WASHINGTON, DC – September 27, 2022 –The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) today voiced its strong opposition to H.R. 7780, the Mental Health Matters Act, which Congress is expected to vote on this week.
In a letter to Members of Congress, ERIC expressed its opposition to the bill because it would significantly increase costs for employers and reduce access to mental health benefits for employees.
“Addressing mental health in a bipartisan way is a key priority for ERIC’s large employer member companies. Unfortunately, this partisan bill misses the mark by increasing costs and making it harder for employers to provide benefits,” said ERIC President James Gelfand. “Members of Congress should instead advance responsible and bipartisan solutions to promote mental health.
ERIC’s letter outlines that H.R. 7780 would:
- Make it needlessly harder and more expensive for employers to provide benefits.
- Eliminate discretionary clauses, which grant a plan administrator the authority to interpret the plan document and resolve disputes pursuant to extensive DOL regulations.
- Curtail the use of arbitration in resolving disputes quickly and efficiently, to the detriment of workers and retirees.
- Impose civil monetary fines on employers for mental health parity violations with no due process for the employer, no responsibility for DOL to explain or help remedy violations, and no consequences for DOL’s continued defiance of Congress
Because H.R. 7780 fails to improve behavioral health or employee benefits, and instead raises costs and threatens benefits for employees and their families, ERIC urges all members to vote NO.
To read ERIC’s letter opposing H.R. 7780, visit the ERIC website here.