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Connecticut bar association urges association‑health plans to help small firms; lawmakers hear mixed responses
Summary
The Connecticut Bar Association and other small‑business witnesses told the Insurance and Real Estate Committee that allowing association health plans would expand buying power and lower costs for solo and small law firms. Lawmakers and some business groups pressed for data; insurers urged caution about consumer protections.
Emily Gianquinto, president‑elect of the Connecticut Bar Association, told the Insurance and Real Estate Committee she supports HB 7,079, asking lawmakers to amend the bill to allow trade associations to pool members for purposes of securing group health insurance. “We have approximately 8,000 members…about half are solo practitioners or firms with 15 or fewer employees,” Gianquinto said. “Association health plans have been a legislative priority of the CBA for several years.”
Gianquinto and other witnesses described how small practices face rising premiums and shrinking carrier options on the individual marketplace. She recounted members who had no practical choice of carrier or who left private practice because they couldn’t secure affordable coverage for themselves or employees. “Allowing associations like ours to leverage our membership numbers to secure large group plans would have a significant and pretty immediate positive impact on the economic health of thousands of small businesses throughout the state,” she said.
Rep. Pavlik D’Amato and other committee members asked for data on the makeup of membership and underscored the committee’s interest in written testimony. Paul Vance, vice‑president of the CBA and a small‑firm owner, also testified in support and described small‑business recruitment and retention challenges tied to offering benefits.
Insurer and business witnesses were not the main speakers on HB 7,079 during the hearing, but several business groups and broker representatives flagged that association health plans must be carefully structured to protect consumers and comply with federal rules, including ERISA and state insurance standards.
What’s next: Advocates urged the committee to allow association pooling as a path to expand options for small employers, while staff and lawmakers requested more written evidence about membership composition and projected cost savings before acting. The committee did not take a vote during the hearing.
Quotes “We urge you to address this issue in this session by adopting legislation authorizing association health plans.” — Emily Gianquinto, president‑elect, Connecticut Bar Association
Ending Small‑firm advocates framed association health plans as an immediate tool to broaden buying power and reduce premiums for solo and small firms. Lawmakers signaled interest but asked for more written member data before deciding whether to change state law to allow pooling agreements.
Speakers • Emily Gianquinto, President‑elect, Connecticut Bar Association (testimony in support) • Paul Vance, Vice President, Connecticut Bar Association and small‑firm owner (support)
Context and clarifying details • CBA membership: ~8,000 members; about half solo or firms with 15 or fewer employees; roughly two‑thirds of membership at 50 or fewer employees (testimony from Gianquinto) • Small firms reported sharply rising insurance costs and shrinking carrier options on exchanges.
Action • Motion: Consideration and public testimony on HB 7,079 (association health plans). No committee vote recorded at the hearing.
Provenance • Topic introduced in public comment by Emily Gianquinto (testimony at 00:03:11 of the hearing); discussion extended through subsequent member remarks and later employer testimony (Paul Vance, 02:42:21).
