In addition to state protections that vary in each state, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) applies to Option programs.

ERISA is a federal law that sets minimum standards for most voluntarily established pension and health plans in private industry to provide protection for individuals in these plans.

ERISA provides numerous protections to the employee - the same protections they receive under other benefit programs:

• Communications of rights and responsibilities fiduciary requirements of claims administrator
• Access to State and Federal courts
• Extensive legal rights
  • Action for wrongful denial of benefits
  • Failure to provide documents
  • Breach of fiduciary duty
  • Discrimination
  • Generally not subject to mandatory arbitration