Press Releases

Today, every Republican Member of the Education and Labor Committee, led by Republican Leader Virginia Foxx (R-NC), sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Department of Labor Secretary Martin Walsh highlighting the importance of employer-sponsored health insurance. Democrat health care schemes, such as Medicare-for-All, would drive up health care costs and eliminate employer-sponsored health coverage, an affordable health coverage option enjoyed by 151 million Americans.
 
In the letter, the Members write: “We are growing increasingly concerned by legislative and regulatory proposals that would further erode the employer-sponsored market. Many policy changes proposed by the Biden administration encourage employers to withdraw some or all of their health benefits offered to employees in lieu of government-run health coverage.”
 
The letter notes employer-sponsored insurance benefits workers, their families, and taxpayers: “…employer-sponsored plans have lower average deductibles ($1,644 for an individual ESI plan compared with $4,630 for an individual ACA silver plan) and lower average out-of-pocket costs ($4,039 limit for an individual ESI plan compared with an $7,776 limit for an individual silver marketplace plan) than exchange plans...According to the Congressional Budget Office, employer-based coverage is the least expensive type of coverage for the taxpayer, costing just $2,000 per recipient annually. The highest cost of coverage is Medicare at $15,840 per recipient, and the second most expensive coverage is through the ACA exchanges at $6,630 per recipient.”
 
The Members conclude: “The value of employer-sponsored coverage to patients, taxpayers, and our nation’s health care system is undeniable. Employer-sponsored plans are more popular, provide better quality care and coverage, and are a better deal for taxpayers than government-run health care programs. We urge you not only to protect but also to bolster the employer sponsored coverage that 151 million Americans currently enjoy. We look forward to working with you to strengthen employer-sponsored health care.”
 
Read the full letter to Secretaries Becerra and Walsh here.