Poth Quoted in HR Today Article Titled “What to Expect from a Health Plan Audit”

Christine Poth, a partner in Vorys Columbus office, was quoted in a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) HR Today article titled “What to Expect from a Health Plan Audit.”  According to the article, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has been ramping up its health plan investigations under the nationwide Health Benefits Security Project since 2012.  The article outlines these investigations and what employers can expect if they are selected for an audit.

The article states:

“Christine Poth, an attorney with Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease in Columbus, Ohio, said that meeting minutes may also be requested.

Employers need to document their health plan meetings, not only to show the DOL upon request, but also as a best practice for fiduciaries to monitor their plans, she said.

She also noted that agents have recently honed in on making sure all the plan-related documents that require a signature are actually signed.

After receiving the documents, the agency will generally conduct interviews and depositions with one or two individuals who are familiar with the day-to-day operations of the plan.

Employers and their attorneys should review the scope and nature of the questions that the investigators will likely ask, Poth said. It is also important for the interviewees to only answer the actual questions asked.”

To read the entire website, visit the SHRM website.