CONTACTS: Eric Wohlschlegel
(202) 463-5682 / 888-249-NEWS
June 11, 2008
Workers Risk Losing Employer-Provided Health Care if Changes are Made to ERISA
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today, Andy Anderson, Of Counsel at the law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, warned that American Workers risk losing their health care if changes are made to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974. Anderson testified on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary to discuss the Supreme Court's treatment of laws surrounding health care, including ERISA.
"Changes to ERISA will lead to more working Americans joining the ranks of the uninsured," said Anderson. "Rather, Congress should build on the strengths and successes of the employer-based system by maintaining uniform rules that encourage our system of voluntary health benefits."
Of the 160 million Americans who have employer-provided health coverage, 132 million receive benefits that are subject to the provisions of ERISA, according to Anderson. The large numbers of Americans covered by ERISA-regulated plans show how successful ERISA has been at encouraging employers to voluntarily provide benefits.
The Chamber strongly supports the voluntary employer-sponsored benefits system and is dedicated to protecting its members' ability to establish and administer health care plans on a uniform, companywide basis.
"Congress understood the benefits of uniform plan administration when it enacted ERISA and purposely created a national system to govern health and welfare benefits rules," said Bruce Josten, executive vice president of the U.S. Chamber. "We must keep those standards in place so that businesses have clear guidelines to provide healthcare coverage for their workers."
The Chamber serves on the steering committee of the National Coalition on Benefits, an organization created to work with Congress to maintain uniform health and retirement benefits to employees and retirees across state and local lines and to ensure that federal health reform initiatives preserve ERISA benefits.
The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than
3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.
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