Health and Retirement Committee
Related Studies & Resources
As the providers of health care coverage to more than 35 million Americans, BRT member companies play a significant role in helping American workers and their families obtain medical care. Most Americans – a total of 177 million – obtain health insurance coverage through their employers. Approximately 133 million are covered under plans regulated through a nationally uniform framework established by the 1974 Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Read more about Employer-Based System.
Employer-Based System
As the providers of health care coverage to more than 35 million Americans, BRT member companies play a significant role in helping American workers and their families obtain medical care. Most Americans – a total of 169 million – obtain health insurance coverage through their employers. Approximately 133 million are covered under plans regulated through a nationally uniform framework established by the 1974 Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). This law has fiduciary requirements, administrative requirements and remedies. ERISA provides the legal authority that permits employers to manage health care retirement plans for employees in locations across the country without 50 states imposing separate requirements.
ERISA is critical to maintaining a voluntary employer-sponsored health benefits system, which Business Roundtable continues to support. The voluntary employer-based health benefits system is used by employers to attract and retain a talented workforce and ensure our employees and their families have access to a health model that delivers greater value.