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 .  