When Does Erisa Apply To Health Insurance? 
ERISA applies to employee welfare benefit plans that are established or maintained by an employerfor the purpose of providing its participants -LRB- & beneficiaries - eg dependents -RRB- benefits through the purchase of insurance or other benefit plans -LRB- eg disability , accident , sickness , vacation benefits , day care , scholarship funds , etc -RRB- . There are some plans that are exemptfrom ERISA . These would be government plans , church plans -LRB- unless elected -RRB- , plans specifically to comply with work comp , unemploymentor disability laws , and voluntary plans . 