"Under association health plans, small businesses can join associations -- based on certain types of professional, trade or interest groups -- that offer insurance to members. Republicans for decades have favored such arrangements, seeing them as a way for small groups to get more clout with insurers.... GOP lawmakers this year tried, but failed, to pass legislation that would create new federally certified associations that could be sold across state lines with reduced state oversight. Even so, these plans have always been controversial."

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