Retiree Health Bill Slated for Introduction

August 15, 2002 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Retiree healthcare could finally find some protections under some pending legislation.

US Senator Paul Wellstone (D-Minnesota) this fall is expected to introduce a Senate companion to H.R. 1322, the Emergency Retiree Health Benefits Protection Act of 2002, according to a retiree activist group.

The National Retiree Legislative Network (NRLN) said the Wellstone version would match the bill introduced in the House last year by US Representative John Tierney (D-Massachusetts).

The hotly fought for bills prohibit canceling or changing retiree health care benefits once a person is retired.

NRLN said it not only is backing specific bills, this fall it will mobilize members across the country to support House and Senate candidates supportive of retiree benefit issues.

Other issues supported by NRLN members include requiring that a majority of a company’s board of directors be independent and a prohibition against a single individual serving as both CEO and chairman in a board of director’s setting.

For more information about the NRLN, check out the group’s Web site at http://www.nrln.org/

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