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The BenefitsLink Newsletter -
Welfare Plans Edition February 8, 2001 Today's sponsor: the The International Quality & Productivity Center presents a powerful two-day conference:
UK Insurance Company Admits Using Genetic Screening Excerpt: "One of Britain's biggest insurance companies admitted yesterday using unapproved genetic tests for potentially fatal diseases when assessing whether to offer life [coverage]." (The Times) Medical Mutual Members Check Status of Health Insurance Claims Online Excerpt: "A Web-based application now allows Medical Mutual's 2.6 million members in Ohio to check the status of their health insurance claims via the Internet. The new Web site feature offers flexibility to those members who may not be able to call the customer-service line during normal business hours or to those who prefer to use the Internet." (insure.com) Federal Health Information Privacy Regulations Should Be Simplified, Says American Benefits Council Excerpt: "... committee members were urged ... to recommend to the new HHS secretary that the current regulations be withdrawn or suspended during a review-- with period for public comment-- and possible reissuance of the rules." (American Benefits Council) LTD Plans That Provide Disparate Coverage For Mental, Physical Disabilities Protected By ADA Excerpt: "Long term disability plans that provide less coverage for mental disabilities than for physical disabilities are protected by the [ADA's] "safe harbor" provision for bona fide benefit plans. This was the ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in Fitts v. Federal National Mortgage Association and UNUM Life Insurance Company of America." (Spencernet) Benefits of Right to Sue HMOs Debated Excerpt: "Patient-rights advocates say the right to sue health-maintenance organizations for punitive damages would help assure quality care, but HMOs warn trial lawyers would reap most of the benefits while higher costs would be passed on to consumers." (The Bloomington [Ill.] Pantagraph) Highlights of Interim Final Regulations on HIPAA Nondiscrimination and Proposed Rules (PDF) 2 pages. Excerpt: "The two sets of rules provide guidance on issues concerning common plan designs, such as actively at work clauses, 'dangerous activity' exclusions, and preferential treatment for nonsmokers. While the nondiscrimination rules allow some flexibility for plan design, most current benefit plans will need to make some technical changes in order to comply fully." (The Segal Company) Text of Bush Letter to House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader, on Patients' Rights Bill Excerpt: "My goal now in seeking Federal legislation is simple: I want to ensure that all patients receive needed medical care and that doctors are allowed to make medical decisions. To achieve these goals, patients should have the right to an independent medical review of a health plan's decision to deny care.... I cannot support a plan, however, that encourages unnecessary or frivolous litigation." (U.S. Newswire) Patients Bill Alive, For Now Excerpt: "A patients bill of rights did get introduced Tuesday by a bipartisan crew led by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and its sponsors expect that they will even get the 60 votes necessary to avoid a filibuster in the Senate. And that's much to the chagrin of the White House, which had done its best to put the patients bill on ice, and almost succeeded." (Salon.com) Health Insurance Company Surfing Doesn't Always Save Employers Money Excerpt: "Nearly 70 percent of small employers say they switched health benefit plans within the past five years and 34 percent of those report changing plans within the last year ..." (insure.com) State Legislative Health Care and Insurance Issues: 2000 Survey of Plans Excerpt: "This annual report is based on a survey of the Plans conducted at the close of their state legislative sessions. The survey identifies significant health legislation enacted during the year and spotlights issue trends of great importance to the Plans. The state chapters contain summaries of key health laws for the current year. The appendix contains reference tables that summarize state legislation in major issue areas on a state-by-state basis." (BlueCross BlueShield Association) Karen Ignagni Characterizes Kennedy-McCain Legislation As Rerun of Previous Proposals Excerpt: "AAHP President and CEO Karen Ignagni today expressed her disappointment that the Kennedy-McCain patient protection proposal relies on the fundamental assumption that the courts are the best place to resolve health care disputes." (American Association of Health Plans) Bush Aims to Keep Reins on Patient Bill of Rights Legislation Excerpt: "In a display of political hardball, Bush aides persuaded an influential Republican backer of the bill on regulating health maintenance organizations, Rep. Charles Norwood, R-Ga., to hold off sponsoring it and to stay away from a news conference held by a bipartisan group of lawmakers Tuesday to unveil the legislation." (Chicago Tribune) Bush Outlines His Principles for Protecting Patient Rights Excerpt: "President Bush laid out his criteria for patients' rights legislation [on Wednesday, February 7], saying patients should, as a last resort, be able to sue insurance companies that improperly denied medical care." (New York Times; free registration required) Opinion: Patients' Rights: Let's See Some Bipartisanship Excerpt: "It is time for Congress to pass a meaningful patients' bill of rights. The American people have told us they want it. It was part of the campaign promises of nearly every candidate for federal office. Now it is time to act." (John McCain and John Edwards, in the Washington Post) Bush Pushes Patients Rights Bill Excerpt: "President Bush told Congress on Wednesday he would support popular new patients' rights, but only if HMOs and other health insurance companies are protected against 'unnecessary and frivolous lawsuits.'" (New York Times; free registration required) Alternative Insurance Solutions to Financing Long-Term Care Part 2 of a series (2/7/2001). Excerpt: "A long-term care deferred annuity can play a huge role in helping clients who cannot qualify for long-term care insurance due to age or health problems. This annuity is available to age 85 and has seven very broad health questions that will not be difficult for most people to satisfy." (Practitioners Publishing Company) Another Question is Answered in the Cafeteria Plans Q&A Column One of our employees died on November 5, 2000, leaving a balance in his health flexible spending account (health FSA). The health FSA is offered under our cafeteria plan; both are calendar year plans. His family members have been asking whether they can obtain the unused balances. Can they? (BenefitsLink.com) Split Dollar Treatment Could Be Changed Significantly (PDF) Excerpt: "In a surprising notice, IRS has said that the tax treatment of split dollar life insurance arrangements could change significantly for employees. (Notice 2001-10) The notice clarifies old IRS rulings, provides interim guidance, and requests comments by April 30 on key split dollar issues. Under the notice’s transition rules, some changes will apply in 2002, and others will be delayed until 2004." (Aon Consulting) Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight Publishes Oversight Plan for 107th Congress (PDF) Includes plans for continued review of broad-based stock option programs, tax law complexity. (U.S. House of Representatives) Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings (Post Yours!)
Newly Posted Conferences (Post Yours!)
Newly Posted Press Releases
Subscribe to the Retirement Plans Edition, too (click) Copyright 2001 BenefitsLink.com, Inc. Feel free to forward this email to friends, colleagues or clients, if no fee is paid to you and the email is forwarded in its entirety. Thanks! BenefitsLink is a trademark of BenefitsLink.com, Inc., published by Dave Baker with much help from Mary Hall and lots of friends. To subscribe (free): visit https://benefitslink.com/newsletter - or the person desiring to subscribe can send an email to BLwelfare@add.mb00.net We have an online archive of prior issues at https://benefitslink.com/newsletters/ |
