All private employers and employee organizations, such as unions, that offer health plans to employees have to follow ERISA. Only churches and government groups are exempt. If you offer your employees health coverage, you'll have to follow certain rules and procedures as a result of ERISA.
Filing an ERISA Claim: Step-by-Step Guide Step 1: Review Your Plan. The first step in filing an ERISA claim is to review your disability insurance policy thoroughly. Step 2: Gather Evidence. Step 3: File Your Claim. Step 4: Wait for a Decision. Step 5: Appeal if Necessary.
Under the ACA, employers with a certain number of employees must offer affordable health insurance coverage to their eligible employees. ERISA provides the framework for employers to meet these obligations, ensuring that employers properly administer health benefit plans and adhere to the ACA's coverage requirements.
Basic ERISA compliance requires employers provide notice to participants about plan information, their rights under the plan, and how the plan is funded. This includes ensuring plans comply with ERISA's minimum standards, recordkeeping, annual filing and reporting, and fiduciary compliance.
Arrangements that are subject to ERISA must meet these reporting and disclosure requirements: Form 5500 annual reports and summary annual reports, • A written plan document and summary plan description (SPD), and • Participant notices.
Contact your regional EBSA office to file a complaint or an appeal after exhausting your insurance appeals process. You can also find ERISA information through the U.S. Department of Labor online at .dol/ebsa.
A common rule of thumb is any employer that offers a group-sponsored health plan must comply with the ERISA notice and disclosure, and possibly, reporting requirements unless an exemption applies.
Active enforcement activities include investigations, lawsuits, and the dissemination of information. Documents published by EBSA include the Reporting and Disclosure Guide for Employee Benefit Plans.
The plan document should contain: Name of the plan administrator. Designation of any named fiduciaries other than the plan administrator under the claims procedure for deciding benefit appeals. A description of the benefits provided. The standard of review for benefit decisions.