The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC), along with various groups representing benefits professionals, insurers, and employers, is pressing the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to adopt its recently proposed rules on the electronic delivery of communications for health plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Other groups that submitted a letter to the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), which oversees employee benefits at the DOL, in support of the change include MetLife, Marsh, the Associated General Contractors of America, the National Retail Federation, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
In July 2026, EBSA released a proposal to make e-delivery the default form of communications for all ERISA-governed plans. The proposal aims to improve consistency in communications and reduce administrative burdens and costs. Some forecast that moving to electronic communications would save $19.5 billion in administrative costs over the next decade. Federal regulatory impact analyses also estimate savings of about $400 million per year.
If EBSA enacts the e-delivery proposal, the regulations may take effect on January 1 in the year following the date the final rule is published in the Federal Register.
HBL has experience in all areas of benefits and employment law, offering a comprehensive solution to all your business benefits and HR/employment needs. We help ensure you are in compliance with the complex requirements of ERISA and the IRS code, as well as those laws that impact you and your employees. Together, we reduce your exposure to potential legal or financial penalties. Learn more by calling 470-571-1007.
