Chamber Coalition Defends Employer-Based Health Care Coverage

The Chamber-led National Coalition on Benefits (NCB) is urging Congress to preserve employer-sponsored health care coverage and to oppose a bill that would disrupt part of the system that the group says is "already working."

In a July 7 letter to Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Bob Bennett (R-UT), the broad-based coalition of more than 150 employers and trade associations criticized S. 334, the Healthy Americans Act. The bill would require all citizens to purchase health insurance, and pushes the use of state or regional purchasing pools. 

This state-by-state approach would undermine the consistent federal ERISA standards that allow employers to offer uniform benefit plans to all employees across state lines.

The bill would also do away with tax incentives for employers that offer health insurance and end the income exclusion for employees. "This directly penalizes employer-sponsored coverage and would cause most employers to cease sponsoring health plans," NCB said in its letter.

The group calls for a "sensible, consensus approach to health reform" that "builds on our voluntary employer-based health care system."

Read the letter.

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