EBRI POLICY FORUM #90

The Path Forward

Moderated by:

Lori Lucas, President and CEO, Employee Benefit Research Institute

Liz Varley, Vice President - Federal Government Affairs, Ameriprise Financial, and Vice Chair of the EBRI Public Policy Advisory Council

May 10, 11, 13 2021

Monday, May 10, 2021

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85205249101

Speaker: 

Ali Khawar, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department of Labor

Moderator:

Lori Lucas, President and CEO, Employee Benefit Research Institute

2:30 – 3:15 pm. Lessons Learned from COVID-19: State of Retirement How should public policy and plan design change?

Panelists:

Aliya Robinson, Senior Vice President, Retirement & Compensation Policy, The ERISA Industry Committee

Will Hansen, Chief Government Affairs Officer, American Retirement Association

Moderator:

Lori Lucas, President and CEO, Employee Benefit Research Institute 

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83144190273

Emergency Saving and Financial Resilience: The Role of the Employer

One of the most commonly cited financial wellbeing initiatives on employers’ “to-do” list in a recent EBRI survey was emergency fund/employee hardship assistance. Meanwhile, another EBRI survey showed that just over six in ten employees agree that it is their employer’s responsibility to help ensure they are healthy and financially secure. But what should the role of the employer be when it comes to facilitating emergency savings? And how do existing workplace benefits such as defined contribution plans fit it? 

Speakers:

Sarah Holden, Senior Director, Retirement & Investor Research, Investment Company Institute

Heidi Johnson, Director of Behavioral Economics, Financial Health Network

Diana Rucci, Director, Product Development, Prudential Financial

Craig Copeland, Senior Research Associate, Employee Benefit Research Institute, Moderator

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89446916152

Tearing Down the ACA Firewall: Implications for Employment-Based Health Benefits Under the Biden Health Care Plan

The Affordable Care Act includes provisions maintaining the employment-based health benefits system, including the prohibition against workers being eligible for exchange-based subsidies when offered affordable coverage through employment. But the proposed Biden Health Care Plan may have implications for the strong link between employment and health coverage. The plan would effectively eliminate the firewall between ESI and ACA exchanges by increasing premium subsidies, expanding subsidy eligibility and by introducing a public option health plan. This panel will examine the potential impact that eliminating the firewall may have on the employment-based health benefits system.

Panel Discussion:

Paul Fronstin, Director of the Health Research and Education Program, EBRI

Holly Wade, Executive Director, NFIB Research Center

Neil Goldfarb, President and CEO, Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health

Shaun O'Brien, Assistant Director for Research and Collective Bargaining Services, AFSCME

Tami Simon, Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Consulting Business Leader, Segal, Moderator