GOP Candidate Courts NAHU Members

"When lots of companies compete for my business, I win," Steele said.

To improve Maryland's competitive climate for health insurers, "we stopped suing underwriters … for being underwriters," Steele said.

Steele attacked a controversial new Maryland law that would require large companies to spend a percentage of their payroll on employee health care or pay the same amount into a state fund. The bill, known as the "Wal-Mart" bill because the retailer is the only company that would be affected, was vetoed by Ehrlich, but the veto was subsequently overturned by the state assembly, which is controlled by Democrats.

"We cannot afford a 'Wal-Mart' solution," that would dictate to a business how much coverage it must provide an employee," Steele said.

Steele, who said he himself once ran a small business, praised the new health savings account system and spoke in favor of the association health care concept.

Creating AHPs is "one way we can empower small businesses," to be better able to provide health care coverage for employees, Steele said.