Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement (MEWA) — an employee welfare benefit plan involving two or more employers or any other
arrangement that is established or maintained for the purpose of offering or
providing participants or their beneficiaries, through the purchase of
insurance or through self-insurance, medical, surgical, or hospital care or
benefits. Or benefits in the event of sickness, accident, disability, death, or
unemployment, or vacation benefits, apprenticeship or other training programs,
day care centers, scholarship funds, or prepaid legal service. Prior to 1983,
if a MEWA was determined to be an Employee Retirement Income Security Act
(ERISA) covered plan, state regulation of the arrangement was precluded by
ERISA's preemption provisions. On the other hand, if the MEWA was not an
ERISA-covered plan, which was generally the case, ERISA's preemption
provisions did not apply, and states were free to regulate the entity in
accordance with applicable state law.