Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and a bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced legislation that would delay fthe Health Insurance Tax, or HIT, for two years.

The tax is a fee to health insurers that increases premiums on everyone from seniors to small businesses. America’s Health Insurance Plans estimates the HIT tax would levy $16 billion in fees on health insurers.

Shaheen said the tax will increase premiums by 2.2%, or about by $162 per person in New Hampshire’s individual market, and $441 per family in the small-group market.

The bill, the Health Insurance Tax Relief Act, is co-sponored by Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO), Doug Jones (D-AL), John Barrasso (R-WY), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Tim Scott (R-SC).

“Patients deserve access to affordable, quality health care – full stop,” Shaheen said. “This bipartisan bill will improve our health care law and help reduce expensive health insurance premiums, which are impacting Granite State small businesses and residents.”