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November 14, 2001 - 6,549 subscribers
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U.S. News Examines Rising Health Care Costs
Excerpt: "U.S. News & World Report last week examined the rise in health care premiums and the reasons behind steadily increasing health costs." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Overview: Changes Affecting Cafeteria and Flexible Benefit Plans
Excerpt: "The recently enacted Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 ('EGTRRA') and final regulations issued by the IRS on coordinating the Family and Medical Leave Act ('FMLA') with cafeteria and flexible benefit plans make significant changes affecting those plans in 2002. There are two issues to inform you about which may affect your benefit plans." (Winston & Strawn)
Court Awards Attorneys' Fees To Plaintiffs Who Successfully Sued Health Plan For Coverage
The Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled that plaintiffs who successfully sued a health care plan seeking coverage for a lung transplant were entitled to attorneys' fees. The ruling came in Martin v. Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield (No. 00-3420). (Spencernet)
Salvation Army Rescinds Domestic Partner Benefits
Excerpt: "Less than two weeks after western officials of the Salvation Army decided to extend health benefits to domestic partners in 13 states, the group's national leaders have rescinded the order." (Los Angeles Times)
House Passes Tax Incentive Bill That Would Allow Withdrawals For Health Insurance Premiums
By a vote of 216-214, the House has passed H.R. 3090, the Economic Security and Recovery Act of 2001. The bill is a $160 billion economic stimulus package that includes tax breaks for individuals and businesses. One provision of H.R. 3090 would amend IRC Sec. 72(t)(2) to permit penalty-free withdrawals from IRC Sec. 401(a) qualified retirement plans, IRC Sec. 403(b) tax-sheltered annuities, and individual retirement accounts for the payment of health insurance premiums. (Spencernet)
EEOC Advises Employers On Requesting Medical Information As Part of Evacuation Plan
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has announced that it has posted on its Web site questions and answers to assist employers that are developing or reevaluating emergency evacuation procedures as a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The full text of the document is available at http://www.eeoc.gov . (Spencernet)
IRS Proposes Regs on Payroll and Income Taxes Applicable to Statutory Stock Options
Excerpt: "These proposed regulations would clarify current law regarding FICA tax, FUTA tax, and income tax withholding on the transfer of stock pursuant to the exercise of statutory stock options. These proposed regulations would provide that at the time of the exercise of a statutory stock option, the individual who was granted the statutory stock option receives wages for FICA and FUTA purposes." (Internal Revenue Service)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings (Post Yours!)
| Consultant, Employee Benefit | for The Standard Insurance Company in ALL STATES |
| Implementation Specialist | for Mellon Financial Services in NJ, NY |
| Actuarial Analyst, Defined Benefit Plans | for Cowden & Associates in PA |
| Pension Administrator | for Schiller's Pension Consulting in CA |
| 401(k) Plan Administrator | for Benefit Designers of Maryland, Inc. in MD |
| Retirement Plan Service Associate | for CapTrust Financial Advisors in NC |
| Health and Welfare Ongoing Project Manager - EC-010215-003 | for Hewitt Associates in GA |
| Benefits Analyst | for Solo Cup Company in IL |
| Benefits Supervisor | for Solo Cup Company in IL |
| Pension Trust Administrator | for Inline Plans, Inc. in CA |
| Manager of Universal Qualified Plan Administration & Record keeping | for First Trust Corporation in CO |
| COBRA Call Center Manager | for Ceridian in FL |
| Trust Auditor (several positions) JO#269 | for Financial Institution in MO |
Newly Posted Conferences (Post Yours!)
| Retirement Plan Basics | in CA on April 11, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Retirement Plan Basics | in WI on June 20, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Retirement Plan Basics | in WI on July 18, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Retirement Plan Basics | in NY on October 4, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| 401(k) Plans | in CA on April 15, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| 401(k) Plans | in WI on June 26, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| 401(k) Plans | in NY on October 7, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| 401(k) Plans | in WI on June 26, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Investment Basics | in CA on April 9, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Investment Basics | in WI on June 24, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Investment Basics | in NY on October 2, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Health Care Cost Management | in FL on March 4, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Health Care Cost Management | in WI on August 21, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Health Care Cost Management | in NY on October 9, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Choice-Based Benefits | in FL on February 28, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Choice-Based Benefits | in WI on August 19, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Choice-Based Benefits | in NY on October 4, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Variable Pay | in FL on February 28, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Variable Pay | in CA on April 11, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Variable Pay | in WI on July 24, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Investment Planning and Program Design | in FL on March 4, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Investment Planning and Program Design | in NY on October 9, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Financial Planning Basics | in FL on February 28, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Financial Planning Basics | in NY on October 7, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Certificate in Global Benefits Management | in NY on May 6, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Certificate in Global Benefits Management | in WI on September 9, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Accountants Forum on Employee Benefits | in NV on June 10, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Attorneys Forum on Employee Benefits | in FL on February 25, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Collection Procedures Institute | in CA on April 22, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
| Essentials of Multiemployer Trust Fund Administration | in WI on June 3, 2002 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans |
Newly Posted Press Releases
| FACTS Services, Inc. Expands FACTSWeb Functionality To Enable EDI Claim Uploads Through The Internet (FACTS Services, Inc.) |
| Ceridian's Retirement Plan Services Unit Selects Schwab Retirement Technologies as Recordkeeping Software Provider (Schwab Retirement Technologies tm) |
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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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