An online, clickable version of this newsletter is available at: http://benefitslink.com/2008/2008_05_13_welfare.html =========================================================== BenefitsLink Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter (Plain Text Format) May 13, 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 Be Smart by Association with the International Foundation (Advert.) http://benefitslink.com/modperl/a_d_top.cgi?a_d=2008_05_13_welfare (Click on the above address or copy and paste it into your web browser.) Smart is not a permanent state of being. What's your maintenance plan? Take advantage of the education and information available through the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, a nonprofit educational association, and find out why over 35,000 industry professionals like Cindy Conway rely on the Foundation to stay informed and educated. Make sure you have the most comprehensive information on health, pension and compensation issues. Be smart by association. www.ifebp.org/memberkit ---------------------------------------------------------- [Guidance Overview] Unambiguous Terms Trump Grant Of Discretion In Dispute Over Exclusionary Clause http://healthplanlaw.com/?p=623 Excerpt: "This case attracts my attention for a several important reasons. First, it points up the potential for mischief in the give and take of trigger events and exclusions, an area that has generated considerable litigation. Second, it provides insight into interpretative canons that can neutralize the typical advantage of the plan fiduciary when a plan grants discretion to the administrator." (Attorney Roy F Harmon III in the Health Plan Law blog) ---------------------------------------------------------- [Guidance Overview] Claims Manual Policies Rejected As Irrelevant In Disability Offset Case http://healthplanlaw.com/?p=624 Excerpt: "The interesting legal points of the case lie in the district court's assessment of probative value of UNUM's internal claims manual, its perspective in applying the standard of review and as an illustration of the felicitous effects of de novo review for a claimant's case." (Attorney Roy F Harmon III in the Health Plan Law blog) ---------------------------------------------------------- [Guidance Overview] Text of 'Compliance Quarterly' for California HR Professionals http://www.mercer.com/summary.jhtml/dynamic/idContent/1258920 Excerpt: "In this issue: San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance in effect - for now; New laws impact California employers; New leaves for military families in California . . . ." (Mercer) ---------------------------------------------------------- California Lawmakers Take a Stab at Legislating Healthy Habits http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2008/5/12/California-Lawmakers-Take-a-Stab-at-Legislating-Healthy-Habits.aspx?a=1 Excerpt: "Last week, an Assembly committee approved a bill that would require companies bidding on California state contracts to provide wellness benefits for employees." (CaliforniaHealthline) ---------------------------------------------------------- High Healthcare Costs Caused in Part by Power of Healthcare Systems, Wisconsin Study Says http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=749172 Excerpt: "High health care costs in the Milwaukee area stem from the market power of health care systems, according to a study by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute. The study contends that health care systems have increased their market power by employing physicians, which gives them a referral base for their hospitals, which makes it harder for would-be competitors to enter the market." (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) ---------------------------------------------------------- More Tying the Knot to Get Health Insurance http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/health/chi-marry-health-0513may13,0,7823173.story Excerpt: "Some people marry for love, some for companionship and others for status or money. Now comes another reason to get hitched: health insurance. In a poll released Tuesday, 7 percent of Americans said they or someone in their household decided to marry in the past year so they could obtain health-care benefits via their spouse." (Chicago Tribune) ---------------------------------------------------------- Commuter Benefit Plans Increasing http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=749145 Excerpt: "As of March, 4,011 Milwaukee-area employees had value passes, subsidized by 65 employers. That matches the highest ridership in the program ever and is up 8% from the same time last year, said Jackie Janz, marketing director for Milwaukee County Transit." (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) ---------------------------------------------------------- Health Insurance Cost Increases Outpace Family Income, Study Says http://www.hr.cch.com/news/benefits/051308.asp Excerpt: "Americans with employer-provided health insurance have seen their premiums increase ten times faster than their income in the past few years, according to a study released on April 29 by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation." (Wolters Kluwer) ---------------------------------------------------------- Massachusetts Health Insurance Connector Considers Expanding State-Subsidized Coverage to Low-Income Residents Who Cannot Afford Employer-Based Coverage http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=52081 Excerpt: "Between 30,000 and 40,000 Massachusetts residents are offered health insurance by their employer but have incomes less than 300% of the federal poverty level and cannot afford the premiums, according to a report released Thursday by the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector, the Boston Globe reports." (KaiserNetwork.org) ---------------------------------------------------------- Study Says Individual Health Insurance Policy May Be More Stable Than Group Coverage http://www.lifeandhealthinsurancenews.com/cms/nulh/Breaking%20News/2008/05/12-health-ab Excerpt: "For workers in fair or poor health, owning individual health insurance seems to offer more security than relying on employer-sponsored small-group health coverage does." (Life and Health Insurance News) ---------------------------------------------------------- Maine Employers Fight Health Plan Bailout http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/25/52/62.html Excerpt: "The coalition, Fed Up With Taxes, comprises a dozen business trade groups and is leading a drive to put a proposal on the November ballot to repeal the taxes that state legislators approved in April." (Workforce.com) ---------------------------------------------------------- [Opinion] Universal Mandatory Health Insurance in The Netherlands: A Model for the United States? http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/publications_show.htm?doc_id=685125 Excerpt: "Not a single-payer system -- a policy approach often considered a nonstarter in U.S. policy circles -- the Dutch approach combines mandatory universal health insurance with competition among private health insurers." (The Commonwealth Fund) ---------------------------------------------------------- [Opinion] Where Does The Insurance Industry Stand On Health Reform Today? http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/3/667 Excerpt: "With another national health care debate on the horizon, many assume that health plans will present a major source of opposition to universal coverage and other reforms. But a closer look reveals signs of change." (Health Affairs) ---------------------------------------------------------- [Opinion] The Role of Employment-Based Health Benefits Under a Universal Coverage Reform Option http://www.hschange.com/CONTENT/985/ Excerpt: "Increased reliance on the individual insurance market in its present form is unlikely to meet society's goals, but directing those without access to employer coverage who receive subsidies to regional insurance exchanges could make such coverage much more attractive. But real-world experience with such a reform is needed before considering the substitution of individual coverage for employer-based coverage." (Paul B. Ginsburg via Center for Studying Health System Change) ---------------------------------------------------------- [Opinion] Forced Reversal of 45% of LTD Denials Means Something is Wrong http://thegroupguy.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-does-that-work-i-dont-understand.html Excerpt: "In an announcement May 5, 2008 The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance released a report documenting the results of a multi-state settlement concerning disability claim practices by Unum and its subsidiaries since 2004 and the results are fascinating; 45.1% of group LTD claim decisions were reversed resulting in an additional $558.6M of additional benefits either paid or reserved for future benefit payment. . . . Keep in mind the majority of these contracts were likely to be ERISA plans." (Dan Buckle on TheGroupGuy.com) =========================================================== Sponsored by: University Conference Services Walking the Benefits Management Tightrope (Advert.) http://benefitslink.com/modperl/a_d_center.cgi?a_d=2008_05_13_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 ---------------------------------------------------------- [Opinion] A Reconsideration of Tax Expenditure Analysis (PDF) http://www.americanbenefitscouncil.org/documents/x-37-08.pdf 87 pages. Excerpt: "This document, prepared by the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation . . . reconsiders the utility of the JCT Staff's current implementation of tax expenditure analysis. . . . Driven off track by seemingly endless debates about what should and should not be included in the 'normal' tax base, tax expenditure analysis today does not advance either of the two goals that inspired its original proponents: clarifying the aggregate size and application of government expenditures, and improving the Internal Revenue Code." (U.S. Congress, Joint Committee on Taxation) ========================================================== Newly Posted Events Employee Benefit Plan Filing Update with DOL and IRS Nationwide on May 15, 2008 presented by U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=43789 Fundamentals of 401(k) and Other Qualified Plans Workshop in Illinois on June 4, 2008 presented by SunGard Relius http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=43786 Implementing the Final 403(b) Regulations: Changes in the 403(b) World and What Employers and Providers Should be Doing About Them in Connecticut on June 10, 2008 presented by National Institute of Pension Administrators-CT Chapter http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=43787 Promoting Individual Savings For Retirement Nationwide on May 15, 2008 presented by AARP http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=43788 Post yours! http://benefitslink.com/events/eventmaint.php ========================================================== Newly Posted Press Releases Watson Wyatt Data Services' Releases New! 2008/2009 Survey Report on Health Care Clinical & Professional Personnel Compensation Watson Wyatt Data Services http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41925 Datapath Inc. announced a partnership with Atlanta-based RelayHealth DataPath, Inc. http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41930 U.S. Labor Department Resolves Lawsuit With Trustees of Ohio Sheet Metal Workers Pension Plan U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41924 401(k)-Type Plans, Participants Grow at Slower Pace Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41927 Carris Reels Named 2008 ESOP Company of the Year by The ESOP Association ESOP Association http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41931 Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement to Honor Six American Heroes for Their Leadership in Helping to Secure the Economic Future of Women Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41934 Aon Study Finds Stability in Nationwide Liability Costs in the Long Term Health Care Sector Aon Consulting http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41933 National Business Group on Health Honors Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles National Business Group on Health http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41926 Walgreens Health Initiatives Reports Negative Drug Trend for Highly Managed Plans Walgreens http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41928 Compliance with Massachusetts Healthcare Reform Simplified by New Software from Benefit Corporation of America Benefit Corporation of America http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41929 Richmond Fed's 2007 Annual Report Features Essay on Savings and Retirement Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=41932 Post yours! http://benefitslink.com/pr/maint.php ========================================================== Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings ERISA Consultant for Vanguard in PA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H55138 Assistant Manager, Health Plan Operations for Ralcorp Holdings, Inc in MO http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H55140 401(k)/DC Administrator (Junior) for Columbia Benefits Consultants, Inc. in MD http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H53271 Retirement Plan Administrators for Actuarial Consulting Group, Inc. in VA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H55141 Benefits Consultant for HR Consulting Firm in Western Pennsylvania in PA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H55142 401(k) / Defined Contribution Consultant for USI Consulting Group, Inc. (USICG) in CT http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H55143 401(k) Enrollers/Independent Contractors – Part Time for Transamerica Retirement Services/Diversified Investment Advisors in AZ, CA, DC, FL, IL, KS, MI, MO, NV, TX, WI http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H55144 Actuarial Analyst for Van Iwaarden Associates in MN http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H55145 Legal Secretary/Legal Assistant for Sherman & Howard L.L.C. in CO http://benefitslink.com/modperl/job.cgi?n=H55147 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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