Orzechowski v. The Boeing Company Non-Union Long-Term Disability Plan

California Insurance Code 10110.6(a) has voided provisions conferring discretionary authority to Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), 29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq., plan administrators such as Aetna. Plaintiff challenged Aetna's decision to terminate her long-term disability benefits under a plan created by Boeing. The Ninth Circuit reversed and remanded the district court's holding that California's statute did not apply to Boeing's plan and upholding Aetna's denial of benefits to plaintiff. The Ninth Circuit held that section 10110.6(a) was saved from ERISA preemption because the statute is directed toward entities engaged in insurance and substantially affects the risk-pooling arrangement between the insurer and the insured. The Ninth Circuit also held that section 10110.6 applied in this case because Boeing's policy renewed after section 10110.6's effective date. View "Orzechowski v. The Boeing Company Non-Union Long-Term Disability Plan" on Justia Law