The No Troops in Our Streets Act of 2025 would make it easier for small businesses and individuals to band together to purchase health insurance plans, known as association health plans (AHPs). This bill would allow AHPs to be treated as a single large employer under federal law, giving them more flexibility in how they offer and price coverage.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
The No Troops in Our Streets Act of 2025 would make it easier for small businesses and individuals to band together to purchase health insurance plans, known as association health plans (AHPs). This bill would allow AHPs to be treated as a single large employer under federal law, giving them more flexibility in how they offer and price coverage.
Last updated: 12/29/2025
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement Act or the MEWA Act</strong></p><p>This bill provides statutory authority for the treatment of association health plans (AHPs) as single, large employer health plans for purposes of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).</p><p>Under AHPs, groups of individuals or small employers join together to purchase health insurance coverage. AHPs were historically subject to the market requirements for individual and small group health plans. In 2018, the Department of Labor issued regulations that allowed an AHP to be considered a single, large employer under ERISA if certain conditions are met. The regulations have been subject to litigation, which is still ongoing.</p><p>The bill provides that a group of employers is treated as a single, large employer for the purpose of establishing an AHP if the group, among other listed criteria (1) has been in existence for at least two years and was formed for a purpose other than offering health insurance, (2) meets any criteria set by Labor in a prior advisory opinion, or (3) meets any other criteria set by Labor through regulations.</p><p>Additionally, the bill establishes rules for AHPs to set premium rates and prohibits AHPs from discriminating in coverage based on health status-related factors or denying coverage based on preexisting conditions.</p><!--tinycomments|2.1|data:application/json;base64,eyJtY2UtY29udmVyc2F0aW9uXzkxMDg2Nzk4MTIxNzEzODA4NTg4Nzk1Ijp7InVpZCI6Im1jZS1jb252ZXJzYXRpb25fOTEwODY3OTgxMjE3MTM4MDg1ODg3OTUiLCJjb21tZW50cyI6W3sidWlkIjoibWNlLWNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbl85MTA4Njc5ODEyMTcxMzgwODU4ODc5NSIsImF1dGhvciI6ImJ0b3RoQGxpYi5sb2MuZ292IiwiYXV0aG9yTmFtZSI6ImJ0b3RoQGxpYi5sb2MuZ292IiwiY29udGVudCI6IkkgaGFkIGludGVuZGVkIHRvIGRlbGV0ZSB0aGlzIHdvcmQgdG9vLCBidXQgbWlzc2VkIGl0LiBUaHguIiwiY3JlYXRlZEF0IjoiMjAyNC0wNC0yMlQxNzo1NjoyOC43OTVaIiwibW9kaWZpZWRBdCI6IjIwMjQtMDQtMjJUMTc6NTY6MjguNzk1WiJ9XX19-->
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Provides legal authority for AHPs to be considered a single large employer plan under federal law, even if the members are small businesses or individuals
Establishes rules for how AHPs can set premium rates and prohibits them from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions
Aims to make it easier and more affordable for small businesses and self-employed individuals to obtain health insurance coverage as a group
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
This bill would primarily affect small businesses, self-employed individuals, and others who currently struggle to find affordable health insurance options. If passed, it could make it easier and more cost-effective for these groups to obtain health coverage through AHPs. However, there are concerns that AHPs may lead to the erosion of protections for pre-existing conditions and essential health benefits required in the individual and small group markets.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Health
Related Subjects
Disability and health-based discrimination
Employee benefits and pensions
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Labor-management relations
Self-employed
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
3167, 119th Congress (2025). "No Troops in Our Streets Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-3167
