An online, clickable version of this newsletter is available at: http://benefitslink.com/2008/2008_05_07_welfare.html =========================================================== BenefitsLink Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter (Plain Text Format) May 7, 2008 Here are the Web's best new links about compliance and cost aspects of plan operation, design and policy. =========================================================== TODAY'S SPONSOR: International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans E-learning Benefit Courses From the International Foundation (Advert.) http://benefitslink.com/modperl/a_d_top.cgi?a_d=2008_05_07_welfare (Click on the above address or copy and paste it into your web browser.) You don't need a navy suit to get ahead at your job. Put on those fuzzy slippers, grab your computer mouse and learn with the International Foundation. The International Foundation’s e-learning courses provide the highest quality education covering all employee benefit topics, from the basics to compliance technicalities. Prove you know your stuff and get to the next level with the International Foundation’s e-learning courses. And bring your pink bunny slippers along for the ride. ---------------------------------------------------------- [Guidance Overview] New Jersey's Paid Family Leave Law: The Hidden Costs to Employers http://www.littler.com/presspublications/index.cfm?event=pubItem&pubItemID=18636&childViewID=252&type=all§ion=Press%20&%20Publications&subject=ASAPs&title=New%20Jersey's%20Paid%20Family%20Leave%20Law:%20the%20Hidden%20Costs%20to%20Employers%20Doing%20Business%20in%20the%20Garden%20State Excerpt: "Unlike the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA), which generally cover the full-time workforce of employers with 50 or more employees, the Paid Family Leave Law covers all New Jersey employers subject to the unemployment compensation law, regardless of the number of employees they employ." (Littler Mendelson P.C.) ---------------------------------------------------------- [Guidance Overview] The Effect of Conflicts of Interest on the Scope of Discovery http://healthplanlaw.com/?p=617 Excerpt: "The scope of judicial review in ERISA claim for benefit cases has presented one of the classic debates that belie the tired old bromide to the effect that ERISA is a 'comprehensive and reticulated' statute needing no supplementation." (Health Plan Law blog by Attorney Roy F. Harmon III) ---------------------------------------------------------- Tennessee Legislature Addresses Health Coverage for Small Business http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2008/05/05/daily19.html?b=1209960000^1631469 Excerpt: "The Tennessee Legislature has passed a bill that would allow a larger number of businesses to get health insurance for employees. The House and Senate approved an expanded version of the Tennessee Small Employer Group Health Coverage Reform Act. The bill altered the state's definition of 'small employers' from 25 to 50 employees, which would make it easier for some businesses to get access to more insurance products." (Memphis Business Journal via bizjournals.com; free registration required) ---------------------------------------------------------- Podcast: 'Five Minutes with... ' Rita Sororen of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption http://ebn.benefitnews.com/asset/article/581461/staying-current/featured-podcast-five-minutes-with-.html?pg=&topicName=quality-of-life Excerpt: "[The] podcast stars Rita Sororen of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, who talks about workplace adoption benefits on ebn.podhoster.com. . . . The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption recently released its annual list of the nation's 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required) ---------------------------------------------------------- Health Plan Study Shows Performance Varies Region to Region http://ebn.benefitnews.com/asset/article/581441/staying-current/health-plan-study-shows-performance-varies.html?pg=&topicName=health-care Excerpt: "Employers hope that a health insurer managing regional plans across the country will deliver consistent services to all members. New research by J.D. Power and Associates shows that may not always be the case." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required) ---------------------------------------------------------- Cancer Remains Top Cause for Long-Term Disability Claims http://ebn.benefitnews.com/asset/article/581431/staying-current/cancer-remains-top-cause-long-term-disability.html?pg=&topicName=benefits-business Excerpt: "[Unum, a provider of group disability insurance] reports that 12.2% of its long-term disability claims resulted from cancer cases." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required) ---------------------------------------------------------- Ten Prescription Drugs Accounted For More Than $1 Billion In Spending Across Upstate New York In 2007 http://www.bcbs.com/news/plans/ten-prescription-drugs-account.html Excerpt: "Out of more than 3,000 prescribed drugs in upstate New York last year, 10 brand-name drugs accounted for more than $1 billion in spending, or nearly 20 percent of the total amount spent on prescription medications, according to a new report issued by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield." (Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association) ---------------------------------------------------------- Long-Term Care Insurance: Partnership Plans and the Impact of Other Legislation http://www.milliman.com/expertise/healthcare/publications/true-group-ltc/partnership-plans-and-the-LTC04-01-08.php Excerpt: "Why is true group long-term care so important? Many Americans will have no way to pay for long-term care services when they are needed. Insurance for long-term care will not become widespread if only available on an individual basis, which means that the change will need to come first from employers. Group coverage needs to include employer contributions to make it affordable to employees and vesting to make it affordable to employers." (Milliman) ---------------------------------------------------------- Health Care Price, Quality Information Missing from Consumer-Directed Health Plan Equation http://www.hr.cch.com/news/benefits/050708.asp Excerpt: "The term 'consumer-directed health plans' (CDHPs) is a misnomer because the price and quality information tools necessary to make well-informed health care decisions are not yet available, two recent articles in The Financial Times reported. Any price reductions that CDHPs have achieved thus far may be attributed to continued cost shifting to employees and reduced utilization of services, the articles observed." (Wolters Kluwer) ---------------------------------------------------------- [Opinion] State Health Insurance Mandates http://healthplanlaw.com/?p=618 Excerpt: "Keith R. McMurdy has some interesting comments on state insurance benefit mandates. [See http://insurancebloggers.com/state-health-insurance-mandates-2008/ ]" (Health Plan Law blog by Attorney Roy F. Harmon III) ---------------------------------------------------------- [Opinion] American Benefits Council Amicus Brief in Noe v. PolyOne Corporation (PDF) http://www.americanbenefitscouncil.org/documents/amicusbrief_in_Noe_v_PolyOneCorp.pdf 16 pages. Regards retiree health care benefits. (American Benefits Council) =========================================================== Sponsored by: University Conference Services Walking the Benefits Management Tightrope (Advert.) http://benefitslink.com/modperl/a_d_center.cgi?a_d=2008_05_07_welfare (Click on the address above or copy and paste it into your web browser.) Do you sometimes feel like a high wire acrobat performing without a net? That’s how it can seem as you try to span the chasm between managing an attractive benefits program and reigning in costs. The Health and Welfare Plan Management for Mid-Sized Employers, June 8–11, 2008, in Chicago, guides you through today’s complex benefit issues and offers solutions to help you master your technique. ========================================================== Links To Items on Executive Comp, Benefits In General ---------------------------------------------------------- [Guidance Overview] DOL's Proposed Form T–1 Would Require Detailed Financial Reporting for Most Union-Negotiated Benefit Plans (PDF) http://truckerhuss.com/articles/data/newsletter_back_issues/2008/20080401_newsletter_volume_17_no_4.pdf Pages 3-7 of 10 pages. Excerpt: "The Form T–1 annual report would be in addition to, not in lieu of, a Form 5500. However, unlike the Form 5500, which must be prepared and filed by the employee benefit plan itself, Form T–1 must be prepared and filed by each labor union whose members are plan participants provided that union has annual revenues of $250,000 or more." (Trucker Huss) ---------------------------------------------------------- [Guidance Overview] Benefits Quiz from the April 2008 Trucker Huss Benefits Report (PDF) http://truckerhuss.com/articles/data/newsletter_back_issues/2008/20080401_newsletter_volume_17_no_4.pdf Pages 1-2 of 10 pages. Excerpt: "The . . . questions are designed to refresh, and to fine tune, your benefits expertise. Some of the answers (which are found on page 8 of this Newsletter) may surprise you." (Trucker Huss) ---------------------------------------------------------- Communicating the Value of Benefits Helps Offset Anxiety of Tough Economic Times http://ebn.benefitnews.com/asset/article/577661/communicating-with-employees/communicating-value-benefits-helps-offset-anxiety.html?pg=&topicName=strategies Excerpt: "Though the investment in benefits that each organization makes is obvious to executives, studies show that employees generally don't recognize how much their benefits are actually worth. . . . [S]howing employees that their compensation is as much as 25% more than what they thought it was can help . . . ." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required) ---------------------------------------------------------- Milliman's Monthly Benefit News and Developments, May 2008 (PDF) http://www.milliman.com/expertise/employee-benefits/publications/mbnd/pdfs/MBND05-05-08.pdf 2 pages. The newsletter provides a summary of the previous month's legislative, regulatory, and judicial information on employee benefits. (Milliman) ---------------------------------------------------------- DOL Web Site Helps Employers Navigate Federal Law Dictates http://www.plansponsor.com/pi_type10/?RECORD_ID=41396 Excerpt: "A new Web site from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) contains an elaws advisor designed to help employers figure out which of the agency's record keeping, reporting, and notice requirements apply to them." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required) ========================================================== Newly Posted Events Employee Benefits Conference: Strategic Directions in Minnesota on June 26, 2008 presented by Employers Association, Inc. http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=43754 The Deloitte Tax LLP Inaugural Compensation & Benefits Symposium - Compensation and Benefits Strategies in Illinois on October 21, 2008 presented by Deloitte http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=43755 Post yours! http://benefitslink.com/events/eventmaint.php ========================================================== Newly Posted Press Releases Employees Without Access to Health Coverage Outside Work Are Far Less Likely to Retire Watson Wyatt http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41902 ExpertPlan Partners with MPAY, Inc. to Provide Bundled Payroll/401(k) Product ExpertPlan http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41905 Report Finds Women Can Anticipate Nearly Half the Retirement Income of Men Americans for Secure Retirement (ASR) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41904 MBGH Annual Employer Benefit Survey Reveals Growing Shift to Value-Based Benefit Design Midwest Business Group on Health http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41900 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Achieves Bridges to Excellence Certification Bridges to Excellence (BTE) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41901 The SPARK Institute Releases Final 403(b) Plans Best Practices Documents The SPARK Institute http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41903 Post yours! http://benefitslink.com/pr/maint.php ========================================================== Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings Account Manager for National Retirement Services, Inc. in CA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H54691 Sr. Counsel, Benefits & Compensation for Wyeth in NJ http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H55102 Defined Contribution Administrator for Merit Benefits Group, Inc. in IL http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H55103 Defined Benefit Client Consultant for Prudential Financial in CT http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H55104 Actuarial Consultant / Senior DB Plan Administrator for Tegra Financial Partners in GA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H55105 Consultant for Pension Benefits Unlimited, Inc. in CA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H53136 Actuarial Consultant-US Insurance Group for MassMutual Financial Group in CT http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H55107 Defined Contribution Plan Consultant for Long Island, New York in NY http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H55109 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. 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