Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 110 Part 3.djvu/223

 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.

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