Federal Judge Blocks DOL Regulations For Association Health Plans For Small Business & Self-Employed

On March 28, 2019, a federal district judge blocked the Department of Labor (DOL) from implementing regulations for multi-state association health plans (AHP) for small businesses and the self-employed. An AHP allows associations with economic and representational ties to their employer members to qualify as “employers” for the purposes of offering a self-insured large group health plan to the association members. The judge said the AHP Final Rule standards for associations fail to establish meaningful limits on the types of associations that may qualify to sponsor an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) plan, which violates Congressional . . .