AHIP, NFIB launch new push against tax on health plans

Health insurers and small businesses are launching a new salvo in their campaign against the healthcare reform law's tax on insurance policies.

America's Health Insurance Plans and the National Federation of Independent Business announced the partnership Tuesday. The groups created a new website about the tax, which is set to take effect in 2014, and said they'll jointly lobby members of Congress to repeal the provision.

The tax is set to raise $8 billion in 2014. AHIP and NFIB say it contradicts healthcare reform's goal of making coverage more affordable.

NFIB is already part of a large coalition dedicated to fighting the sales tax. AHIP — which has consistently opposed the tax — said it's partnering with NFIB to highlight the effects not only on employers, but also people who buy individual coverage on the open market.

“This tax will increase costs for small employers and also for individual market customers and public program beneficiaries. We appreciate NFIB’s leadership on this critically important issue, and look forward to working with them to shine the spotlight on how the new premium tax will drive up the cost of coverage,” AHIP spokesman Robert Zirkelbach said in a blog post.