Agencies propose new, expanded Form 5500 group health plan reporting

Group health plan sponsors would be required to provide significant amounts of information about the plans when filing the annual Form 5500 with the Department of Labor, under a recently released proposed rule from the agency, along with a separate proposed rule from the DoL, Treasury/IRS, and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. The proposal, which affects only ERISA-covered plans, would amend the reporting and disclosure requirements for other welfare benefits and retirement plans. This bulletin focuses only on group health plan information, including from sponsors of grandfathered group health plans and from sponsors of certain small plans that to date have been exempt from filing.