Cost of Proposed Changes to ERISA
Congressional Budget Office Analysis
The following is a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysisof S. 6, sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Thomas A. Daschle(SD-D). S. 6 is the Patients’ Bill of Rights legislation proposedby the Democrats. It would amend the Employee Retirement IncomeSecurity Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, andthe Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to protect consumers in managedcare plans and other health coverage.Summary of Proposed ChangesAs a result of ERISA, enrollees in employer-sponsored healthplans are generally unable to seek legal remedies under Statelaw for damages resulting from the actions or decisions of theirhealth plans. They may seek redress only in…
