Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Washington, DC - The Compliance Assistance Seminar sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) and the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, will take place in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday, April 10, 2003 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Conference Center, 2800 Opryland Drive.

Scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the program is part of an ongoing series of seminars sponsored by the Labor Department under its Health Benefits Education Campaign (HBEC). The campaign helps workers and employers, especially small businesses, understand their rights and obligations under various health benefit laws.

The session on HIPAA Portability and Availability will present key compliance considerations for group health plan administrators. Examples will be given of group health plan provisions or practices that would not comply with the law followed by tips on how to bring group health plans into compliance. The COBRA session will feature a detailed discussion about new IRS COBRA guidance as well as a discussion of compliance-related issues under Tennessee’s COBRA provisions.

There also will be a session on the Department of Labor’s claims regulation and a discussion on issues involving Tennessee insurance requirements.

Panel participants will include representatives from EBSA, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and the Internal Revenue Service.

Registration is on a first come, first served basis, with only limited spaces available. Interested parties should register early by email to: Deborah A. Milne at damilne@msn.com. For registration information, contact EBSA at www.dol.gov/dol/ebsa or 315.762.4665.

Upcoming seminars will be held in:

• Billings, Montana (May 8, 2003)
• Indianapolis, Indiana (June 12, 2003)
• Salt Lake City, Utah (July 17, 2003)
• Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (September 8, 2003)
• Austin, Texas (September 18, 2003)
• North Carolina (October 2003)

U.S. Department of Labor news releases are accessible on the Internet. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the Central Office for Assistive Services and Technology. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call 202.693.7773 or TTY 202.693.7755.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.