An online, clickable version of this newsletter is available at: http://benefitslink.com/2007/2007_12_04_welfare.html =========================================================== BenefitsLink Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter (Plain Text Format) December 4, 2007 Here are the Web's best new links about compliance and cost aspects of plan operation, design and policy. =========================================================== TODAY'S SPONSOR: www.ftwilliam.com Need Form 5500 software? (Advert.) http://benefitslink.com/modperl/a_d_top.cgi?a_d=2007_12_04_welfare (Click on the above address or copy and paste it into your web browser.) Go to www. Ftwilliam.com and sign up for our free online demo to see how ftwilliam.com can make your life easier. - All forms and schedules as well as SAR are included - 55Autofill technology – download last year's plan information - Batch SAR, batch Form 5558 and various schedule uploads - Extensive error checking and context-sensitive help buttons - Error checking for new simplified reporting - Access for five concurrent users Contact sales@ftwilliam.com or call 800.596.0714 for more ----------------------------------------------------------- (a) NEW GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS ----------------------------------------------------------- (None today.) ----------------------------------------------------------- (b) NEWS ---------------------------------------------------------- College of Physicians Endorses Single-Payer System, Says Access to Health Care Has Deteriorated http://www.philly.com/philly/business/12109247.html Excerpt: "But the organization stopped short of saying that a single-payer system like Medicare, in which the government would get and pay most bills, is the best way to achieve universal health coverage. The group said the country also could do that through expansion of the current mix of private insurance and government coverage. Under the proposal, people would be required to get health insurance." (Reuters) ----------------------------------------------------------- (c) SUMMARIES OF GUIDANCE; FILED COMMENTS ---------------------------------------------------------- (None today.) ----------------------------------------------------------- (d) TRENDS, SURVEYS, RESEARCH ---------------------------------------------------------- While the Consumer-Directed Model Isn't Taking the Country by Storm, Its Innovations Are Influencing Other Coverage Designs http://www.managedcaremag.com/archives/0711/0711.nextgen.html Excerpt: "[A]s health plans develop the next generation of CDHPs -- adding more detailed information on price and quality, more sophisticated online tools, a greater focus on prevention and wellness, and easier payment at the point of care -- they are working on incremental changes that will continue to have important, even transformational, long-term results. Because if the goal is to turn health plan members into health care consumers, insurers and consultants say, a high-deductible health plan with a Web site and an account is just a start." (Managed Care Magazine) ----------------------------------------------------------- (e) POLICY, OPINION, ADVOCACY ----------------------------------------------------------- Letters to the Editor: Health Insurance for All, Only if Everyone Pays? http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/04/opinion/lweb04krugman.html?_r=1&oref=slogin Excerpt: "How can Paul Krugman limit his discussion of health care reform to the competing Obama-Clinton-Edwards 'universal coverage' plans with nary a mention of a single-payer system? As Mr. Krugman has noted in previous columns, having insurance does not always equate to being 'covered' when needed care is prescribed." (The New York Times; free registration required) ---------------------------------------------------------- The Pervasiveness of California Health Insurance Rescissions http://www.pnhp.org/news/2007/december/pervasiveness_of_cal.php Excerpt: "[Comments on an article published in the American Medical News] Although California has been in the news because of the rescission practices of its private insurers, this article demonstrates the pervasiveness of this practice. UnitedHealth spokesman Tyler Mason's statement that they are helping consumers by holding down health insurance inflation applies only to healthy consumers who clear their underwriting standards." (Physicians for a National Health Program) ---------------------------------------------------------- A Conversation with HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt About Healthcare Information Technology http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/hlthaff.27.1.w52v1 Excerpt: "The discussion explores his perspective that using health information technology (IT) to modernize health care and create value must be done through collaboration, not government mandate. Secretary Leavitt says that new approaches based on linking reimbursement with results must be adopted incrementally, as more is learned about carrying out such approaches. But he also says that it is time to begin linking reimbursement with health IT adoption." (Health Affairs) ---------------------------------------------------------- Towers Perrin U.S. Legislative Tracking Charts -- Health and Welfare -- Updated November 28, 2007 (PDF) http://www.towersperrin.com/tp/getwebcachedoc?webc=HRS/USA/2007/200708/Health_and_Welfare.pdf 51 pages. Excerpt: "These charts summarize selected federal legislation that would affect employee benefit programs. The bills included on the charts are based on judgments regarding the prominence of the issue, the likelihood of enactment, and the influence of the sponsors." (Towers Perrin) ---------------------------------------------------------- Towers Perrin U.S. Legislative Tracking Charts -- Health and Welfare -- Updated November 28, 2007 (PDF) http://www.towersperrin.com/tp/getwebcachedoc?webc=HRS/USA/2007/200708/Health_and_Welfare.pdf 51 pages. Excerpt: "These charts summarize selected federal legislation that would affect employee benefit programs. The bills included on the charts are based on judgments regarding the prominence of the issue, the likelihood of enactment, and the influence of the sponsors." (Towers Perrin) ========================================================== Links To Items on Executive Comp, Benefits In General ---------------------------------------------------------- Text of IRS Notice Allowing Correction of Certain 409A Operational Failures, and Proposed Ongoing Corrections Program (PDF) http://benefitslink.com/IRS/notice2007-100.pdf Excerpt: "This transition relief and additional guidance includes: (1) Methods for correcting certain operational failures during the taxable year of the service provider in which the failure occurs to avoid income inclusion under § 409A(a). (2) Transition relief limiting the amount includible in income under § 409A(a) for certain operational failures occurring in a service provider's taxable year beginning before January 1, 2010, that involve only limited amounts. (3) An outline of, and request for comments on, a potential corrections program that would permit service recipients and service providers to limit the amounts required to be included in income under § 409A(a) due to certain operational failures." (Internal Revenue Service) ---------------------------------------------------------- Feds Unveil Potential 409A Compliance Relief http://www.plansponsor.com/pi_type10/?RECORD_ID=39654 Excerpt: "Federal officials on Monday issued additional guidance on how section 409A nonqualified deferred compensation programs can fix certain types of plan problems." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required) ---------------------------------------------------------- Overview of Section 409A Corrections Program per IRS Notice 2007-100 http://tax.cchgroup.com/news/headlines/2007/nws12407.htm#2 Excerpt: "Corrections relief is provided to plans that make unintentional errors, such as mistakenly paying out deferred compensation earlier than required by a plan. Plans that correct under this guidance within the service recipient's tax year can avoid adverse tax consequences. Plans that do not qualify for such relief, but nevertheless correct before January 1, 2010, can avoid some of the adverse consequences of plan failure." (CCH Tax Newsletter) ---------------------------------------------------------- Overview: IRS Guidance on Reporting and Withholding Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan Deferrals http://www.watsonwyatt.com/us/pubs/insider/showarticle.asp?ArticleID=18384 Excerpt: "In what is becoming an annual ritual, the IRS delayed the requirement for companies to report nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plan deferrals on Forms W-2 and 1099 for another year (see Watson Wyatt Insider, January 2007). Notice 2007-86 waives reporting requirements for calendar year 2007 for annual deferrals of compensation under section 409A (Form W-2, Box 12, Code Y and Form 1099, Box 15a)." (Watson Wyatt Worldwide) ---------------------------------------------------------- Towers Perrin U.S. Legislative Tracking Charts -- Human Resources -- Updated November 28, 2007 (PDF) http://www.towersperrin.com/tp/getwebcachedoc?webc=HRS/USA/2007/200708/Human_Resources.pdf 12 pages. Excerpt: "These charts summarize selected federal legislation that would affect employee benefit programs. The bills included on the charts are based on judgments regarding the prominence of the issue, the likelihood of enactment, and the influence of the sponsors." (Towers Perrin) ---------------------------------------------------------- Tougher COLI Restrictions Explored by Congress http://www.investmentnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071204/REG/71203025/-1/INRegulatoryAlert01 Excerpt: "Corporate-owned life insurance would face new restrictions under a bill sitting in a House subcommittee. HR 150 would prevent companies from taking out life insurance policies on employees, regardless of income, without telling them." (Investment News; free registration required) ---------------------------------------------------------- IRS Notice 2007-99: Eligible Distributions from Governmental Plans for Payment of Healthcare Premiums Now Tax-Free When Paid to Self-Insured Plans (PDF) http://benefitslink.com/IRS/notice2007-99.pdf Revises certain IRS rules implementing a PPA provision, to reflect Congressional intent; tax-free treatment formerly applied only to payment for healthcare premiums to 'insured' plans. Excerpt: "Notice 2007-7, Q&A-23, is modified as follows: Q-23. Can the accident or health plan receiving the payments of qualified health insurance premiums be a self-insured plan? A-23. Yes. An accident or health plan, which is defined under § 105(e), includes a self-insured plan. See § 1.105-5(a) of the Income Tax Regulations." (Internal Revenue Service) ========================================================== Newly Posted Events New Rules for the New Year in Ohio on December 12, 2007 presented by ASPPA Benefits Council of Cleveland http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=43210 Post yours! http://benefitslink.com/events/eventmaint.php ========================================================== Newly Posted Press Releases Watson Wyatt Study Reveals Six Communication "Secrets" Of Top-Performing Employers Watson Wyatt http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41411 PPA'06 Defined Benefit Administration Software from DATAIR DATAIR Employee Benefit Systems, Inc. http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41409 Treasury, IRS Issue Notice Allowing 409A Corrections U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41410 Prudential Retirement Captures Platinum Best-In-Class Award For Plan Sponsor Communications Prudential Financial, Inc. http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41414 NTSAA Announces Plan to Establish Data Standards to Enable Compliance with New 403(b) Regulations National Tax Sheltered Accounts Association http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41408 ING Employee Benefits Announces New Critical Illness Insurance Product ING Group http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41413 HSA Bank Announces New Investment Options HSA Bank http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41412 Post yours! http://benefitslink.com/pr/maint.php ========================================================== Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings Employee Benefits Attorney for Hershner Hunter, LLP in OR http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H47997 Enroller - Employee Benefits Meeting Presenter for Total Benefit Communications in ANY STATE http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H50800 401(k) Plan Administrator for Pollard & Associates, Inc. in MD http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H53002 Assistant 401(k) Administrator for Pollard & Associates, Inc. in MD http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H53003 Retirement Plans Analyst for AutoNation, Inc. in FL http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H53432 Pension Administrator for Alliance Pension Consultants in IL http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H53442 Director Health & Welfare for Buck Consultants in OH http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H52665 401(k) Plan Administrator for Work for a big city with a small town attitude! in TX http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H53445 Junior Account Manager for WHA Financial Solutions in WI http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H53447 Legislative Counsel for Pension Rights Center in DC http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H53449 Plan Consultant Opportunity for Weaver Partners, Inc. in ANY STATE http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H43952 Daily Valuation/Recordkeeping Manager for Pension Specialists, Inc. in CA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H52696 Post yours! http://EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com/jobs/post_help_wanted.html View all jobs http://EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com/ RSS feed http://EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com/rss/jobs.rss =========================================================== Search previous newsletters: http://benefitslink.com/search =========================================================== Subscribe to the BenefitsLink Retirement Plans Newsletter, Too Sign-up form is at: http://benefitslink.com/newsletter/ =========================================================== This newsletter is sent to you each workday except federal holidays. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter any longer, just click on this address (if it appears all on one line): https://benefitslink.com/cgi/s/s/s.pl?e=&l=12&r=1 If that address has been chopped into two lines by your email reader, it won't work, so use one of these easy ways to unsubscribe: 1. Visit this web page: http://benefitslink.com/newsletter/unsubscribe/ and enter the following email address into the two boxes: (That's the exact address under which you are subscribed.) Check the box that says BenefitsLink Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter in plain text format, and then click the "Unsubscribe" button. 2. Or send an email to hollyhorton@benefitslink.com asking her to unsubscribe from the BenefitsLink Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter (plain text format). 3. Or call Holly Horton at (407) 644-4146 and ask her to unsubscribe from the BenefitsLink Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter (plain text format). This email is published by: BenefitsLink.com, Inc. 1298 Minnesota Avenue, Suite H Winter Park FL 32789 (407) 644-4146 Fax: (407) 644-2151 Copyright 2007 BenefitsLink.com, Inc.; except that you can forward this email in full (including this boilerplate part) or otherwise reprint this email in full (including this boilerplate part) without obtaining our permission. Anyone can receive these emails; just have them sign up at this Web page: http://benefitslink.com/newsletter/ To view earlier issues: http://benefitslink.com/newsletters/ We're proud of our Privacy Policy: http://benefitslink.com/privacypolicy.html