Washington, D.C. – March 29, 2019 (nar.realtor) NAR President John Smaby issued the following statement after District Court of Columbia Judge John Bates struck down a Department of Labor attempt to expand association health plans earlier this week.
“As independent contractors, Realtors® have long struggled to find and secure affordable health insurance options,” said Smaby, a second-generation Realtor® from Edina, Minnesota. “This is why NAR strongly supports the U.S. Department of Labor’s final rule expanding access to Association Health Plans. This rule has been successful and is growing in many states, providing high quality, lower cost coverage alternatives to many of NAR’s 1.3 million members and their families.
“We are extremely disappointed in this week’s District Court decision, which threatens the progress Realtor® Associations have made in offering much-needed health insurance solutions. NAR is reviewing this ruling to determine its potential nationwide impact and we vow to continue to fight for more affordable, quality health insurance options for our members.”
The National Association of Realtors® is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
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