Benefit Claims Administration: Avoiding Mishaps and Litigation, Compliance Challenges for ERISA Counsel

This CLE course will guide ERISA counsel, employers, and plan administrators on the critical compliance and litigation challenges of administering benefit claims. The panel will discuss key issues in modifying plan documents and SPDs in light of recent litigation, avoiding mishaps in the assignment of benefits, and developing effective claims and appeals procedures to minimize litigation and potential liability.

ERISA litigation stemming from inadequate administration of benefit claims remains steady with cases brought by plan participants and beneficiaries. ERISA counsel, employers, and plan administrators must have a complete understanding of critical compliance and administrative challenges along with methods to overcome them to effectively limit or avoid litigation.

Effective plan design, careful structuring of the administrative process, and informed guidance to those who administer claims can significantly increase the precision of claims administration and maximize the likelihood of success in litigation. Advanced preparation by counsel may result in fewer disputes over discovery, conflicts of interest, standards of review, and deference accorded the administrator's decision, and may even reduce attorneys' fees.

In addition, key issues arising from the modification of plan documents and SPDs, assignment of benefits, and claims and appeals process must be carefully analyzed to avoid any mishaps and errors when administering benefits claims.

Listen as our authoritative panel of ERISA counsel provides best practices for navigating the administration of benefits claims. The panel will also discuss key case law developments in benefits suits and methods to minimize litigation and potential liability.