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April 1, 2003 - 8,069 subscribers
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Largest Disability Insurance Carrier Fires Top Executive
Excerpt: "UnumProvident Corp. fired Harold Chandler as chairman, chief executive and president Monday as part of an effort to restore confidence in the disability insurer which recently restated three years of earnings.... Two weeks ago, UnumProvident was fined $1 million by Georgia insurance officials in response to complaints about claims handling." (AP via the New York Times; one-time registration required)
Sen. Lieberman Backs Bill to Provide Domestic Partner Benefits for Federal Employees
Excerpt: "Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Lieberman said Monday that he will work to secure congressional passage of a bill that would extend benefits to partners of ... federal employees.... Domestic partners could be gay or straight, as long as they file an affidavit saying they are living together in a committed, intimate relationship, but are not married." (Washington Post)
Wall Street Journal Examines Health Coverage Options for Reservists
Excerpt: "The Wall Street Journal on March 31 examines a 'growing problem for the military health care system' as the United States calls about 217,000 reservists and National Guard members to active duty." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Most Pennsylvania HMO Members Report No Problems with Service, Survey Says
Excerpt: "About 86% of Pennsylvania residents reported no problems with the service that they received from their HMOs in 2001, according to a survey released March 31 by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, the AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Consumer-Driven Benefit Design Shows Plan Sponsors Can Influence Behavior
Excerpt: "Synhrgy's Healthcare Solutions Group recently completed a 'before and after' study of claim experience from a Fortune 500 employer that implemented CDH-based medical options to a group of 1,500 employees as a total replacement in January 2002. The data from this employer shows some dramatic and positive changes under the CDH plans ..." (BenefitNews.com)
Some PBMs Able To Make Profit on Generic Drugs
Excerpt: "The Wall Street Journal on March 31 looks at the 'impressive profits' that some pharmacy benefit managers are earning through the 'unlikely' channel of generic drugs." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Is a Self-Funded Plan Covered by HIPAA Privacy Regs?
Q: Is an employer that maintains a self-insured medical plan a 'covered entity' under the HIPAA privacy regulations? Is an employer that maintains a fully insured medical plan a 'covered entity' under the privacy regulations? A. Whether and to what extent employers and the health plans they sponsor are governed by the HIPAA privacy rules can be determined by answering the following questions. (SpencerNet)
Opinion: Beth Steel Retirees About to Enter Healthcare Limbo
Excerpt: "After today, the bankrupt steel company stops paying for health and life insurance coverage for about 95,000 retirees and their family members ... In addition to COBRA, different insurers are offering other plans. And Kovach said Bethlehem Steel is talking to insurers to try to arrange group coverage less expensive than they can obtain as individuals. So the elderly retirees face unsnarling myriad coverage options." (The Buffalo News)
Summary of 5 Important Recent Managed Care Cases
Excerpt: "Here is a summary of five recent managed care cases that are (a) significant due to their potential liability and/or dollar amount, and /or (b) class actions or government agencies enforcing laws affecting patients, providers, or other groups." (Managed Care Week via AISHealth.com)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
9th Circuit Mandates Nationwide $4-Per-Hour Hike in Minimum Wage
Excerpt: "In a startling decision [issued April 1, 2003] that could have wide-ranging economic effects, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has directed the federal government to raise the national minimum wage by $4 per hour. Congressional leaders expressed outrage at the order. Read about it: http://www.workindex.com/editorial/af0304-01.asp" (WorkIndex.com)
Airline Aid Package Might Curb Execs' Pay
Excerpt: "Senate leaders, expected to propose $2.8 billion in airline aid as early as today, may add limits to executive pay in light of controversial perk packages at Delta and other airlines." (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
A Workers' Lobby to Provide Portable Benefits
Available for downloading from SSRN.com for $5. Excerpt: "How can workers have a voice in the face of declining unionization and rising nontraditional career paths? To demonstrate how a new labor market institution can emerge, I develop a model of fundraising by a workers' organization in which the founder must allocate resources between the provision of public goods, which attracts foundation grants, and the provision of private goods, which attracts individual members." (Joni Hersch; working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Senior Benefit Systems Analyst
for Towers Perrin
in NJ, PA
Employee Benefits Sales Representative
for Great West Life & Annuity
in
OmniPlan - OmniPlus Consultant
for DC Specialists
in ALL STATES
401(k) Administrator
for Geller & Wind, Ltd.
in NY
Health and Welfare Account Executive
for Homewood Benefits
in ME
Director, Healthcare
for The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
in PA
Compliance Specialist
for The Segal Company
in DC
Defined Benefit Specialist
for Employee Benefit Resources, LLP
in MT
Newly Posted Conferences
(Post Yours!)
Enron and the Bear: Fiduciary Responsibilities in a Troubled Market
in OH
April 17, 2003
WEB (Worldwide Employee Benefits Network) - Cleveland Chapter
Newly Posted Press Releases
(Post Yours!)
PBGC Becomes Trustee of US Airways' Pension Plan for Pilots
(Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation)
Movers and Shakers: Newly Posted Announcements of Promotions and New Personnel
(Post Yours!)
Ilene H. Ferenczy (Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy LLP)
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