---

The BenefitsLink Newsletter December 29, 1999 What's New - Top Stories Consumers Hit Back as HMOs Covet Damages Los Angeles Times [More like this] Baker v. State of Vermont, full text ("May the State of Vermont exclude same-sex couples from the benefits and protections that its laws provide to opposite-sex married couples? That is the fundamental question we address in this appeal.") Vermont Supreme Court [More like this]    - Principal opinion Justice Amestoy      - Concurring opinion Justice Dooley      - Concurring and dissenting opinion Justice Johnson   California Doctors Sue Eight HMOs insure.com [More like this] Kaiser Ups Emergency Room Care Co-Payment San Jose Mercury News [More like this] Industries Try To Build Defenses Against Lawsuits - Tobacco Companies, Gunmakers and HMOs Call On Congressional Allies for Legislation to Limit Litigation USA Today [More like this] Nashua Corporation Buys $74M Group Pension Annuity from Principal news.excite.com [More like this] Canoga Park California Businessman Sentenced To Prison For Embezzling From Employee Pension Fund U.S. Department of Labor [More like this] DOL Creates Office of Health Plan Standards and Compliance Assistance Corbel   BenefitsBoards.net - Top Topics Defined Benefit vs. Defined Contribution - the armwrestling continues! Cafeteria plan provides for cash, health care FSA and dependent care FSA. To what extent must the nontaxable benefits be funded through a trust? Is there any exception to the 401(a)(26) requirement that at least 2 employees must participate, in a situation where there are only 2 employees who are both owners of the business, but only 1 wants to participate? Progressions - Promotions and New Personnel Vicki L. Dungan, ABC of Watson Wyatt Worldwide

DEPARTMENTS BENEFITS CANDIDATES Need personnel? It's like fishing in a barrel here. _____________ BENEFITS JOBS Need a benefits job? Sort the openings by their distance away from you. _____________ BENEFITSBOARDS.NET Exchange questions and tips with colleagues. Co-sponsored by us and several employee benefits organizations. _____________ PROGRESSIONS Promotions and new personnel in the employee benefits community. _____________ Q&A COLUMNS Experts field questions online, submitted by readers via email. _____________ CONFERENCES View by location, by sponsoring organization, or by date. _____________ SOFTWARE Largest listing of benefits software on the net: descriptions, downloads. _____________ ADVERTISE Ads are our sole source of support. No subscription fees! _____________ CONTACT US Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Copyright (c) 1999 BenefitsLink.com, Inc. All rights reserved. BenefitsLink is a trademark of BenefitsLink.com, Inc.

---