Fed Regist. 1998 Sep 9;63(174):48376-87.
This document contains proposed amendments to the regulations governing the content of the Summary Plan Description (SPD) required to be furnished to employee benefit plan participants and beneficiaries under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, (ERISA). These amendments are being proposed to implement information disclosure recommendations of the President's Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry, as set forth in their November 20, 1997 report "Consumer Bill of Rights and Responsibilities," by clarifying benefit, medical provider and other information required to be disclosed in, or as part of, the SPD of a group health plan and for other reasons as well. This document also contains a proposed amendment to repeal the limited exemption with respect to SPDs of welfare plans providing benefits through qualified health maintenance organizations (HMOs). In addition, the Department is proposing a number of amendments to the SPD content regulation that are intended to update and clarify the application of provisions affecting both pension and welfare benefit plans. The amendments contained in this document will affect employee pension and welfare benefit plans, including group health plans, as well as administrators, fiduciaries, participants and beneficiaries of such plans.
本文件包含对1974年《雇员退休收入保障法》（经修订）（《 ERISA》）要求向雇员福利计划参与者和受益人提供的《计划摘要说明》（SPD）内容的管理规定的拟议修正案。提出这些修正案是为了落实总统医疗保健行业消费者保护与质量咨询委员会在其1997年11月20日的报告《消费者权利与责任法案》中提出的信息披露建议，方法是明确团体健康计划的SPD中或作为其一部分要求披露的福利、医疗服务提供者及其他信息，以及其他原因。本文件还包含一项拟议修正案，以废除对通过合格健康维护组织（HMO）提供福利的福利计划的SPD的有限豁免。此外，劳工部提议对SPD内容规定进行若干修正，旨在更新和澄清影响养老金和福利计划的条款的适用情况。本文件所载修正案将影响雇员养老金和福利计划，包括团体健康计划，以及此类计划的管理人员、受托人、参与者和受益人。
