This post was originally published on this site.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration today issued a proposed rule that would modernize how group health plans deliver required disclosures, making communication faster, more efficient, and less costly. The proposed rule would establish a safe harbor allowing approximately 2.8 million group health plans covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act to provide required documents digitally. Group health plans currently print and mail up to 11 billion sheets of paper each year. The department estimates the proposal could save group health plans $3.9 billion over 10 years while giving participants and beneficiaries easier, more reliable access