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October 22, 2001 - 6,463 subscribers
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Massachusetts Congressman Says Polaroid Retirees Need Legislative Help
Excerpt: "Legislation to protect workers and retirees of bankrupt employers should be considered in the wake of Polaroid Corp.'s elimination of severance payments and retiree insurance coverage, U.S. Rep. William D. Delahunt (D-Quincy) said yesterday.... Delahunt said he's considering legislative options, including one that would give severance payments and retiree medical and insurance claims priority status in bankruptcy proceedings." (MSNBC.com)
Ford Discontinues Free PC Program for Employees
Excerpt: "Ford Motor Co. spokesman Peter Olsen said an e-mail was sent to employees worldwide advising them that the 'Model E' program was canceled. Under Model E, all Ford employees would get a free home computer and printer, and Internet access for $5 a month." (Chicago Tribune)
Wisconsin Senate Passes Mental Health Parity and Contraceptive Coverage Bills
Excerpt: "By a vote of 22-11, the Senate passed without discussion SB 157, which would require health insurers to cover mental illness, alcoholism and drug abuse problems 'just as they do other illnesses.' The Senate also passed SB 128, which would require health insurers to cover federally approved prescription contraceptives and services, by an 18-15 vote." (KaiserNetwork.org)
North Carolina Governor Signs Patients' Rights Bill
Excerpt: "North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley (D) on Oct. 18 signed into law a patients' rights bill that includes a provision allowing patients to sue their managed care plans, the Raleigh News & Observer reports." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Opinion: Jury Awards Proving Costly For Health Care
Excerpt: "Since 1997, the top jury awards in Texas malpractice cases have risen steadily: $92.4 million in 1997; $250.2 million in 1998; and $312.8 million this year. A national study found median jury awards in malpractice cases nationwide rose 76% between 1996 and 1999 to $800,000." (Dallas Business Journal)
Health Costs' Harsh Reality
Excerpt: "A survey of 200 large employers released last week found that workers will pay an average of 14 percent more for company-provided health benefits next year. That's almost four times the rate of inflation." (Washington Post)
Physician Incentives in HMOs
Working paper, available from NBER for downloading ($5 charge). Excerpt: "Physician incentives are controversial because they may induce doctors to make treatment decisions that differ from those they would chose in the absence of incentives. We set out a theoretical framework for assessing the degree to which incentive contracts do in fact induce physicians to deviate from a standard guided only by patient interests and professional medical judgement." (National Bureau of Economic Research)
Opinion: Time to Look at Stock Options' Real Cost
Excerpt: "After a bruising battle in 1993, the accounting board caved in to corporate lobbyists' demands that stock options, undeniably an employee cost, should not be deducted from revenue as other costs are." (New York Times; free registration required)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings (Post Yours!)
| System Support Assistant | for Benefit Plan Services, Inc. (BPSI) in GA |
| Senior Benefits Specialist | for Bloomberg LP in NY |
Newly Posted Press Releases
| CME Announces State-Of-The-Art Employee Stock Option Planning Service (CME Stock Option Consulting Services, Inc.) |
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Copyright 2001 BenefitsLink.com, Inc., but you may freely distribute this email newsletter in whole. This newsletter is edited by David Rhett Baker, J.D.
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