mr. speaker , i rise in opposition of h.r. 525 and the association health plans it creates . 
there are 44 million americans who are uninsured in this country and this bill will not even affect 1 percent of them . 
not 1 percent . 
cbo found that only 360 , 000 uninsured americans would join ahps . 
this bill in fact hurts those who enroll in the plans and will even cause healthcare costs to go up for many other americans . 
there has to be a better way to help 44 million uninsured americans . 
ahps will not be accountable to state health regulations . 
this will leave consumers who enroll in these plans without protection or a right to appeal if their cancer or diabetes treatment or medicines are denied . 
we can not let ahps become bargain basement plans that enroll only the healthiest americans . 
what will happen to our sick , elderly and those with severe health conditions ? 
twenty million americans will face higher healthcare costs . 
twenty million . 
health insurers will give breaks to the ahps and charge other consumers more . 
studies show that these higher healthcare costs could cause up to 10 , 000 americans to become insured . 
there is a better way to help small businesses and the uninsured . 
h.r. 525 will not help small businesses or their employees . 
this is a shortsighted plan that does nothing to cover the 44 million uninsured americans who can not afford to get sick . 
