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ARTICLE · 26 NOVEMBER 2015

DOL Issues Proposed Revisions To Disability Plan Claims Regulations

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The Department of Labor published proposed changes to its regulations governing disability claims and appeals in the Federal Register on November 18, 2015, and invited comments.

United StatesEmployment and HR
Diane Dygert
Diane Dygert
Brian Barrett
Brian Barrett
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The Department of Labor published proposed changes to its regulations governing disability claims and appeals in the Federal Register on November 18, 2015, and invited comments. The stated purpose of the proposed changes is to strengthen the current disability claims rules primarily by adopting certain procedural protections and safeguards applicable to group health plans under the Affordable Care Act.

The proposed regulations make several substantive changes to the existing regulations applicable to disability claims and appeals:

  • To ensure the independence and impartiality of claims and appeals decision-makers, any decisions regarding hiring, compensation, termination, promotion, or other similar matters with respect to any individual (such as a claims adjudicator or medical expert) must not be made based on the likelihood that the individual will support a denial of benefits.

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