In 2020, a federal regulation for group health plans governed by ERISA (the Employee Retirement Income Security Act) paused time limits for participants to file appeals of decisions not to cover medical services or treatment. The time limits are normally 180 days for an internal (to the health plan) appeal and 120 days for an external review of a medical necessity appeal decision. The regulation applies for the duration of the national emergency period that began March 1, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.