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Expert Opinion

Small businesses, franchises need to tread lightly with association health plans

The proposed rules broaden and relax the business purpose and standards by allowing small business owners to join together to sponsor an association health plans.

By Chris Duncan | Updated on March 30, 2018
Insurance plan binder Remove the barriers of “not enough” time and “too costly” and small business owners would leap at the chance to add benefits. (Photo: Shutterstock)

The insurance and broker industries have been abuzz about proposed Labor Department changes that could allow more businesses to offer employer-sponsored group benefits to their workers. While this opportunity is great, both franchisors and the roughly 800,000 franchisee small businesses need to be especially diligent that they don’t expose themselves to legal repercussions in pursuit of association or group sourcing benefits strategies.

To avoid missteps and reap the advantages of these expanding opportunities in collective sourcing options, franchisors, franchisee member associations, and their advisors should navigate these new waters carefully.

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