Title VIII, SEC. 8402. LIMITATION ON COVERAGE OF GROUP HEALTH PLANS UNDER TITLE I OF ERISA. (a) In General. Section 4 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1003) is amended (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``subsection (b)'' and inserting ``subsections (b) and (c)''; (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``The provisions'' and inserting ``Except as provided in subsection (c), the provisions''; and (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(c) Coverage of Group Health Plans. ``(1) Limited inclusion. This title shall apply to a group health plan only to the extent provided in this subsection. ``(2) Coverage under certain provisions with respect to certain plans. ``(A) In general. Except as provided in subparagraph (B), parts 1 and 4 of subtitle B shall apply to ``(i) a group health plan which is maintained by ``(I) a corporate alliance (as defined in section 1311(a) of the Health Security Act), or ``(II) a member of a corporate alliance (as so defined) whose eligible sponsor is described in section 1311(b)(1)(C) (relating to rural electric cooperatives and rural telephone cooperative associations), and ``(ii) a group health plan not described in subparagraph (A) which provides benefits which are permitted under paragraph (4) of section 1003 of the Health Security Act. ``(B) Inapplicability with respect to state-certified health plans. Subparagraph (A) shall not apply with respect to any plan or portion thereof which consists of a State-certified health plan (as defined in section 1400(c) of the Health Security Act). The Secretary shall provide by regulation for treatment as a separate group health plan of any arrangement which would otherwise be treated under this title as part of a group health plan to the extent necessary to carry out the purposes of this title. ``(3) Civil actions by corporate alliance participants, beneficiaries, and fiduciaries and by the secretary. ``(A) In general. Except as provided in subparagraph (B), in the case of a group health plan to which parts 1 and 4 of subtitle B apply under paragraph (2), section 502 shall apply with respect to a civil action described in such section brought ``(i) by a participant, beneficiary, or fiduciary under such plan, or ``(ii) by the Secretary. ``(B) Exception where review is otherwise available under health security act. Subparagraph (A) shall not apply with respect to any cause of action for which, under section 5202(d) of the Health Security Act, proceedings under sections 5203 and 5204 of such Act pursuant to complaints filed under section 5202(b) of such Act, and review under section 5205 of such Act of determinations made under such section 5204, are the exclusive means of review. ``(4) Definitions and enforcement provisions. Sections 3, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509, 510, and 511 and the preceding provisions of this section shall apply to a group health plan to the extent necessary to effectively carry out, and enforce the requirements under, the provisions of this title as they apply pursuant to this subsection. ``(5) Applicability of preemption rules. Section 514 shall apply in the case of any group health plan to which parts 1 and 4 of subtitle B apply under paragraph (2).''. (b) Reporting and Disclosure Requirements Applicable to Group Health Plans. (1) In general. Part 1 of subtitle B of title I of such Act is amended (A) in the heading for section 110, by adding ``by pension plans'' at the end; (B) by redesignating section 111 as section 112; and (C) by inserting after section 110 the following new section: ``special rules for group health plans ``Sec. 111. In General. The Secretary may by regulation provide special rules for the application of this part to group health plans which are consistent with the purposes of this title and the Health Security Act and which take into account the special needs of participants, beneficiaries, and health care providers under such plans. ``(b) Expeditious Reporting and Disclosure. Such special rules may include rules providing for ``(1) reductions in the periods of time referred to in this part, ``(2) increases in the frequency of reports and disclosures required under this part, and ``(3) such other changes in the provisions of this part as may result in more expeditious reporting and disclosure of plan terms and changes in such terms to the Secretary and to plan participants and beneficiaries, ``to the extent that the Secretary determines that the rules described in this subsection are necessary to ensure timely reporting and disclosure of information consistent with the purposes of this part and the Health Security Act as they relate to group health plans. ``(c) Additional Requirements. Such special rules may include rules providing for reporting and disclosure to the Secretary and to participants and beneficiaries of additional information or at additional times with respect to group health plans to which this part applies under section 4(c)(2), if such reporting and disclosure would be comparable to and consistent with similar requirements applicable under the Health Security Act with respect to plans maintained by regional alliances (as defined in such section 1301 of such Act) and applicable regulations of the Secretary of Health and Human Services prescribed thereunder.''. (2) Clerical amendment. The table of contents in section 1 of such Act is amended by striking the items relating to sections 110 and 111 and inserting the following new items: ``Sec. 110. Alternative methods of compliance by pension plans. ``Sec. 111. Special rules for group health plans. ``Sec. 112. Repeal and effective date.''. (d) Exclusion of Plans Maintained by Regional Alliances from Treatment as Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements. Section 3(40)(A) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 1002(40)(A)) is amended (1) in clause (ii), by striking ``or''; (2) in clause (iii), by striking the period and inserting ``, or''; and (3) by adding after clause (iii) the following new clause: ``(iv) by a regional alliance (as defined in section 1301 of the Health Security Act).''.