If the headlines in this newsletter aren't clickable for you,
please use the online, clickable version at:
https://benefitslink.com/2003/2003_08_13_welfare.html
(click or copy-and-paste the above address into your web browser)


BenefitsLink
Welfare Plans
Newsletter
To BenefitsLink home page Fill your job openings fast by advertising on BenefitsLink

August 13, 2003 - 8,429 subscribers
Today's sponsor: Thompson Publishing Group, Inc.

(Click on company name or banner to learn more.)

“Coordination of Leave Strategies” 8/18/03 * 2:00 p.m. ET

Do you have difficulty appropriately responding to leave
requests? You are not alone! Many employers find recalling
all the requirements of the seemingly overlapping leave laws
to be both taxing and complicated. Luckily, we can help!
Register for this exclusive audio conference and in just
90 minutes, and without leaving your desk, you can learn
strategies to identify and avoid potential problems in
handling employee leave requests.

(Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)
Many Doctors Push National Health Insurance
Excerpt: "Nearly 8,000 U.S. physicians are calling for government-financed national health insurance, which they say would cover every American while saving billions of dollars." (AP via Washington Post)

AMA Position: We Strongly Oppose Single-Payer Health System
Excerpt: "Reiterating the AMA's position on health insurance, AMA President Donald J. Palmisano, MD, [on August 12, 2003] said, 'A solution to the problem of the uninsured is desperately needed-- but a single-payer health care system is not the answer.'" (American Medical Association)

Annual Physical Checkup May Be an Empty Ritual
Excerpt: "Checkups for people with no medical complaint remain the single most common reason for visiting a doctor ... At $120 to $150 per visit (and $2,000 or so for the gold-plated 'executive physical' that many companies offer to top executives), that adds up to more than $7 billion a year." (New York Times; one-time registration required)

Generic Drugs Gaining Market Share
Excerpt: "The push is on to make generic the prescription brand of choice. Last year, for the first time ever, generic drugs commanded more market than brand-name prescription medicines ..." (The [Raleigh, N.C.] News & Observer)

Consumer-Directed Healthcare Vendor Directory
Excerpt: "The Galen Institute Center for Consumer Driven Health Care has compiled a list of companies offering consumer driven health care products. Employers, individuals, and others can search the directory to find information on products companies offer and how to contact them." (The Galen Institute)

Analysis: Use of Debit/Credit Cards for Health Plan Reimbursements (PDF)
Nice 5-page analysis of Revenue Ruling 2003-43. (Linda Shashinka, Esq. of Near North Insurance Brokerage)

Why Offer Child Care Benefits?
Excerpt: "Employers with employees who have difficulties in balancing the need for child care with the demands of their jobs experience the ripple effects of absenteeism, disrupted work flow, even turnover.... The absence of even one employee and the consequent disruption of his or her work has an effect on other employees -- those with whom the employee works, those whose work is dependent on that of the employee, and ultimately, the entire company ..." (Thompson Publishing Group)

Adoption Assistance Model Plan Documents
Excerpt: "Under Section 137 of the tax code, employer-provided adoption assistance benefits must be provided under a 'written plan.' This is one of the requirements of a qualified adoption assistance plan.... By clicking on the links below, you may view examples ... created by David Fuller of the international law firm McDermott, Will & Emery, an authority on adoption assistance benefits. (Thompson Publishing Group)

Frequently Asked Questions About Adoption Assistance Plans
18 questions and answers. (Thompson Publishing Group)


Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General

California's Benefit Software Inc. Helps Companies Help Employees
Excerpt: "Employers pay staff anything from 25 percent to 35 percent above their agreed salaries in work-related benefits, according to Santa Barbara entrepreneur Larry DuBois.... Mr. DuBois says not all employers realize the cost of benefits and very few workers appreciate the full value of their employment package. His company's mission is to change all that." (Santa Barbara News-Press via NewsAlert.com)


Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Post a Help Wanted Ad

Plan Administrator
for JRN Benefits
in CA

Qualified Plan Consultant
for Benefit Solutions Corp
in IL, IN, MN, WI

Implementation Specialist
for Milliman USA
in TX

Retirement Benefits Manager
for The Pyramids Group (Executive Search Firm)
in OH

Pension Plan Administrator
for The Pension Alliance
in PA

Client Services Consultant
for American United Life Insurance Company (AUL)
in DC, MD, VA

Health Benefits Analyst
for The Segal Company
in GA
Newly Posted Conferences
(Post Yours!)

Introduction to ESOPs - Burlingame
in CA
October 1, 2003
National Center for Employee Ownership

Introduction to ESOPs - Costa Mesa
in CA
October 2, 2003
National Center for Employee Ownership

Introduction to ESOPs
in NE
October 14, 2003
National Center for Employee Ownership

Introduction to ESOPs
in IA
October 15, 2003
National Center for Employee Ownership

Introduction to ESOPs
in IL
October 22, 2003
National Center for Employee Ownership

Introduction to ESOPs
in MN
October 23, 2003
National Center for Employee Ownership

Introduction to ESOPs
in NJ
October 28, 2003
National Center for Employee Ownership

Introduction to ESOPs
in PA
October 29, 2003
National Center for Employee Ownership

Introduction to ESOPs
in MA
October 30, 2003
National Center for Employee Ownership

Introduction to ESOPs
in OH
November 4, 2003
National Center for Employee Ownership

Introduction to ESOPs
in MO
November 5, 2003
National Center for Employee Ownership

Introduction to ESOPs
in TX
November 6, 2003
National Center for Employee Ownership

Town Hall Meeting on the Health Care Crisis 2003
in TX
August 27, 2003
Austin Chapter International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists (ISCEBS)

The Beat Goes On: New Cash Balance Cases That May Rock Things
in DC
August 26, 2003
American Bar Association Joint Committee on Employee Benefits
Newly Posted Press Releases
(Post Yours!)

New Features Provide Branding Options for Sponsors and Administrators
(Deferral.com, Inc.)


Handy Links:

Copyright 2003 BenefitsLink.com, Inc.; except that you can forward this email in full (including this boilerplate part) or otherwise reprint this email in full (including this boilerplate part) without obtaining our permission.

Published by:

BenefitsLink.com, Inc.
https://benefitslink.com/about.html
1298 Minnesota Avenue, Suite H
Winter Park FL 32789
(407) 644-4146
Fax: (407) 644-2151

Editor and Publisher: David Rhett Baker, J.D.

Housekeeping: