COBRA Revisions
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) entitles former employees to continue health coverage through their past employer if they meet certain conditions as a short-term, transitional way to secure coverage. Some proposals would significantly expand COBRA coverage as a means of providing long-term health insurance.
Comprehensive Reform of the U.S. Health Care System
The health care system within the United States is unsustainable in its current form and must be fundamentally reformed. Despite our nation spending more on health care than any of our global competitors, nearly 46 million Americans are uninsured and collectively the nation experiences significant gaps in quality. The deficiencies within our health care system place our nation at a competitive disadvantage and subject Americans to unnecessary costs, illnesses, and preventable deaths. HR Policy Association supports a comprehensive reform agenda set out in its health care reform position paper.
ERISA Preemption
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) permits multi-state employers to administer health and retirement benefits programs under a uniform set of rules. ERISA preempts state laws that regulate employer-sponsored plans, ensuring that workers and their families covered by ERISA plans can benefit through uniform administration, comprehensive benefits, lower costs, and the ability to keep the same health care benefits even when transferring to an employer's facility in another state.