Public Hearing on Proposed Claims Procedures

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration

29 CFR Part 2560

RIN 1210-AA61

Public Hearing on Proposed Claims Procedures

AGENCY: Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, Department of

Labor.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The purpose of this Notice is to inform interested persons

that the Department of Labor will hold a public hearing on both

February 17 and 18, 1999, and, if necessary, on February 19, 1999,

regarding the adoption of regulations governing the processing of

employee benefit plan claims under section 503 of the Employee

Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, (ERISA). The

Department published in the Federal Register proposed changes to the

requirements governing the processing and appeal of claims by employee

benefit plans under ERISA (63 FR 48390, September 9, 1998). The purpose

of the public hearing is to obtain and consider further information and

views on the proposed regulation and the effects of the proposed claim

procedure changes on plans, plan participants, plan sponsors and

service providers.

DATES: The public hearing is scheduled for February 17 and 18, 1999,

and, if necessary, February 19, 1999. The hearing will begin at 10 a.m.

on each of these days. Requests to testify at the hearing should be

received by the Department no later than January 15, 1999. Oral

statements will be limited to 10 minutes. Individuals with

disabilities, who need special accommodations, should contact Jeffrey

J. Turner by February 5, 1999, at the address below.

ADDRESSES: Requests to testify at the hearing should be submitted to:

Jeffrey J. Turner, Office of Regulations and Interpretations, Room N-

5669, Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, U.S. Department of

Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. All requests

will be open to public inspection at the Public Documents Room, Pension

and Welfare Benefits Administration, Room N-5638, U.S. Department of

Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210 from 8:30

a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The hearing will be held in the U.S. Department of

Labor Auditorium, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jeffrey J. Turner, Office of Regulations and Interpretations, Pension

and Welfare Benefits Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, at (202)

219-8671. This is not a toll-free number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 9, 1998, the Department of

Labor (the Department) published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the

Federal Register (63 FR 48390) revising the minimum requirements for

benefit claims procedures of employee benefit plans covered under Title

I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). In that

notice, the Department invited interested persons to submit written

comments concerning the proposed regulations on or before November 9,

1998. On October 30, 1998, in response to requests from the public for

additional time to prepare comments, the Department extended the

comment period through December 9, 1998 (63 FR 58335). A number of

comments submitted in response to the solicitation for public comment

requested that the Department hold a public hearing on proposed

regulation. Because of the complexity and importance of the issues

involved, the Department believes that it is appropriate to hold a

public hearing on the proposed regulation. The information obtained

from the hearing will assist the Department in assessing whether, and

to what extent, the

[[Page 66]]

proposed regulation should be modified in conjunction with the adoption

of a final rule.

Notice of Public Hearing

Notice is hereby given that a public hearing regarding the

Department of Labor's proposed claims procedure regulations (63 FR

48390, September 9, 1998) is scheduled for February 17 and 18, 1999,

and, if necessary, February 19, 1999. The hearing will begin at 10:00

a.m. on each of these days. Oral presentations will be limited to 10

minutes, but an extended statement may be submitted for the record.

Requests to testify should be submitted to the address identified

above, no later than January 15, 1999. It is requested that persons

testifying on behalf of plans, plan sponsors, and service providers be

prepared to answer questions pertaining to specific claims processing

procedures and practices (e.g., methods of notification, time frames,

etc.) of their plans, their clients' plan(s) or their members' plans.

Signed at Washington, DC, this 23rd day of December, 1998.

Leslie B. Kramerich,

Deputy Assistant Secretary For Policy, Pension and Welfare Benefits

Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.

[FR Doc. 98-34819 Filed 12-31-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-29-M