Benefits Forward

Pursuant to the authority provided in the Affordable Care Act, the DOL has issued proposed rules governing Ex Parte Cease and Desist and Summary Seizure Orders for multiple employer welfare arrangements the agency deems fraudulent or a danger. Document Excerpt This document contains two proposed rules under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 [...]

HHS releases final rule on Medical Loss Ratio requirements for issuers. Document Excerpt This final rule with comment period revises the regulations implementing medical loss ratio (MLR) requirements for health insurance issuers under the Public Health Service Act in order to address the treatment of “mini-med” and expatriate policies under these regulations for years after [...]

A Technical Release on fiduciary requirements for handling medical loss ratio rebates is now available at the DOL’s website. Document Excerpt Section 2718 of the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), 42 U.S.C. 300gg-18, as added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Affordable Care Act) (Pub.L. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119), enacted on March 23, [...]

The DOL has released its FAQs about the Affordable Care Act implementation Part VII and Mental health Parity Implementation. Document Excerpt Set out below are additional Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding implementation of the market reform provisions of the Affordable Care Act, as well as FAQs regarding implementation of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici [...]

The DOL has revised the procedures and requirements for filing for a prohibited transaction exemption. Document Excerpt This document contains a final rule that supersedes the existing procedure governing the filing and processing of applications for administrative exemptions from the prohibited transaction provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Internal [...]

In response to a DOL request for a “No Action” letter regarding investment disclosures required to be made to participants, the SEC has indeed responded with a “No Action” letter. Document Excerpt Link http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/SECnoactionletter.pdf

The DOL request a “No Action” letter from the SEC with respect to the disclosures required to be made to participants regarding plan investments and the SEC’s marketing rules. Document Excerpt        Link http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/noactionletterrequest.pdf

The DOL has issued its final regulations governing the provision of fiduciary adviser services to a plan on a fee-level or computer model basis. Document Excerpt SUMMARY: This document contains a final rule under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and parallel provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, relating to the  provision of [...]

The DOL has updated its FAQs on multiemployer plan office leasing arrangements. Document Excerpt These FAQs are meant to serve as guidance and as a reminder to fiduciaries of multiemployer plans that prohibited transaction violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) may arise in leasing or service provider arrangements.  The FAQs [...]

Responding to complaints from numerous stakeholder groups including some that sent their complaints directly to the White House, the DOL has announced that it will issue a re-proposed regulation governing the definition of “fiduciary”. Document Excerpt The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration will re-propose its rule on the definition of a fiduciary. [...]