Employers Alarmed by Supreme Court Decision that May Trigger Frivolous Litigation Tsunami

Washington, D.C., April 18, 2025 – Today, Tom Christina, Executive Director of the ERIC Legal Center released the statement below in response to a decision issued Thursday by the U.S. Supreme Court. In Cunningham v. Cornell, the Court made it more cumbersome for courts to dismiss allegations that a benefit plan engaged in a “prohibited transaction” under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

ERIC Seeks to Halt Mental Health Parity Rule

Washington, D.C., February 20, 2025 – The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) has asked for a stay of enforcement of the September 2024 Final Rule under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (the Final Rule) while ERIC’s lawsuit challenging the validity of the Final Rule is pending.

ERIC Sues to Stop Recent Biden Administration Mental Health Regulations, Saying New Regulations Overstep Existing Mental Health Parity Law

Washington, D.C., January 17, 2025 – The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) today filed a Complaint against the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury (the Tri-Departments), seeking to invalidate the Final Rule issued by the Tri-Departments under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA). The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Final Rule was issued in the twilight of the Biden Administration in September of 2024. Former Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia and his colleagues at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP represent ERIC in this matter and prepared the Complaint, which is available here.

The ERISA Industry Committee Applauds Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ Decision to Affirm ERISA Preemption of California State Law Claims

Washington, D.C., June 12, 2024 – The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) today applauded the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Bristol SL Holdings, Inc. v. Cigna Health & Life Ins. Co., which affirmed the previous ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, which determined that the state law breach of contract and promissory estoppel claims at issue are preempted by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

The ERISA Industry Committee Criticizes Proposed New York State Regulations Covering Pharmacy Benefit Managers

WASHINGTON, October 18, 2023 – The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) submitted public comments this week expressing deep concerns with regulations proposed by the New York State Department of Financial Services in “Proposed Consolidated Rulemaking for Insurance Regulations 219, 224, and 226-229,” which would implement a state statute enacted in 2021 covering pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and their network practices.

ERIC, Coalition Allies File Amicus Brief Supporting AT&T Appeal Effort in Recordkeeping Claims Case

WASHINGTON, September 11, 2023 – The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) today filed a coalition amicus brief together with other groups representing sponsors and service providers of employee benefit plans in Bugielski et. al. v. AT&T, arguing that the decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will have far-reaching negative consequences for plan participants, sponsors, and fiduciaries.