Plans and issuers that impose
preexisting condition exclusion periods must give employees
eligible for coverage, as part of any enrollment application, a
general notice that describes the plans preexisting condition
exclusion, including that the plan will reduce the maximum
exclusion period by the length of an employees prior creditable
coverage. If there are no such enrollment materials, the notice
must be provided as soon after a request for enrollment as is
reasonably possible. The final regulation includes sample language
for the general notice. See 29 CFR 2590.701-3(c). This language is
likely to reduce the cost of providing the notice. Plans that use
the alternative method of crediting coverage provided in the
regulations must disclose their use of that method at the time of
enrollment and describe how it operates. They must also explain
that a participant has a right to establish prior creditable
coverage through a certificate or other means and to request a
certificate of prior coverage from a prior plan or issuer. Finally,
plans or issuers must offer to assist the participant in obtaining
a certificate from prior plans or issuers, if necessary. See 29 CFR
2590.701-4(c)(4).
US Code:
29
USC 1181 Name of Law: Employee Retirement Income Security Act
of 1974
There are no program changes to
this ICR since the last submission in 2006. The Department has
updated the number of plans (respondents) based on more recent
information The assumptions for costs (wage rates, postage, etc.)
have also been updated, causing an increase in the annual cost
burden.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.