Bill · H.R. 9751· House(119-HR-9751)
Consumer Appeal Rights Enforcement Act
- Introduced
- 7/16/2026
- Last activity
- 7/16/2026 — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Sponsored by
- Summer Lee
- Cosponsors
- - 2 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is called the Consumer Appeal Rights Enforcement Act. It amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to set up new rules and penalties for claims and appeals. The bill gives the Secretary the power to collect civil penalties for violations of claims procedures and external reviews. It outlines specific penalties for both global violations that affect entire plans and individual violations that affect specific participants. Finally, it repeals a section to change direct enforcement authority.
Yes· 3 of 13
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?+8
The bill enhances consumer protections by establishing strict penalties and enforcement mechanisms for employee benefit plans that fail to process claims and appeals in a timely manner.
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?+7
The legislation strengthens due process protections for plan participants by imposing penalties on administrators who fail to respond to claims and appeals properly.
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+7
By penalizing delays in urgent care claims and appeals, the legislation helps ensure timely access to necessary medical treatments.
The opposite
Would business owners be better off under this?-3
Business owners and plan administrators face increased financial and legal liability for compliance failures under ERISA.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2(b), adding section 502(c)(14)(A)(iii) to the Act: This provision protects participants and beneficiaries by treating failures to respond to claims, appeals, or requests for information in a timely manner as individual violations, which helps hold plans accountable for ignoring people.
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Section 2(b), adding section 502(c)(14)(B)(iii) and (iv) to the Act: This provision allows civil penalties of up to $1,000 for each day an individual violation goes uncorrected, and allows these penalties to be trebled if not fixed within specific timeframes like 3 days for urgent care, which encourages fast resolution of critical health and benefit issues.
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Section 2(b), adding section 502(c)(14)(B)(v) to the Act: This provision lets the Secretary penalize plans that engage in a pattern or practice of individual violations for up to three years prior, which protects people from systemic mistreatment by their plans.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Section 2(b), adding section 502(c)(14)(B)(i) to the Act: This provision imposes global violation penalties up to $1,000 multiplied by the number of participants and beneficiaries in the plan, which could potentially result in massive financial burdens on plans that might indirectly affect the overall resources available to the plan.
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+6Good For People With Disabilities+6Good For Union Workers+6Good For Children+5Good For Middle Aged+5Good For Middle Class Households+5Good For Retirees+5Good For Seniors+5Good For Young Adults+5Good For Business Owners-3
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Due Process+7Increases Federal Power+3
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Consumer Protection+8
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+7
- 8/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/22/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/16/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Introduced in House
André CarsonDemocrat · Indiana
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia