PUBLIC LAW 104-191—AUG. 21, 1996
110 STAT. 1953
single participant or beneficiary, shall be treated as a separate violation.".
(3) COORDINATION.— Section 506 of such Act (29 U.S.C.
1136) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
"(c) COORDINATION OF ENFORCEMENT WITH STATES WITH
RESPECT TO CERTAIN ARRANGEMENTS.— A State may enter into
an agreement with the Secretary for delegation to the State of
some or all of the Secretary's authority under sections 502 and
504 to enforce the requirements under part 7 in connection with
multiple employer welfare arrangements, providing medical care
(within the meaning of section 706(a)(2)), which are not group
health plans.".
(f) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(1) Section 514(b) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 1144(b)) is
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
"(9) For additional provisions relating to group health plans,
see section 704.".
(2)(A) Part 6 of subtitle B of title I of such Act (29 U.S.C.
1161 et seq.) is amended by striking the heading and inserting
the following:
" PA RT 6—CONTINUATION COVERAGE AND ADDITIONAL STANDARDS
FOR GROUP HEALTH PLANS".
(B) The table of contents in section 1 of such Act is amended
by striking the item relating to the heading for part 6 of
subtitle B of title I and inserting the following:
"PART 6—CONTINUATION COVERAGE AND ADDITIONAL STANDARDS FOR GROUP
HEALTH PLANS".
(3) The table of contents in section 1 of such Act (as
amended by the preceding provisions of this section) is amended
by inserting after the items relating to part 6 the following
new items:
"PART 7—GROUP HEALTH PLAN PORTABILITY, ACCESS, AND RENEWABILITY
REQUIREMENTS
"Sec. 701. Increased portability through limitation on preexisting condition exclusions.
"Sec. 702. Prohibiting discrimination against individual participants and beneficiaries based on health status.
"Sec. 703. Guaranteed renewability in multiemployer plans and multiple employer
welfare arrangements.
"Sec. 704. Preemption; State flexibility; construction.
"Sec. 705. Special rules relating to group health plans.
"Sec. 706. Definitions.
"Sec. 707. Regulations.".
(g) EFFECTIVE DATES.—
29 USC 1181
(1) IN GENERAL.— Except as provided in this section, this note.
section (and the amendments made by this section) shall apply
with respect to group health plans for plan years beginning
after June 30, 1997.
(2) DETERMINATION OF CREDITABLE COVERAGE. —
(A) PERIOD OF COVERAGE.—
(i) IN GENERAL.— Subject to clause (ii), no period
before July 1, 1996, shall be taken into account under
part 7 of subtitle B of title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (as added by this
section) in determining creditable coverage.
�
