[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 1 (Monday, January 4, 1999)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 65-66] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-34819] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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
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