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The BenefitsLink Newsletter -
Welfare Plans Edition
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November 27, 2001 - 6,612 subscribers
Today's sponsor: EBIA's HIPAA & Other Federal Mandates for Group Health Plans

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(Help BenefitsLink to provide this newsletter at no charge to you -- our sponsors pay our way. Remember to visit them periodically; we try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)

AMA Gathering Reports of Physicians' Managed Care Experiences
Excerpt: "While physicians long have been dealing with difficulties from health insurers, the medical community still lacks non-anecdotal data to support its claims on a national level. The AMA is working to fill the gap by creating an electronic clearinghouse for physicians to report information about administrative disputes with third-party payers." (American Medical Association)

Employer's Informal Promise of Benefits, Even When Written, Did Not Amend ERISA Severance Plan
Abramowicz v. Rohm and Haas Co. (E.D. Pa. 2001). Excerpt: "[R]egarding the employee's claim that the employment offer amended the plan, the court followed Sprague v. General Motors Corp., 133 F.3d 388 (6th Cir. 1998), holding that informal, non-plan documents cannot alter an ERISA welfare benefit plan, absent a showing of fraud." (EBIA Weekly)

Mental Health Care Providers In Demand After Attacks
Excerpt: "[A] whole new era of mental health services could be opening up for longer term care, in what could be a boon for individual counselors and the companies who act as industry middlemen.... 'Employees will be asking: why can't we turn to this on another occasion,' said Nickole Ingram of Integra Inc., a Pennsylvania-based health care management company." (Reuters Health via Excite News)

Firms Salute Workers in Military with Expanded Benefits
Excerpt: "Dozens of major employers are making changes to provide more generous military leave policies despite the economic downturn and cost-cutting crunch. At least 70 major employers are enhancing benefits ..." (USA Today via IFEBP)

Employee Giving and Volunteerism Up
Excerpt: "A 1999 survey of 248 US companies by the Points of Light Foundation found that 48% incorporated employee volunteer programs into their overall business plans, compared to only 19% in 1992." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)

IRS Reiterates Guidance on Health Benefits Provided by a Sole Proprietorship to the Owner's Spouse
Excerpt: "The IRS has issued settlement guidelines addressing the use of a tax planning device to enable self-employed individuals, who cannot take a business deduction for their own medical expenses, to achieve the desired result indirectly by hiring their spouse as an employee." (EBIA Weekly)

Washington Times Editorial Criticizes New Mental Health Parity Bill
Excerpt: "A Senate-passed bill (S 543) that would expand the 1996 mental health parity law would 'send health costs skyrocketing' and 'slash other benefits' to employees, a Washington Times editorial says." (KaiserNetwork.org)

(Following items are in both editions of the BenefitsLink Newsletter)


IRS Reiterates Rejection of Cafeteria Plan/Qualified Retirement Plan Hybrid Arrangements
Excerpt: "Building on guidance provided last year, the IRS has published settlement guidelines addressing cafeteria plan/qualified retirement plan hybrid arrangements, also known as pension reduction plans. These hybrid plans typically provide that distributions from a qualified retirement plan to a retiree may be used to fund benefits under the cafeteria plan of a retiree's former employer ..." (EBIA Weekly)

IRS Postpones Need To Perform Specified "Time-Sensitive Acts" Under Internal Revenue Code
In Rev. Proc. 2001-53, the Internal Revenue Service provides a list of 'time-sensitive acts' that may be postponed under IRC Secs. 7508 and 7508A. Sec. 7508 postpones, for the period of military service plus 180 days, specified acts that otherwise would be required to be performed by individuals serving in the Armed Forces or serving in support of the Armed Forces in a combat zone. (Spencernet)




Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings (Post Yours!)
Daily Valuation Administrator for WESPAC Plan Services, Inc.
in
CA
Defined Contribution Plan Consultant for TRI-AD
in
CA
401(k) Plan Consultant for Qualified Benefits, Inc.
in
CA
Multiple Employer Plan/PEO Specialist for CDM Retirement Consultants, Inc.
in
MD
Compliance Administrator for CDM Retirement Consultants, Inc.
in
MD



Newly Posted Conferences (Post Yours!)
FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Pasadenain CA on March 12, 2002
presented by A.E. Roberts Company
FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Allentownin PA on March 19, 2002
presented by A.E. Roberts Company
FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Salt Lake Cityin UT on March 19, 2002
presented by A.E. Roberts Company
FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - St. Louisin MO on March 19, 2002
presented by A.E. Roberts Company
FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Buffaloin NY on March 19, 2002
presented by A.E. Roberts Company
FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Dallasin TX on March 19, 2002
presented by A.E. Roberts Company
FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Wichitain KS on March 25, 2002
presented by A.E. Roberts Company
FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Albanyin NY on March 26, 2002
presented by A.E. Roberts Company
FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Scrantonin PA on March 26, 2002
presented by A.E. Roberts Company
FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - El Pasoin TX on March 26, 2002
presented by A.E. Roberts Company
FMLA; Coordinating FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Comp; COBRA; HIPAA; and Section 125 - Harrisburgin PA on March 26, 2002
presented by A.E. Roberts Company
Plan Investment Issues in the Current Economic Environmentin MA on December 5, 2001
presented by WEB Massachusetts Metrowest Chapter



Newly Posted Press Releases
Great-West Announces Alliance with 401kExchange (401kExchange.com)
SunGard Corbel Introduces Online Training for Relius Suite of Employee Benefits Applications (SunGard Corbel)

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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.