| The BenefitsLink Newsletter - Welfare Plans Edition |  |
May 17, 2001
Today's sponsor: EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com (click)
Fill your employee benefits job openings fast by advertising on BenefitsLink-- we're 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).
Coming of Age: Rethinking Benefits for an Aging Workforce
March 2001 issue. Excerpt: "The aging population is forcing employers to rethink their benefits and human resources strategies. It's time for organizations to put systems in place so that older employees don't slip through the cracks, but become a more valuable component of the workforce." (Benefits Canada)
White House Orders Privacy Rules to Go Forward
Excerpt: "On April 12, 2001, HHS announced it would move forward with the final regulation 'as is,' but would issue guidance to clarify issues it acknowledged as 'confusing." (Groom Law Group)
Status of HIPAA Administrative Simplification Regulations
Excerpt: "HIPAA's Administrative Simplification provisions mandated that HHS establish regulations related to privacy, security, and the electronic exchange of health information. . The following regulations apply to all health providers, plans, and clearinghouses that transmit health information electronically." (Groom Law Group)
Distance Learning Makes the Grade
Excerpt: "eWEEK Labs grades tools that build lessons for distance learners." (ZDNet.com)
Benefits Without Borders: Implementing Programs Throughout Canada and the U.S.
Excerpt: "Canadian companies face numerous challenges in administering benefits and pension plans for their U.S. operations. Here's a map through the regulatory maze." (Benefits Canada)
Opinion: Massachusetts Bill Targets Domestic Partner Benefits for Government Employees
Excerpt: "In other words, Rogers' bill also seeks to outlaw domestic partnership benefits for public employees. Those benefits have the support of many public officials, even those who won't go near same-sex marriage, including Acting Governor Jane Swift." (Boston Globe)
Taking a Bite Out of Dental Costs
Excerpt: "Ontario plan sponsors aren't prepared to swallow painful increases in dental costs. Employer groups are working with the Ontario Dental Association to find solutions--organizations in other provinces can follow suit." (Benefits Canada)
Trying Again For a Patients' Bill of Rights
May 2001 issue. Excerpt: "For plan sponsors, the latest version of the Patients' Bill of Rights, introduced in February by Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Massachusetts), offers some improvement over legislation the Senate rejected last year." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)
Chart: HHS Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information
Excerpt: "The final regulations permit health plans to disclose protected health information (PHI) without obtaining authorization or consent for the purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations, terms that are narrowly defined. (Note that health care providers must obtain consent for disclosures for treatment, payment, or health care operations.) Plans generally must obtain a specific individual authorization for other uses or disclosures of PHI." (Groom Law Group)
Overview: DOL, IRS, and HHS Issue Final Nondiscrimination Rules
Excerpt: "On January 8, 2001, DOL, IRS, and HHS ('the Agencies') jointly issued interim final regulations related to HIPAA's anti-discrimination provisions. The new rules apply to group health plans and health insurance issuers and update interim regulations issued on April 8, 1997." (Groom Law Group)
'Awful' Frist Bill 'Fails' Patients, Wall Street Journal Columnist Writes
Excerpt: "The patients' bill of rights legislation being supported by the Bush administration is a 'capitulation to health maintenance organizations' and an 'awful' bill, Wall Street Journal columnist Albert Hunt writes in an op-ed ..." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Patients, Doctors, Employers All Have Some Protection Under Patients' Rights Proposal
Senators Bill Frist (Tenn.), John Breaux (La.), and Jim Jeffords (Vt.) have introduced The Bipartisan Patients' Bill of Rights Act of 2001, S. 889, to provide enhanced protections for patients in managed care plans. The protections in S. 889 apply to all 170 million Americans covered by private-sector group health plans, individual health plans, and fully-insured state and local government plans. (SpencerNet)
USA Today Looks at How Drug Makers' 'Lavish' Marketing to Doctors Drives Up Drug Costs
Excerpt: "Pharmaceutical companies have long offered 'freebies' to doctors, ranging from pens and notepads to 'lavish dinners and trips,' as incentives for physicians to take the time to listen to company 'sales pitches' or to attend focus groups on prescription drugs, USA Today reports.... critics say the practice has contributed to the 19% increase in pharmaceutical spending last year." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Prospects 'Uncertain' for New Patients' Rights Bill as Legislators, Industry Level Criticism
Excerpt: "With support from President Bush, Sens. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), John Breaux (D-La.) and James Jeffords (R-Vt.) on May 15 introduced a new patients' rights bill (S 889), which 'was denounced with equal vigor by opposing sides in the debate,' making its 'prospects ... uncertain,' the Washington Post reports." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings (Post Yours!)
| Consultant, Employee Benefit | for The Standard Insurance Company in ALL STATES |
| 401(k) Administrator | for Benefit Management Inc. in MA, RI |
| Senior Administrative Analyst | for University of California, Office of the President, Human Resources and Benefits in CA |
| Defined Contributions Administrator | for Dreyfus in NY |
| Internal Consultant, Benefits | for EarthLink, Inc. in CA, GA |
| Cash Accumulation Analyst | for Philips PACE - A Division of Philips Electronics North America in FL |
| Regional Benefits Manager | for St. Joseph Health System in CA |
| 401(k) Retirement Plan Administrator | for Small Business Insurance Agency, Inc. in MA |
Newly Posted Conferences (Post Yours!)
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Green Bay | in WI on August 6, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Scranton, PA | in PA on August 7, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Grand Rapids, MI | in MI on August 7, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| Legislative Update on IRC 125 Benefits and New Regulations on Privacy, SPDs and more | in MD on June 21, 2001 presented by Baltimore Chapter of ISCEBS |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Columbus, OH | in OH on August 7, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Little Rock, AR | in AR on August 14, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Seattle, WA | in WA on August 14, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Cincinnati, OH | in OH on August 14, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Harrisburg, PA | in PA on August 21, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Oklahoma City | in OK on August 21, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Pittsburgh | in PA on August 21, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Portland, OR | in OR on August 21, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Denver | in CO on August 21, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Cleveland | in OH on August 28, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Detroit | in MI on August 28, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - San Diego | in CA on August 28, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Milwaukee | in WI on August 28, 2001 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| Form 5500 for 2000 | in NY on May 30, 2001 presented by New York Chapter of WEB |
| Washington Public Policy Update | in NY on June 14, 2001 presented by New York Chapter of WEB |
| Retirement Planning Seminar for CPAs and Financial Advisors | in CA on June 12, 2001 presented by CMC Retirement and Employee Benefits Specialists, Inc. |
| Retirement Planning Seminar for CPAs and Financial Advisors | in CA on June 19, 2001 presented by CMC Retirement and Employee Benefits Specialists, Inc. |
Newly Posted Press Releases
| SeniorAdvocate -- providing caregivers the support *they* need (ARAG Group) |
Subscribe to the Retirement Plans Edition, too (click)
Copyright 2001 BenefitsLink.com, Inc.
You may freely distribute this email newsletter in whole.
Click here to learn how your company can sponsor a future issue!
BenefitsLink is a registered trademark of BenefitsLink.com, Inc., published by Dave Baker with much help from Mary Hall and lots of friends.
We're proud of our privacy policy.
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/