ERISA law ensures plan members receive a summary description of benefits, have appeal rights, and can file a suit for unpaid claims. Under the Plans, for outofnetwork care, Plan beneficiaries were required to request payment from their respective Plans.This issue brief surveys state legislation influencing health care costs over the past three years and assesses the threat that ERISA preemption poses. ERISA is a federal law that sets minimum standards for retirement plans in private industry. The court rejected the idea that the providers should gain legal status as ERISA beneficiaries without an assignment of benefits. PHS Act section 2799B-2. Outofnetwork providers cannot send patients bills for excess charges. A network is a group of health care providers. It includes doctors, specialists, dentists, hospitals, surgical centers and other facilities. Inadequate networks can make it more likely that enrollees obtain care from outofnetwork providers, which can be more expensive. State.