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January 24, 2003 - 7,947 subscribers
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Kaiser Permanente Agrees To Make Public Doctor Incentives
Excerpt: "Kaiser Permanente, the nation's largest not-for-profit HMO, on Jan. 24 announced that it will disclose some of its internal operations as part of a settlement with a consumer group that alleged Kaiser engaged in false advertising in campaigns to recruit new members, the Contra Costa Times reports." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in Maine Rx Case
Excerpt: "The Supreme Court on Jan. 22 heard opening arguments in PhRMA v. Concannon, a case that could determine whether states can use their Medicaid programs as leverage to obtain lower drug prices for people not enrolled in the program, the New York Times reports." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Citing Healthcare Crisis, Former President Clinton Slams Tax Cuts
Excerpt: "By injecting his voice into the emerging debate over health-care reform-- which he championed a decade ago, with politically disastrous results-- Clinton set a marker for the Democratic Party on an issue likely to figure prominently in this congressional session and the 2004 presidential campaign." (Los Angeles Times; one-time registration required)
Can America Afford Bad Health?
Excerpt: "Nearly two-thirds of residents of United States are overweight, and since 1991 the incidence of obesity has risen from 12 percent to more than 25 percent. Obesity-related diseases, like type II diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, heart disease, and cancer are consuming most of our healthcare dollars." (HealthLeaders.com)
Plan Properly Terminated LTD Benefits When Beneficiary Was Able To Return To Work: Court
The administrator of a disability plan properly terminated a beneficiary's long term disability benefits when an examination by a physician revealed that the beneficiary could return to work. This was the ruling of the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Harris-Dubose v. Delta Family-Care Disability and Survivorship Plan, et al. (No. 02-1267). (SpencerNet)
Family Leave Disputes Heading to Courthouse
Excerpt: "Last year, I wrote that bosses are finding ways to cut employee leaves short. Now, more of these emotional disputes are landing in court. Complaints last year by employees fired in family-leave fights rose 34% over year-earlier levels, the Labor Department said last week." (CareerJournal.com)
University of Pittsburgh Challenging Effect of City Ordinance on Same-Sex Partner Health Benefits
Excerpt: "In an attempt to end the same-sex benefits lawsuit once and for all, Pitt has challenged the City of Pittsburgh's Equal Rights Ordinance. When the case began in 1996, Pitt was accused of violating the ordinance, which declares that no citizen shall be denied rights on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity or sexual preference." (The Pitt News)
Eldercare Concerns for Employees: Impact on Work Performance
Excerpt: "Eldercare responsibilities are becoming increasingly important issues to examine in the work life of American families ... . The purpose of this study was twofold: to examine the range of problems and influences of eldercare in the workplace; and to assess whether the demographic characteristics and eldercare problems of nurses are predictors of job performance." (Nursing Economics via Medscape; one-time registration required)
Bush To Request Additional $13M To Help Speed Generic Drug Approvals
Excerpt: "President Bush in his fiscal year 2004 budget proposal plans to ask for an increase of $13 million for the FDA generic drug program to help improve access to the medications, the AP/Nando Times reports." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Opinion: Healthcare Costs Put Everyone on the Picket Line
Excerpt: "The last time this happened, today's human resources managers-- the people who bring you the bad news about your health benefits each year-- were most likely in grammar school.... The last time there was a national strike at GE was 1969. Yet when the call went out to strike 48 plants in 23 states over GE's decision to force employees to pay more for health benefits, the rank-and-file needed little coaxing." (Newsday)
Ohio Shaping up as Key Battleground in Drug-Pricing Debate
Excerpt: "What happened in an Ohio courtroom on New Year's Eve suggests advocates of a state drug-discounting measure and their pharmaceutical industry foes have a rough road ahead. The court hearing involved a narrow legal dispute over timely access to public records. But it exposed a deeper divide over how to make prescription drugs more affordable." (Reuters Health via Medscape; one-time registration required)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Employee Benefits Legislative Outlook for the 108th Congress
Excerpt: "A host of pension, stock compensation, and executive compensation legislative initiatives are on the table as the 108th Congress gets underway. Here is a very brief overview of the legislative landscape for 2003." (Brigen L. Winters of the Groom Law Group)
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation: Changing Landscape for Key Component of Executive Compensation
Excerpt: "[O]ur study: captured and analyzed data on the prevalence, objectives, effectiveness and features of NQDC plans; determined prevalent management practices with a focus on those considered successful by companies; and provided information on evolving practices, particularly in the areas of design, administration, funding efficiency and return on investment, and communications." (Watson Wyatt)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Compliance Analyst
for Milliman USA
in TX
Sr. Sales Representative - Retirement Services
for Principal Financial Group
in NJ, NY
Actuarial Analyst
for Northern Trust Retirement Consulting, L.L.C.
in WA
401K Sales Specialist - Retirement Services
for Principal Financial Group
in NJ
Newly Posted Press Releases
(Post Yours!)
Labor Department Issues Final Rules on Disclosure of Pension Plan 'Blackout Periods'
(U.S. Department of Labor, Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration)
Handy Links:
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