| BenefitsLink Welfare Plans Newsletter |   |
July 30, 2003 - 8,440 subscribers
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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)
Practitioner Comments on Proposed DOL COBRA Regs on Behalf of COBRA Third-Party Administrators (PDF)
21 pages. Excerpt: "The regulations should clarify how the COBRA requirements apply when a plan administrator uses the services of a TPA or other service provider to administer COBRA. Specifically, the following issues should be more clear: ..." (Paul M. Hamburger, P.C. of McDermott, Will & Emery)
Opinion: CBPP Tackles MSAs, HSAs, HSSAs, FSAs, HRAs, and Every Other New Idea
Excerpt: "Ya gotta give 'em credit. Ten days after the HSA/HSSA provisions were passed in Ways and Means, the Left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) was out with three separate papers and press releases explaining how these ideas would be the ruination of civilization, destroy the employer-based system of health insurance (of which CBPP is so fond), and create massive deficits in state government ..." (The Galen Institute)
Voucher Requirement Discourages Pretax Transit Programs in 2004
Excerpt: "The primary reason employers have not established transit pass programs is because of a requirement that employers must distribute transit vouchers to employees if the administrative cost of purchasing the vouchers does not exceed 1 percent of the value of the vouchers.... This article examines the IRS final regulations, provides examples of the practical problems many employers will face implementing them, and makes recommendations for how best to solve the issues going forward." (Benefits Law Journal via aon.com)
Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance For New Retirees: Dramatic Declines In 5 Years
Excerpt: "Employer-sponsored health insurance is often described as the most reliable private source of Medicare supplementation, particularly for prescription drug benefits. This study's findings show that employer coverage is becoming an increasingly less dependable source of coverage for new retirees, and the problem is likely to get worse." (Health Affairs)
Opinion Pieces Examine Debate Over Reimportation Bill
Excerpt: "The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report rounds up recent editorials and opinion pieces that examine the debate over the Pharmaceutical Market Access Act of 2003 (HR 2427), which recently passed in the House." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Form 5500 Filing Tips
Excerpt: "In hopes of reducing the number of filing errors encountered when processing the Form 5500 and Form 5500-EZ returns and the correspondence and confusion that often ensue, we would like to offer the following important reminders: ..." (Internal Revenue Service)
Excerpts from New Book on Phantom Stock, Restricted Stock, and Other Equity Alternatives
The NCEO presents excerpts from Beyond Stock Options, a new book (with accompanying CD) on phantom stock, restricted stock, SARs, and other equity alternatives that are becoming increasingly prominent. (National Center for Employee Ownership)
Companies Get Stingy with Stock Option Grants
Excerpt: "[T]he market is coming back and stock options could actually provide a payoff again. So what are companies doing? Giving employees fewer stock options or none at all." (Wall Street Journal via SFGate.com)
Fill Out the Spencer Survey of Benefits Managers
Aspen Publishers Spencer Benefits Reports currently is collecting information for the 2003 Spencer survey of benefits managers and employee benefits departments. This ninth biennial survey requests information concerning compensation, organization, and functional responsibilities of corporate employee benefits departments. The information provided will be collated and published by Spencer Benefits Reports. All survey respondents will receive a copy of the published survey at no charge. (Spencer Benefits Reports)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Pension/401 (k) Administrators
for Polycomp Administrative Services, Inc.
in CA
Sales
for Benefits Broker and Consulting Firm
in NJ
Client Services Supervisor
for BISYS
in PA
457 Benefits Administrator
for Jem Resource Partners
in TX
Newly Posted Webcasts
(Post Yours!)
Heads Up: The NEW 401(k) Regulations
on August 19, 2003
presented by SunGard Corbel
Safe Harbor Plans Under The Proposed Regulations
on August 21, 2003
presented by SunGard Corbel
Newly Posted Conferences
(Post Yours!)
Coordination of Leave Strategies
in ALL STATES
August 18, 2003
Thompson Publishing Group, Inc.
Health and Welfare Benefit Plans, 14th Annual National Institute
in DC
October 2, 2003
American Bar Association
Compensation for Executives and Directors, 18th Annual National Institute
in IL, NY
November 6, 2003
American Bar Association
ERISA Litigation, 13th Annual National Institute
in IL
November 13, 2003
American Bar Association
Newly Posted Press Releases
(Post Yours!)
Self Study Solution Brings Benefits of Financial Education to All Companies
(The EDSA Group, Inc.)
Information On Planning, Saving and Investing For Retirement
(Retirement Planning Consultants)
Great-West Retirement Services Named Recordkeeper of the Year
(Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company)
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Search BenefitsLink
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research
- Employee Benefits Library
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Editor and Publisher: David Rhett Baker, J.D.
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