Durbin-Lincoln Small Employers Health Benefits Program Bill (S. 2163) 

This bill would establish an insurance pool for small businesses patterned after the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).  The Small Employers Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) would not be identical to the federal workers' program, however.  A predecessor bill was introduced in the House in the summer of 2004 by Rep. Ron Kind and several cosponsors (HR 2850).

The Durbin-Lincoln bill is unique for several reasons:

1.  Systematized age-rating of premiums.  This is a departure from Democratic orthodoxy, but it would be very important to creating a workable pool in the absence of large subsidies.
2.  Complete transparency of premiums charged by participating plans.  Participants could easily look up the premium for their age and location for each plan. 
3.  Tax Subsidies for small businesses that participate, based on the number of low-income people they enroll.
4.  Subsidies for reinsurance and risk corridors (to ensure health plans have protections against "adverse risk" selection).
5.  "Any willing insurer."  The Durbin-Lincoln plan would allow a wide variety of plans to participate, enhancing choice and portability.

Complete summary and analysis of the Durbin-Lincoln Proposal from Centrists.Org.

Text of S. 2163, as introduced.