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May 14, 2003 - 8,202 subscribers
Today's sponsor: Thompson Publishing Group, Inc.

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DOL Proposes Changes to 'White-Collar' Exemption Rules

These changes could affect over 109.5 million employees and 6.5
million workplaces.  Stay ahead of the curve and find out how
these changes will affect you ... get your copy of Thompson
Publishing Group's Special Report: What Employers Need to Know
About Proposed Changes to DOL's White-Collar Exemption Rules.

Click above for more information.

(Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)
Democratic Presidential Candidate Howard Dean Unveils National Health Insurance Plan
Excerpt: "Calling it a 'moral imperative,' the only doctor in the 2004 presidential race Tuesday unveiled his prescription for delivering health insurance to 41 million Americans now without it." (CNN.com)

Full Text of CBO Report: How Many People Lack Health Insurance, and For How Long? (PDF)
36 pages. Excerpt: "This Congressional Budget Office (CBO) paper, prepared at the request of the Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, uses data from several federally sponsored national surveys to examine the size, demographic characteristics, and dynamics of the uninsured population. In keeping with CBO's mandate to provide objective, impartial analysis, the paper makes no recommendations." (U.S. Congressional Budget Office)

Opinion: To Reform Healthcare, First Bust the Myths
Excerpt: "I fear that recent history will repeat itself, and health care reform again falter, if lawmakers and the public cannot get past the myths, confusion, fears, obstacles and ideological divisions that have come to surround the issue. To wit: ..." (Steven Findlay in USA Today)

Opinion: Association Health Plans Will Help Close Health Insurance Coverage Gap
Excerpt: "In a nutshell, association health plans offer small businesses a way to pool their resources to buy insurance. As it stands, small businesses in most states are stuck with disproportionately high costs because they have to choose from fewer than five providers." (Washington Times)

Aetna Web Site Offers Hospital, Price Comparison Tools
Excerpt: "Health insurer Aetna has expanded its consumer Web site to include several interactive comparison tools for its members. The updated site now features comparison tools for hospitals and prices for drugs and medical procedures." (iHealthBeat; one-time registration required)

Internet Has Slight Effect on Healthcare Use
Excerpt: "The Internet has a far less substantial impact on healthcare utilization than once believed, according to a study in [the May 14, 2003] Journal of the American Medical Association." (Modern Healthcare)

Overview: IRS Approves Use of Credit Cards for FSAs and HRAs
Excerpt: "To the relief of many employers, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently approved the use of credit or debit cards in connection with reimbursing employees for eligible medical expenses under qualifying health care reimbursement arrangements. The IRS guidance, Revenue Ruling 2003-43, illustrates how to implement a credit or debit card reimbursement program in connection with a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) or health care flexible spending account (FSA)." (McDermott, Will & Emery)

Wall Street Journal Examines Limited Benefit Plans
Excerpt: "The Wall Street Journal on May 14 examines limited benefit health insurance plans, one of the 'fastest-growing health-insurance offerings in the workplace.' Employers offer the plans to full- or part-time low-income workers for as little as $10 per week for health coverage that is often capped at about $1,000 per year." (KaiserNetwork.org)

California Proposal To Require State Approval for Health Premium Increases In Trouble
Excerpt: "Buffeted by heavy lobbying by the health care industry, legislation that would require state approval to raise health insurance rates is struggling to pass its first test in the Senate." (AP via Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights)

Michigan State Medical Society To Study Purchasing Less Costly Canadian Drugs
Excerpt: "The Michigan State Medical Society, the state's branch of the American Medical Association, will examine methods to help people purchase less costly prescription drugs in Canada, although federal law prohibits the practice, the Detroit News reports." (KaiserNetwork.org)

Opinion: Illegal Drug Imports Threaten Consumers' Health
Excerpt: "Under U.S. law, it is illegal to import prescription drugs from other countries, including through Internet sites, without explicit FDA approval. The law was passed in 1988 to protect U.S. citizens from fake and contaminated imported medicines." (The Galen Institute)

Medical Spending Attributable To Overweight and Obesity: How Much, and Who's Paying?
Excerpt: "Further evidence that overweight and obesity are contributing to the nation's health care bill at a growing rate." (Health Affairs)


Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General

Executive Pensions Mysterious to Many
Excerpt: "We know the salaries of the top executives. We know how much their annual bonuses are. We know how many stock options they have. But we don't know everything that goes into their compensation. Not even close. We don't know all about their pensions. They're huge and getting bigger all the time." (AP via the [Minneapolis] Star Tribune)

Technology Firms Finding Little Support In Bid to Slow Stock Option Expensing
Excerpt: "Despite two months of intensified lobbying, the technology industry has made little progress in changing minds and slowing the momentum to make companies count their stock options as a business expense." (The [San Jose, Calif.] Mercury News via NewsAlert.com)


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in NJ

401(k) Profit Sharing Administrator
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Newly Posted Conferences
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Fiduciary Liability Insurance
in MA
May 28, 2003
Peabody & Arnold; North American Professional Liability Insurance Agency
Newly Posted Press Releases
(Post Yours!)

Trump Casinos Selects GWLS to Offer Potential Life Saving and Child Protection Program to Employees
(Global Work/Life Solutions, LLC)

SunGard Corbel Makes the Grade for CE Credit with Updated Multimedia Pension Learning
(SunGard Corbel)


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