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March 20, 2003 - 8,072 subscribers
Today's sponsor: EBIA's HIPAA Portability & Privacy
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(Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)
Bethlehem Steel Retirees Caught Off Guard by Health Insurance Costs
Excerpt: "The union has worked out an agreement with Bethlehem to have the company administer the same medical coverage for six months after March 31. However, Bethlehem no longer will pay the premiums, and the extra cost will be borne by the retirees. For Medicare-eligible retirees, the monthly insurance cost for a retiree and spouse will be $507 for the major medical plan, up from $170 now." (The [Harrisburg, Pa.] Patriot-News)
Steel Retirees Face Health Benefits Challenge
Excerpt: "Thousands of retirees who once handled molten steel for a living are suddenly facing bewildering new challenges as they confront the complexities of health insurance." (AP via the New York Times; one-time registration required)
California Law Protecting Computerized Personal Information Takes Effect in July
March 19, 2003. Excerpt: "Effective July 1, 2003, individuals and businesses that conduct business in California must notify California residents whenever their unencrypted 'personal information' was, or is reasonably believed to have been, acquired by an unauthorized person as the result of a breach of the security of a computerized system." (The Segal Company)
Administration Considering Reforming Rules Regarding Flexible Spending Accounts
Excerpt: "President Bush is advocating legislation that would eliminate the 'use it or lose it' provision from health care flexible spending accounts and would allow workers to rollover up to $500 in unused contributions to the next year, the Wall Street Journal reports." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Nifty Ways to Leave Your Health Plan
Excerpt: "Switching health-care providers in mid-year is always a headache, but there are ways to make sure the cure is not worse than the disease." (PLANSPONSOR Magazine; registration required)
House-Passed Malpractice Bill Would Limit Some Third-Party Recoveries by Health Plans
Excerpt: "House-approved legislation that places certain limits on medical malpractice actions also would limit the ability of group health plans and other payers to recover their benefits payments from third parties in malpractice actions, according to a report by the U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO)." (Thompson Publishing Company)
Retiree Health Benefit Cuts Have Some Retirees Feeling Sick
Excerpt: "Public attention has focused on such deeply troubled companies as Bethlehem Steel and Polaroid Corp. eliminating health insurance for longtime workers who have already retired. But many other companies have avoided controversy by eliminating the benefit for people who may not yet appreciate what they're losing-- workers who will retire in the future." (AP via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Labor Leaders Campaign for Mandatory Employer-Paid Health Coverage in California
Excerpt: "Describing the lack of health insurance as California's most pressing problem, organized labor launched a statewide campaign Tuesday to pass legislation that would require employers to pay the costs of medical coverage for workers." (Los Angeles Times; one-time registration required)
Opinion: a Gathering Consensus On Health-care Reform
Excerpt: "What are the chances of any significant health-care legislation making it through Congress and becoming law with the signature of President Bush? ... On a single day last week, I saw evidence that alternately offered caution and hope." (David Broder of the Washington Post, in the Seattle Times)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
The Search Engine is Dead! Long Live the Search Engine!
Details about the new search engine on the BenefitsLink web site. (BenefitsLink)
House Bill Would Block Push to Expense Stock Options
Excerpt: "Silicon Valley companies are rallying behind legislation to be introduced today that would block for at least three years any efforts to require companies to count stock options as an expense on their books." (The [San Jose, Calif.] Mercury News via TimesLeader.com)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Actuarial Analyst
for Northern Trust Retirement Consulting, L.L.C.
in WA
Plan Administrator
for Professional Pension Partners, LLC
in MI
Retirement Plans Manager
for Exult, Inc.
in NC
Independent Investment Representatives-- Retirement & Investment Counselors
for NEBSonline, Inc.
in CA
Institutional Sales
for Fifth Third Bank
in IN, MO
Newly Posted Press Releases
(Post Yours!)
National Education Firm Exposes National Lender As Benefits Provider
(Financial Strategies)
Evolution Health Exec Reprises Appearance at Healthcare Web Summit: Defined Care 2003
(Evolution Benefits)
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Search BenefitsLink
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research
- Employee Benefits Library
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