Bill · H.R. 9737· House(119-HR-9737)
Consumer Health Claim Assistance Act
- Introduced
- 7/16/2026
- Last activity
- 7/16/2026 — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Sponsored by
- Mark DeSaulnier
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Consumer Health Claim Assistance Act," aims to amend the Employment Retirement Income Security Act. It mandates the creation of a Benefits Assistance Program within the Department of Labor by January 1, 2027. This new program is designed to improve access to benefits under employee welfare benefit plans. The program will handle inquiries and complaints regarding benefit determinations and plan violations. Additionally, the bill establishes new filing fees for single-employer employee welfare benefit plans. It also updates notice requirements for certain plans.
Yes· 3 of 8
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+3
The bill establishes a program to help participants navigate appeals and understand their rights to benefits.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+2
The program assists beneficiaries in navigating the appeals process for denied health and welfare benefits.
Would union members be better off under this?+2
The bill strengthens the ability of workers to advocate for their rights under employer-provided welfare plans.
The opposite
Does this make it easier to run a small business?-2
The bill imposes new filing fees on single-employer welfare benefit plans, which may burden smaller plan administrators.
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?-1
The bill creates a new Benefits Assistance Program which will require government expenditure for operations.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Improved Access to Benefits: The establishment of a Benefits Assistance Program is intended to improve access to benefits under employee welfare benefit plans (Section 2, a).
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Assistance with Denied Benefits: The program will directly help participants and beneficiaries file appeals for denied benefits and help them navigate the appeals or review process (Section 2, b, 3).
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Clarification of Rights: The program will assist participants and beneficiaries in understanding their rights to benefits and the availability of internal appeals and external reviews (Section 2, b, 2).
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Complaint Resolution: The program will establish a process for receiving inquiries or complaints regarding adverse benefit determinations or alleged violations of plan terms and provisions (Section 2, b, 1).
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Support for Information Sharing: The program will inform State health insurance consumer assistance offices or ombudsmen of the results of inquiries or complaints received via referral (Section 2, b, 6).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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New Costs for Plan Administrators: Administrators of single-employer employee welfare benefit plans must pay a filing fee when filing annual reports or notices (Section 3, a, 1).
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Specific Fee Burdens: Depending on the size of the plan, fees are set at $250 for plans with fewer than 100 participants, $500 for plans with 100 to 499 participants, and at least $1,000 for all other plans (Section 3, a, 2).
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Potential for Increased Fees: The Secretary of Labor has the authority to increase these filing fees through future regulations (Section 3, a, 2, B).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+2Good For Union Workers+2Good For Middle Class Households+1
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+2Increases Federal Power+2
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+3Increases Affordable Care Act Support+1
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support-2Reduces Government Spending-1
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+1
- 7/16/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Introduced in House