NEWS RELEASE

April 2, 2009
PR-09/13

For additional information:
Jason Hammersla
202-289-6700
jhammersla@abcstaff.org

Cost control strategy central to health care reform

WASHINGTON, D.C. —“The American Benefits Council is proud to join 184 other companies and organizations today in urging lawmakers to adopt strategies to control costs as part of comprehensive health care reform,” said American Benefits Council President James A. Klein. “Employers remain committed to providing high-quality health benefits for workers and their families, but like many American households, these companies are struggling to meet the soaring costs of health care.”

The Council joined the companies and organizations in sending a letter to President Obama and all members on Congress on April 1. The letter focuses on controlling health care costs but also emphasizes the importance of building on the employer-sponsored benefits system. “Any successful reform effort must build on the strengths of America’s voluntary employer-based system while ensuring there is a greater variety of affordable private health plan options in the marketplace for all,” the letter reads.

“As policymakers develop a framework for health care reform, we suggest they look to ERISA, the federal law that has effectively and efficiently governed the regulation of employer plans for 35 years,” Klein said.

“The Council and its members believe that comprehensive health care reform is essential not only to Americans’ physical well-being but to the nation’s economic recovery as well. As the group letter demonstrates, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the many organizations that believe in the importance of controlling health care costs and the preservation of employer-sponsored benefits,” Klein said.

For more information, or to arrange an interview with Council staff, please contact Jason Hammersla, Council director of communications, at jhammersla@abcstaff.org or by phone at 202-289-6700 (office) or (202) 253-5458 (cell).

The American Benefits Council is the national trade association for companies concerned about federal legislation and regulations affecting all aspects of the employee benefits system. The Council’s members represent the entire spectrum of the private employee benefits community and either sponsor directly or administer retirement and health plans covering more than 100 million Americans.