NEWS RELEASE

November 30, 2009
PR-09/41
For additional information:
Jason Hammersla
202-289-6700

Council evaluates Senate health care reform measure

Analysis commends some elements of Senate bill, but employer concerns remain

WASHINGTON, D.C. — With the U.S. Senate set to begin an extensive debate on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, American Benefits Council President James A. Klein sent a letter to all Senators commending several positive features of the measure and also asserting that significant improvements will be necessary to protect and preserve the employer-provided health care coverage now enjoyed by 160 million Americans.

The Council has also prepared a list of priority employer issues with respect to the Senate bill, as well as a side-by-side chart comparing the Senate measure to the House of Representatives bill, the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962).

The Council’s letter and priority issues document address employer positions on several health care provisions, including: the individual mandate; preservation of ERISA; the employer “pay or play” mandate; Senator Ron Wyden’s (D-OR) “free choice” amendment, waiting periods and the definition of “full-time” employee; the public plan option; wellness program incentives and the CLASS Act long-term care insurance program. The Council also urges revisions to some of the revenue-raising proposals included in the legislation, including the high-cost plan excise tax; annual fees on self-insured plans and other health industry entities; additional premium taxes on employer plans; taxation of retiree prescription drug subsidies and contribution limits on flexible spending accounts.

The Council priority issues document outlines alternative approaches to many of the provisions in the bill and to specific amendments that will likely be offered.

As Klein’s letter to the Senate concludes, “We continue to believe that it is possible to achieve responsible and practical health care reform legislation that gets the fundamentals right for all Americans, and we are prepared to support such a bill.”

For more information, or to arrange an interview with Council staff, please contact Jason Hammersla, Council director of communications, 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.