Bill would allow formation of association health plans

Connecticut’s small businesses and nonprofit organizations could see lower health insurance costs under a proposed bill that would allow trade associations to offer large group health plans to their members, the CT Mirror reports. Connecticut’s H.B. 6710 would allow established trade associations that meet certain membership requirements to purchase fully funded health plans from insurance companies as a group, or they could offer “self-funded” insurance plans, where the trade group pays claims directly.