Colorado Business Groups Unite Behind Senate Bill 200

DENVER—Business Groups came out in strong support of House Majority Leader Amy Stephens’ measure to allow small-businesses and individuals to band together to buy affordable health insurance. In a memo sent to members of the House Health and Environment Committee and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Colorado Competitive Council, Colorado Concern and the National Federation of Independent Business hailed Senate Bill 200, saying: “The business coalition worked with sponsors to create a bill that provides great access to affordable care, while promoting a competitive marketplace that protects private industry jobs, and provides employers with additional affordable choices when considering health benefits for employees.” SB 200 creates a market-based health exchange to allow families and small businesses to pool together to find affordable and quality coverage. “This bill is good for Colorado,” said Stephens, R-Monument. “Large corporations already have the ability to buy insurance at a group rate. This bill simply clears away government barriers and allows individuals and small businesses to join together to buy insurance at a group rate in the free-market.” The NFIB went a step further and issued a press release supporting SB 200, saying: “In a 2010 NFIB member survey, 60 percent of our membership supported establishing a Colorado Health Benefit Exchange and not allowing the Federal Government to impose a one-size-fits-all exchange on our Colorado members.” Stephens added, “Coloradans want a free-market, Colorado-based solution to health care. Senate Bill 200 is just that.”

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