Employee Benefits Security Administration August 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act
Document Number: 2014-20254
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2014-08-27
Agency: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Treasury, Department of the Treasury
This document proposes a change to the definition of an eligible organization that can avail itself of an accommodation with respect to coverage of certain preventive services under section 2713 of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act), added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended, and incorporated into the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Internal Revenue Code. Section 2713 of the PHS Act requires coverage without cost sharing of certain preventive health services by non-grandfathered group health plans and health insurance coverage. Among these services are women's preventive health services, as specified in guidelines supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). As authorized by the current regulations, and consistent with the HRSA Guidelines, group health plans established or maintained by certain religious employers (and group health insurance coverage provided in connection with such plans) are exempt from the otherwise applicable requirement to cover certain contraceptive services. Additionally, under current regulations, accommodations are available with respect to the contraceptive coverage requirement for group health plans established or maintained by eligible organizations (and group health insurance coverage provided in connection with such plans), and student health insurance coverage arranged by eligible organizations that are institutions of higher education, that effectively exempt them from this requirement. The regulations establish a mechanism for separately furnishing payments for contraceptive services on behalf of participants and beneficiaries of the group health plans of eligible organizations that avail themselves of an accommodation, and enrollees and dependents of student health insurance coverage arranged by eligible organizations that are institutions of higher education that avail themselves of an accommodation. These rules propose and seek comments on potential changes to the definition of ``eligible organization'' in the Departments' regulations in light of the Supreme Court's decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., 134 S. Ct. 2751 (2014), to ensure that participants and beneficiaries in group health plans (and enrollees and dependents in student health insurance coverage arranged by institutions of higher education) obtain, without additional cost, coverage of the full range of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved contraceptive services, as prescribed by a health care provider, while respecting certain closely held for-profit entities' religion-based objections to contraceptive coverage. These proposed rules also seek comments on any additional steps the government should take to help ensure coverage of the full range of FDA-approved contraceptives, as prescribed by a health care provider, without cost sharing, for participants and beneficiaries in group health plans of such entities (and enrollees and dependents in student health insurance coverage arranged by such entities that are institutions of higher education).
Proposed Extension of Information Collection Request Submitted for Public Comment; Revisions to EBSA Form 700-Certification
Document Number: 2014-20253
Type: Notice
Date: 2014-08-27
Agency: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor
The Department of Labor (the Department), in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA 95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the reporting burden on the public and helps the public understand the Department's information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. Currently, the Employee Benefits Security Administration is soliciting comments on a revision of the EBSA Form 700 information collection request (ICR) to reflect Supreme Court of the United States interim order in connection with an application for an injunction in the pending case of Wheaton College v. Burwell (the ``Wheaton order''). A copy of the information collection request (ICR) may be obtained by contacting the office listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act
Document Number: 2014-20252
Type: Rule
Date: 2014-08-27
Agency: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Treasury, Department of the Treasury
This document contains interim final regulations regarding coverage of certain preventive services under section 2713 of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act), added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended, and incorporated into the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Internal Revenue Code. Section 2713 of the PHS Act requires coverage without cost sharing of certain preventive health services by non-grandfathered group health plans and health insurance coverage. Among these services are women's preventive health services, as specified in guidelines supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). As authorized by the current regulations, and consistent with the HRSA Guidelines, group health plans established or maintained by certain religious employers (and group health insurance coverage provided in connection with such plans) are exempt from the otherwise applicable requirement to cover certain contraceptive services. Additionally, under current regulations, accommodations are available with respect to the contraceptive coverage requirement for group health plans established or maintained by eligible organizations (and group health insurance coverage provided in connection with such plans), and student health insurance coverage arranged by eligible organizations that are institutions of higher education, that effectively exempt them from this requirement. The regulations establish a mechanism for separately furnishing payments for contraceptive services on behalf of participants and beneficiaries of the group health plans of eligible organizations that avail themselves of an accommodation, and enrollees and dependents of student health coverage arranged by eligible organizations that are institutions of higher education that avail themselves of an accommodation. These interim final regulations augment current regulations in light of the Supreme Court's interim order in connection with an application for an injunction in Wheaton College v. Burwell, 134 S. Ct. 2806 (2014) (Wheaton order). These interim final regulations provide an alternative process that an eligible organization may use to provide notice of its religious objections to providing contraceptive coverage, while preserving participants' and beneficiaries' (and enrollees' and dependents') access to coverage for the full range of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved contraceptives, as prescribed by a health care provider, without cost sharing.
Request for Information Regarding Standards for Brokerage Windows in Participant-Directed Individual Account Plans
Document Number: 2014-19832
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2014-08-21
Agency: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor
The Employee Benefits Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor (the Department) is publishing this Notice as part of its review of the use of brokerage windows (including self-directed brokerage accounts or similar arrangements) in participant-directed individual account retirement plans covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Some plans offer participants access to brokerage windows in addition to, or in place of, specific investment options selected by the plans' fiduciaries. Through these arrangements, plan participants may be able to choose among the full range of investment options available in the investment marketplace. The Request for Information contained in this Notice will assist the Department in determining whether, and to what extent, regulatory standards or other guidance concerning the use of brokerage windows by plans are necessary to protect participants' retirement savings. It also will assist the Department in preparing any analyses that it may need to perform pursuant to Executive Order 12866, the Paperwork Reduction Act, and the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
Notice of Proposed Amendment to PTE 2012-10, Involving Renaissance Technologies, LLC (Renaissance or the Applicant) Located in New York, New York
Document Number: 2014-19212
Type: Notice
Date: 2014-08-14
Agency: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor
This document contains a notice of pendency before the Department of Labor (the Department) of a proposed amendment to an individual exemption from certain prohibited transaction restrictions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA or the Act), and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code). The proposed amendment, if granted, would amend Prohibited Transaction Exemption (PTE) 2012-10 in order to allow for the investment by employees of Renaissance participating in the Renaissance Technologies, LLC 401(k) Plan, through such employees' 401(k) plan accounts, in certain proprietary funds managed by Renaissance.
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