| The BenefitsLink Newsletter - Welfare Plans Edition |   |
April 25, 2002 - 6,426 subscribers
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Bush Close To Endorsing Mental Health Parity Legislation
Excerpt: "President Bush is close to reaching a compromise with lawmakers to back expanded mental health parity legislation, the Washington Post reports. He plans to give a 'strong' endorsement to the idea April 29 ..." (KaiserNetwork.org)
House Measure Would Give Health Benefits to Retired Steel Workers in Certain Circumstances
Excerpt: " Rep. Phil English (R-Pa.) on April 24 introduced a bill that would provide health benefits to retired steel workers in certain circumstances, but the measure received a 'less than enthusiastic welcome' from other lawmakers and steel union officials, the Baltimore Sun reports." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Study Puts Price on Mandated Benefits
Excerpt: "Government mandates, litigation and fraud and abuse accounted for more than one-quarter of the increase in healthcare costs in 2001, according to a study for the American Association of Health Plans." (Modern Healthcare)
Company Did Not Violate NLRA By Reducing Medical Benefits For Future Retirees: Court
A company did not violate the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) when it reduced medical benefits for future retirees, but the company did violate the NLRA when it reduced such retirees' life insurance benefits. This was the ruling of the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Mississippi Power Company v. National Labor Relations Board (No. 00-60794). (Spencernet)
Federal Health Megaplan Seeks Innovative Solutions for Containing Health Costs
Excerpt: "Facing another year of double-digit premium increases, the health benefits program for US government workers and retirees has asked health plans for 'innovative ideas' on holding down costs.... [the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program] is the largest employer-sponsored group health insurance program in the world, serving nearly 9 million employees, annuitants and family members." (Medscape; free registration required)
Opinion: Your Medical Records May Soon Be Up For Grabs
Excerpt: "Under the proposed amendment, your doctor will still have the option of allowing you to give or withhold your consent, but ultimately you lose your power to control the information because it will be against federal regulation if your doctor refuses to hand over your records to any entity that has regulatory permission to request them." (insure.com)
Medications, New Treatments, Devices Responsible for Premium Increases in 2001, Study Says
Excerpt: "Prescription drugs, medical devices and new medical treatments were 'among the biggest contributors' to the double-digit increases in health insurance premiums between 2001 and 2002, according to a study released on April 24 by the American Association of Health Plans." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Individuals in Not-for-Profit Health Plans More Likely To Be Satisfied than Those in For-Profits
Excerpt: "Enrollees in not-for-profit HMOs are more likely to be 'very satisfied' with their care than those in for-profit HMOs, according to a study published in the April 25 New England Journal of Medicine." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Bid To Split Pension Gain From Verizon Executive Pay Defeated
Excerpt: "Verizon shareholders voted against a proposal to exclude pension gains from calculating executive compensation at the annual shareholder meeting Wednesday, but the margin of defeat narrowed considerably from last year." (Dow Jones Newswires via Yahoo! News)
Raytheon Shareholders Reject Initiative to Exclude Pension Income in Determining Stock Option Awards
Excerpt: "The rejected stockowner-submitted resolution called upon Raytheon to exclude pension income from the operating results it uses to calculate executive stock option awards.... It was defeated, with 245 million shares voted in opposition and 35 million shares voted in favor." (Boston Globe)
Overview: Final DOL Rules on Electronic Disclosure and Recordkeeping (PDF)
Excerpt: "[I]ndividual benefit statements, investment-related information, 404(c) notices, QDRO/QMCSOs notifications, plan loan information, COBRA notices, and HIPAA certificates of health care coverage may be furnished electronically." (Milliman USA)
California's New Law Restricting the use of Social Security Numbers (PDF)
Excerpt: "SB 168 prohibits ... requiring a person to transmit his or her Social Security number over the internet unless the connection is secure or the Social Security number encrypted, ... requiring a person to enter his or her Social Security number to log onto an internet site unless used in combination with a password or PIN, and ... printing Social Security numbers on materials (other than on applications or forms) mailed to a person unless required by law." (Trucker Huss)
CEOs Cash In After Tenure
Excerpt: "When it comes to executive compensation, the good times often linger on. And on. Scores of former CEOs continue to pull in fat retainers and lavish perks-- some long after retiring-- as consultants to their companies." (USA Today)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings -
| Reinsurance Manager | for Corporate Benefit Services of America, Inc. (CBSA) in MN |
| Business Support Manager | for ING Aetna Financial Services in CT |
| Account Administrator II | for American Express Financial Advisors in MN |
| Business Support Specialist | for ING U.S. Financial Services in CT |
| Defined Contribution Plan Administrator | for USI Consulting Group in NY |
| Director-Compensation | for American Express Financial Advisors in MN |
| Sr. Compensation Analyst/Consultant | for American Express Financial Advisors in MN |
Newly Posted Conferences (Post Yours!)
| Estate Planning for Distributions from Qualified Plans and IRAs: Focusing on the New Final Regulations for Minimum Required Distributions under Section 401(a)(9) | in ALL STATES on May 23, 2002 presented by ALI-ABA (American Law Institute-American Bar Association Committee on Continuing Professional Education) |
| 2nd Annual ERISA FIDUCIARY Program 2002 | in NY on June 17, 2002 presented by Glasser Legal Works |
| 2nd Annual ERISA FIDUCIARY Program 2002 | in CA on June 21, 2002 presented by Glasser Legal Works |
| The Future of 401k's | in FL on May 9, 2002 presented by Jacksonville Chapter of WEB |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Albany | in NY on August 13, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Albuquerque | in NM on August 6, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Allentown | in PA on July 9, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Anaheim | in CA on August 6, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Austin | in TX on August 6, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Boston | in MA on August 26, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Buffalo | in NY on August 6, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Cincinnati | in OH on August 13, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Cleveland | in OH on August 20, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Columbus | in OH on August 6, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Dallas | in TX on July 30, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Denver | in CO on August 26, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Harrisburg | in PA on July 16, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Hartford | in CT on July 9, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Houston | in TX on July 23, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Jacksonville | in FL on August 26, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Kansas City | in MO on July 9, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Long Island | in NY on July 16, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - New York | in NY on July 30, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Orlando | in FL on August 20, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Parsippany | in NJ on July 23, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Pasadena | in CA on August 20, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Philadelphia | in PA on July 30, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Phoenix | in AZ on August 26, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Pittsburgh | in PA on August 13, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Providence | in RI on August 13, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Sacramento | in CA on July 30, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Salt Lake City | in UT on August 13, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - San Antonio | in TX on August 26, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - San Jose | in CA on July 23, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Scranton | in PA on July 23, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Shreveport | in LA on July 16, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - St. Louis | in MO on July 30, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Syracuse | in NY on August 20, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Tampa | in FL on August 6, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Wichita | in KS on July 16, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
| FMLA, COBRA (including HIPAA portability), Section 125, and HIPAA Privacy - Wilmington | in DE on July 16, 2002 presented by A.E. Roberts Company |
Newly Posted Press Releases
| Torrid Technologies Releases College Savings Planner, the Latest Addition to its WebCalcs Financial Calculators Suite (Torrid Technologies) |
| Freddie Mac Offers Online Benefit Portfolios - Mortgage Giant's Employees Access Total Compensation i-Statements for Second Year (Benefit Software Inc.) |
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Copyright 2002 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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