AimPoint Pension
|
Defined Benefit Combo Cash Balance Compliance Consultant Loren D. Stark Company (LDSCO)
|
Bates & Company, Inc.
|
Hall County Government
|
Regional Vice President of Sales The Retirement Plan Company
|
Compass
|
Loan & Distribution Specialist AimPoint Pension
|
“BenefitsLink continues to be the most valuable resource we have at the firm.”
-- An attorney subscriber
Guest Article
(From the December 4, 2006 issue of Deloitte's Washington Bulletin, a periodic update of legal and regulatory developments relating to Employee Benefits.)
Secretary Mike Leavitt of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on November 17, 2006 called on private employers to "commit to four steps to improve health care quality and reduce health costs by improving information in the health care sector." The President issued an executive order earlier this year directing certain federal health care programs -- including Medicare, the Veterans Affairs health system, and the Federal Health Benefits Program -- to begin taking steps towards achieving the same four goals in 2007. But getting private employers involved is critical because they are the largest source of health coverage for Americans, and thus have the potential to effect change in the health care system.
According to the HHS, there are four cornerstones of health care transparency.
|
In order to help lay these cornerstones, the Administration is asking private employers to commit to supporting certain actions and encouraging their health insurance plans, third-party administrators, providers, and others to do the same. These actions are:
|
Additional details are available on HHS's Value-Driven Health Care Web site, at www.hhs.gov/transperancy. Among other things, the Web site includes a statement of support for these Four Cornerstones the Administration is encouraging employers to sign. Secretary Leavitt is hoping at least 100 companies will sign the statement of support by the end of 2006.
The information in this Washington Bulletin is general in nature only and not intended to provide advice or guidance for specific situations.
If you have any questions or need additional information about articles appearing in this or previous versions of Washington Bulletin, please contact: Robert Davis 202.879.3094, Elizabeth Drigotas 202.879.4985, Taina Edlund 202.879.4956, Laura Edwards 202.879.4981, Mike Haberman 202.879.4963, Stephen LaGarde 202.879-5608, Bart Massey 202.220.2104, Laura Morrison 202.879.5653, Martha Priddy Patterson 202.879.5634, Tom Pevarnik 202.879.5314, Carlisle Toppin 202.220.2067, Tom Veal 312.946.2595, Deborah Walker 202.879.4955. Copyright 2006, Deloitte. |
BenefitsLink is an independent national employee benefits information provider, not formally affiliated with the firms and companies who kindly provide much of the content and advertisements published on this Web site, including the article shown above. |