Claims Procedures - payment of claims

[Guest SCUDDESLER]

The DOL claims procedure regulations set forth time frames for processing claims. Specifically, there are certain times frames in which an initial decision on a claim must be made, the initial decision must be appealed and a decision on appeal completed and communicated. Do you think, with respect to a self-insured, self-administered, single-employer health plan, that the claims procedures include actual payment of a claim or may a plan comply with the regulations in making its determination as to whether a claim is covered under the plan and then take whatever time it wishes to actually pay the claim?