Department of Labor publishes final rule to expand access to Association Health Plans

By Jeff Wurzburg (US) on June 25, 2018 Posted in Regulatory

The United States Department of Labor (DOL) published a final rule on June 19 that relaxes the regulation of, and expands access to, association health plans (AHPs). President Donald J. Trump’s October 12, 2017 Executive Order instructed the DOL to consider expanding access to association health plans and the Department released a proposed rule on … Continue reading

The US Department of Labor proposes expanded access to association health plans

By Jeff Wurzburg (US) on January 8, 2018 Posted in Regulatory

Pursuant to President Donald J. Trump’s October 12, 2017 Executive Order instructing the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to consider expanding access to association health plans (AHP), the DOL published a proposed rule on January 5, 2018 that would modify ERISA regulations to increase the availability of AHPs. Association health plans have been defined as … Continue reading

SCOTUS applies ERISA exemption to plans established by church-affiliated hospitals

By Yvonne Puig (US) and Eric Hoffman (US) on June 7, 2017 Posted in Regulatory

In an 8-0 decision, the Supreme Court unanimously held that ERISA’s exemption of “church plans” from its regulation of employee benefit plans extends to church-affiliated hospitals even if an actual church did not establish the plan. The Petitioners, Advocate Health Care Network, Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, and Dignity Health, are church-affiliated nonprofits that run hospitals … Continue reading