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March 18, 2003 - 8,072 subscribers
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House Approves Bill That Would Cap Medical Malpractice Suit Punitive Damage Awards at $250k
News from last Friday ... sorry for the delay! Excerpt: "The House on March 13 approved a bill (HR 5) that would limit jury awards for noneconomic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits at $250,000, the Washington Post reports. Representatives voted 229-196, 'almost entirely along party lines,' the Post reports ..." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Opinion: Debate Over Malpractice Lawsuits Is Misdirected
Excerpt: "Although medical malpractice insurance rates have jumped significantly in the last two years, ... analysis of federal data and insurance industry testimony shows conclusively that greedy lawyers and plaintiffs aren't to blame." (Eric Zoeckler in the The [Everett, Wash.] Herald)
Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Rounds Up Coverage of State Malpractice Developments
What's the news around the nation? We have got the information ... (cue Goldie Hawn and Dick Martin). (KaiserNetwork.org)
Opinion: Groups Should Not Protest GlaxoSmithKline Policy Against Selling Products to Reimporters
Excerpt: "Many seniors have joined a boycott of GlaxoSmithKline products in response to the company's decision to block sales to Canadian wholesalers and pharmacies that resell GSK medications to U.S. patients at a reduced cost, but 'Canadian-style prices in the United States would mean Canadian-style access to pharmaceuticals in the United States, about which the very same elderly people would soon be protesting in the streets,' syndicated columnist Doug Bandow writes ..." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Louisiana Unveils Program To Help Small Employers Offer More Employees
Excerpt: "Louisiana officials last week unveiled a program that will allow small employers to offer insurance to more employees by having the state Insurance Department reinsure 'midlevel' health claims, the Baton Rouge Advocate reports." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Findlay, Ohio, Tiremaker to Drop Health Benefits for Future Retirees
Excerpt: "Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has joined a growing list of firms slashing retiree benefits. Salaried employees and others not covered by union contracts who have been hired since Jan. 1 will not receive health coverage when they retire. They also won't be eligible for life insurance provided to current employees." (The [Toledo, Oh.] Blade via NewsAlert.com)
Future of Mental Health Parity Legislation in Doubt
Excerpt: "Despite support from the Bush administration and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act, which would require health insurers to cover mental health treatments at the same rates they cover physical health treatments, is 'stopped in its tracks' on Capitol Hill, Roll Call reports ..." (KaiserNetwork.org)
The Reallocation of Compensation in Response to Health Insurance Premium Increases
Working paper available for downloading for $5 from SSRN.com. Excerpt: "We study ... the introduction of pre-tax premiums for postal employees in 1994, and then for the remaining federal employees in 2000.... We find that there is a very small elasticity of insurance takeup with respect to its after-tax price ... Our results suggest that the federal government did little to improve insurance coverage, but much to increase health care expenditures, through this policy change." (Jonathan Gruber, Ebonya Washington in the National Bureau of Economic Research)
Hotel Did Not Violate the ADA By Terminating Housekeeper Who Could Not Perform Her Job
A hotel did not violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when it terminated a housekeeper who could not perform the essential functions of her job. This was the ruling of the Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Alexander v. The Northland Inn (No. 02-1744). (SpencerNet)
Eleventh Circuit Reinstates Plaintiff's ADEA Claim To Resolve Issue of Timeliness
A federal district court improperly dismissed a plaintiff's claim against his former employer under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) where it had yet to be determined whether the plaintiff had timely filed a claim of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This was the decision of the Eleventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Wright v. AmSouth Bancorporation (No. 02-10006). (SpencerNet)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Second Circuit Case Reminds Plan Administrators of Obligations with Respect to Distributing SPDs
Excerpt: "A plan administrator's procedures for distributing summary plan descriptions (SPDs) to participants must 'be reasonably calculated to achieve actual distribution,' according to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.... This case is particularly timely because many plan administrators are preparing to send out SPDs or summaries of material modifications (SMMs) in order to comply with the updated SPD content requirements, which are now effective for most plans." (Deloitte & Touche Human Capital Advisory Services)
More Employees Are Using Online Enrollment In Benefit Plans
The percentage of employees enrolling in benefit plans via the Internet has almost doubled over the past three years, according to research recently conducted by Hewitt Associates. The percentage of employees choosing online enrollment for their 2003 benefits was 70%, exactly the same percentage as in 2002. That figure is up from 51% in 2000 and only 36% in 1999. (SpencerNet)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Pension Plan Administrator
for The Angell Pension Group, Inc.
in RI
Defined Benefit Project/Process Consultant - SS-021101-006
for Hewitt Associates
in IL
Defined Benefit New Business Consultant
for New York Life Investment Management, LLC
in MA
Director, Retirement Benefit Plans
for Gatti & Associates
in KY, OH
Defined Benefits Pension Consultant
for Florida Power & Light
in FL
Employee Benefit Consultant II
for Wachovia
in GA
Employee Benefits Trust Officer III
for Regions Financial Corporation
in AL
Newly Posted Conferences
(Post Yours!)
401(k) Plans For The Financial Professional In California: What You Need To Know To Service And Retain a 401(k)
in CA
May 20, 2003
Lorman Education Services
401(k) Plans For The Financial Professional In California: What You Need To Know To Service And Retain a 401(k)
in CA
May 29, 2003
Lorman Education Services
Newly Posted Press Releases
(Post Yours!)
AIG Advisor Group Joins 401Konnect Marketplace
(401Konnect, Inc.)
Mullin Consulting Posts Sales Increase in 2002
(Haese & Wood)
Labor Department Announces Electronic Access To Health Filings on MEWAs
(U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration)
WEB Announces 2003 Award Recipients.
(Worldwide Employee Benefit Network)
Pyramid Digital Solutions Acquires Exclusive Rights To Emplanet Technology
(Pyramid Digital Solutions)
Deferral.com Announces Client Customization and Automated Processing Features For Executive Deferral Plans
(Deferral.com, Inc.)
State Retirement Plans Take Issue with Sensationalist Research
(National Association of State Retirement Administrators)
Movers and Shakers: Newly Posted Announcements of Promotions and New Personnel
(Post Yours!)
Pattiann Firmiss (Mullin Consulting)
Steve Richter (Keenan & Associates)
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