United States Fourth Circuit

In a suit against an ERISA plan sponsor by a third-party company, summary judgment for plaintiff is affirmed where ERISA does not preempt a state law breach of contract claim or an alternatively pled state law unjust enrichment claim brought by a third-party company hired to perform only nondiscretionary administrative services under the self-funded portion of an employee health care benefit plan covered by ERISA against the sponsor of such plan for reimbursement of nondiscretionary payments the third-party company fronted to satisfy self-funded benefit claims when: 1) the plan administrator expressly acknowledged the debt and recommended to the sponsor's chief executive officer that it be paid; and 2) resolution of either claim requires no interpretation of the plan terms nor is it in any way dependant upon the plan being governed by ERISA.

Appellate Information

• Argued 03/18/2008
• Decided 04/11/2008
• Published 04/11/2008

Judges

• Before SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR, Associate Justice (Retired), Supreme Court of the United States, sitting by designation, WILLIAMS, Chief Judge, and HAMILTON, Senior Circuit Judge.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Norman Henry Singer, Singer & Associates, P.C., Bethesda, Maryland, for Appellant.  Thomas G. Collins, Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney, P.C., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for Appellee.   ON BRIEF:  Stephen Moniak, Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney, P.C., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for Appellee.