzi said. “This could lead to multiple small businesses being able to pool their employees, across multiple states, for the purpose of purchasing health insurance coverage. I have long heard from small businesses regarding the need for greater flexibility and more options for providing health insurance coverage to their employees. That is why I introduced a bill earlier this year to take similar action and have been working on this issue for more than a decade.”

Other elements of the White House plan, according to the Associated Press include:

—Easing current restrictions on short-term policies that last less than a year -- an option for people making a life transition, from recent college graduates to early retirees. Those policies are not subject to current federal and state rules that require standard benefits and other consumer protections.

—Allowing employers to set aside pre-tax dollars so workers can use the money to buy an individual health policy.

While the president’s executive order could provide much needed relief for the health care market, according to Enzi, it clearly does not signal the end to our nation’s health care discussion.

“Obamacare caused massive upheaval to our health care system and it could take a long time to right the ship,” Enzi said. “Congress still has a responsibility to find better alternatives to America’s current health care fiasco.”

Enzi said he will continue to work with small businesses to ensure they have the flexibility they need to provide affordable health care options for their employees.