BenefitsLink Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter for February 23, 2001

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The BenefitsLink Newsletter -
Welfare Plans Edition

February 22 and 23, 2001

Today's sponsor: EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com (click)

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advertising on EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com (a division of
BenefitsLink).  One of the 50 best recruiting sites on
the whole Internet (says CareerXRoads).  BenefitsLink is
"one of the Web's best sites" (says Forbes magazine).

Online COBRA Training and Certification Now Available from COBRAQuarterly.com
Excerpt: "[COBRAQuarterly.com's] COBRA Training & Certification Program provides comprehensive, current information on proper procedures and design options, as well as an optional Test for 'Certified COBRA Administrator' designation." (COBRAQuarterly.com)

New Regulations Affecting Health and Welfare Plans: A Brief Guide
Capital Checkup for February 22, 2001. Excerpt: "The Segal Company has a prepared a summary, in table form, of the many regulations affecting health and welfare plans that were issued in late 2000 and early 2001. The table, which appears below, lists regulations in order of compliance deadlines." (The Segal Company)

Flexible Benefits for Small Employers
Overview of rules and benefits of operating a Section 125 cafeteria plan, by attorney John G. Simmons. February 2001 issue. (Journal of Accountancy, by the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts)

Putting Heat on HMOs
Excerpt: "In response to a continuing deluge of complaints, state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal last fall brought a class-action lawsuit in federal court against four of the state's largest health maintenance organizations. Now 7,000 Connecticut physicians have joined the battle by suing these four, plus two others, in state court." (Hartford Courant)

Federal Court Rules on Lifetime Health Care for Veterans
Excerpt: "... he heard one recruiter's offer: If he served for 20 years, he and his family would get free military medical care for the rest of their lives. So he stayed on, but during the decades he served, the government changed its rules for 20-year veterans, ending military medical care at age 65 and handing off those retirees to Medicare. Now, nearly 60 years after [Robert] Reinlie enlisted, a federal appeals court has ruled the government broke its promise." (New York Times; free registration required)

Bill Would Let Baltimore Same-Sex Couples Register As Domestic Partners, Get Benefits
Excerpt: "First District City Councilman Nicholas C. D'Adamo Jr. introduced legislation yesterday that would allow same-sex couples to register with the city government as domestic partners - a bill that is largely symbolic, but which supporters hope could be the precursor to more far-reaching benefits." (Baltimore Sun)

How to Inspire Employee Loyalty
Good advice from Canada. Excerpt: "When staff members like and respect their boss, chances are they will do just about anything for him or her. It sounds like you've got a highly professional crew who were treated with respect and friendliness. As unfair as it may seem, they probably can't help but compare you to their former supervisor. If you want to maintain high productivity as well as a great deal of job satisfaction, consider these suggestions:" (Workplace.ca)

F.B.I. Sees Increase in Health Care Fraud Convictions
Excerpt: "In 2000, the FBI was responsible for obtaining more than $290 million in fines or money otherwise recovered for fraud losses to the health care insurance industry ... That includes fraud against private health plans and against government programs such as Medicare." (New York Times; free registration required)

Effective Date of HIPAA Data Privacy Rules Delayed Until Mid-April
Excerpt: "New federal rules for protecting private patient data have been unexpectedly delayed until mid-April because of an administrative snafu, federal health officials have confirmed." (Medscape; free registration required)

IRS Warns of Incorrect Line Reference on 2000 Form 5329
Excerpt: "The IRS has posted a warning on its internet site for users of Form 5329 (Additional Taxes Attributable to IRAs, Other Qualified Retirement Plans, Annuities, Modified Endowment Contracts, and MSAs) indicating that there is an error in line 36. Those affected include employees of small employers and self-employed individuals who received medical savings account (MSA) distributions." (CCH)

North Carolina Governor Offers HMO Reform Bill
Excerpt: "Gov. Mike Easley unveiled legislation Tuesday that would give consumers the right to sue their health-maintenance organizations and require the HMOs to offer a laundry list of new rights and privileges to their patients." (Knight Ridder/Tribune )

Alternative Insurance Solutions to Financing Long-term Care (Part 2)
Originally published February 7, 2001. (Practitioners Publishing Company)

Alternative Insurance Solutions to Financing Long-term Care (Part 1)
Originally published January 31, 2001. (Practitioners Publishing Company)

CalPERS Board Tosses Out HMO Bids for 2002
Excerpt: "The California Public Employees' Retirement System Board of Administration today voted unanimously to reject all 10 health maintenance organization (HMO) price bids submitted for the 2002 plan year, saying the rate requests -- which ranged from increases of 5.5 to 41 percent -- were unjustified." (Business Wire, via Yahoo! Finance)

(Following items also appear in Retirement Plans Edition)

72-Page Outline of Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Arrangements (PDF)
This prominent law firm's publication provides a splendid overview of all of the principal kinds of deferred compensation, equity compensation, qualified retirement plans and welfare benefit plans. (Venable, Baetjer, Howard & Civiletti, LLP)

Fidelity Launches Portal to Integrate All Benefit Programs
Excerpt: "More and more employees this year will take advantage of one stop shopping, going online to a single Web site to manage everything from their 401(k) plan and payroll deductions to their healthcare and dental plans, and even their group life insurance. What's making all this possible is the debut of 'HR/benefits portals,' which are streamlining benefit programs, adding important employee self-service tools, and providing online gateways for employees." (PRNewswire, via Yahoo! Finance)

Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings (Post Yours!)

Employee Benefits Trust Officer

for Regions Bank
in AL

ERISA Legal Assistant

for Baker Botts L.L.P.
in TX

Senior Plan Administrator

for American National Insurance Company
in TX

Benefits Communications Specialist

for Hand Benefits & Trust, Inc.
in TX

Issues Resolution Specialist

for ICMA Retirement Corporation
in DC

Benefits Administrators: Health & Welfare Plans

for Leading Insurance Provider
in NY

Benefits Administrators: Defined Contribution Plans

for Leading Insurance Provider
in NY

Compensation Manager (BL-SJCORP6922)

for Sony Electronics Inc.
in CA, NJ

Newly Posted Conferences (Post Yours!)

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in FL on March 21, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in CA, FL on March 28, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in CA, GA, HI, LA on March 29, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in KY, WA on April 4, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in NC, NM, OR, TN on April 5, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in UT on April 18, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in CO, MO, MS, OK, TN on April 19, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in OK, TX on April 25, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in AL, MO, TX on April 26, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in IA on May 2, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in DC, MA, NY, OH on May 3, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in CT on May 9, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in IL, OH, PA, TX on May 10, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in MI, PA on May 16, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in MD, MI, MN, NJ on May 17, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in CT, IN, NE, NY, WI on May 23, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop • March 21- May 30 • 51 Locations

in IL, KS, WI on May 30, 2001
presented by SunGard Corbel