Chamber Joins National Coalition on Benefits Steering Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C.-The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today announced that it will serve on the steering committee of the National Coalition on Benefits (NCB), a newly formed coalition of businesses and associations, whose mission is to protect companies' ability to maintain uniform health and retirement benefits across state lines and to ensure that any federal health care reform initiatives preserve the framework of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

"Over 100 million workers currently benefit from health insurance made available through the ERISA framework," said Bruce Josten, Chamber executive vice president of government affairs. "While states play a significant role in covering the uninsured, their efforts should not adversely impact ERISA."

The coalition brings together a wide range of business associations and companies from diverse industries, united in their support for ERISA. While states regulate health insurers and health insurance products, ERISA preempts states from regulating employer-sponsored benefit plans, thereby allowing employers the flexibility to best meet the needs of all of their employees and retirees.

Through NCB, the Chamber will advocate specifically for employers' ability to offer and maintain uniform benefit plans across state and local lines, the flexibility for employers to determine how to best meet the needs of their employees and retirees, simplicity and predictability in benefits administration, and no exceptions, waivers or carve-outs for individual states. For more information on the National Coalition on Benefits, please visit the website at: www.coalitiononbenefits.org/.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

# # #

07-185