WASHINGTON, D.C., April 28, 2026 – The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) today submitted a statement for the record at a hearing held by the House Ways and Means Committee examining the role of health care systems in rising health care costs for patients and families. The statement below can be attributed to Melissa Bartlett, Senior Vice President of Health Policy for ERIC.
“Employers are the largest providers of private health benefits for American workers and their families. They offer these benefits not only to attract and retain employees, but also to support their well-being. However, increasing health care costs put significant financial strain on both employers and their employees. Provider-related costs like increased consolidation, unfair pricing and contracting practices, and higher claims driven by a broken Independent Dispute Resolution process are all contributing to the premium increases that we are seeing year in and year out. Congress can take affirmative action to address market consolidation and anticompetitive practices like these and function as a check against actions that are threatening affordability for working families. ERIC is committed to working in partnership with the Committee, Congress, and the Trump Administration to advance policies that improve health for 160 million workers and their families.”
ERIC’s full statement for the record can be found here.