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H.R. 2868 114th Congress House

Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2015

Official title: To amend title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to improve access and choice for entrepreneurs with small businesses with respect to medical care for their employees.

Introduced: July 15, 2015 See on congress.gov
Health Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAdvisory bodiesDepartment of LaborEmployee benefits and pensions
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Federal preemptionHealth care costs and insuranceHealth care coverage and accessLicensing and registrationsSmall businessState and local taxationUser charges and fees
This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 16, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
Jun 24, 2015
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Jun 24, 2015
Introduced in House
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 Latest action November 16, 2015

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2015

Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to provide for establishment and governance of association health plans (AHPs), which are group health plans whose sponsors are trade, industry, professional, chamber of commerce, or similar business associations, and which meet certain ERISA certification requirements.

Prescribes rules governing AHPs, including requirements relating to certification, sponsors and boards of trustees, participation and coverage, nondiscrimination, contribution rates, notice of voluntary termination, correction actions, and mandatory termination.

Establishes the Association Health Plan Fund to be used to make payments to an insurer to maintain coverage for a plan if there is a reasonable expectation that, without such payments, claims would not be satisfied by reason of termination of coverage.

Requires the Secretary of Labor to establish a Solvency Standards Working Group.

Allows a state to impose a contribution tax on an association health plan that commenced operations in such state after the enactment of this Act.

Preempts any state law that may preclude a health insurance issuer from: (1) offering health insurance coverage in connection with a certified AHP; or (2) offering health insurance coverage of the same policy type to other employers operating in the state that are eligible for coverage under such AHPs, whether or not such other employers are participating employers in such plan.

Subjects to criminal penalties a person who willfully makes false representations with respect to an AHP.

 Related & companion bills 3
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2868: Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2015. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2868/
MLA
"H.R. 2868: Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2015." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2868/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2868, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2868/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2868: Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2015](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2868/)
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