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August 15, 2003 - 8,445 subscribers
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“Cash-Balance Pension Plans – Opportunities and Challenges
for Employers and Plan Sponsors”
Audio Conference 8/20/03 * 2:00 p.m. ET Many employers are changing their pension plans to cash balance plans. These plans are attractive and can save the company money. But in some instances, the conversion has triggered disputes. . .and companies have found themselves in court! Don't let this happen to you! Register today for this interactive audio conference featuring employee benefits expert, Charles D. Lockwood, J.D. and LL.M. (Taxation).
(Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)
Florida Legislature Passes Liability Reform Bill
Excerpt: "A comprehensive medical liability reform bill breezed through the Florida state Legislature [on August 14, 2003], creating a $500,000 limit on noneconomic damages for individual physicians in malpractice lawsuits." (Modern Healthcare)
NPR Examines Health Savings Account Provision in House Medicare Bill
Excerpt: "NPR's 'All Things Considered' on Aug. 13 examined a provision in the House Medicare reform bill (HR 1) that would create tax-sheltered health savings accounts ... The bill would allow the creation of two types of savings accounts that people enrolled in private health plans could use to accrue money tax-free to pay for some medical expenses, including medical treatment, medications and long-term care services or coverage." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Some Mental Health Cost Controls May Increase Employers' Long-Term Expenses
Excerpt: "Some mental health plan benefits designed to contain costs by restricting access to care may actually increase an employer's expenses over the long-term, according to an analysis of mental health plans conducted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health." (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health)
PBMs Report Recent Gains Through Mail-Order Pharmacy
Excerpt: "According to two of the nation's largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), the answer to lowering employers' skyrocketing prescription drug costs may not necessarily be found in tiered drug plans or Canadian pharmacies, but in mail-order." (BenefitNews.com)
Disease Management: Ensuring Better Health?
Excerpt: "Insurance companies enlist disease-management firms to assist chronically ill and trim costs, but some docs are skeptical." (The [Nashville] Tennessean via Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights)
Opinion: Popularity of Online Pharmacies Could Be Dangerous for Canada
Excerpt: "According to this week's Wall Street Journal, Americans buy $650 million of drugs from Canada annually. While that is less than 1% of the total U.S. medication market, it is a number that threatens to grow quickly." (The National Post)
Democratic Candidates Debate Health Care
Excerpt: "Democratic presidential candidates all want better, more available health care coverage. That's the easy part. What's tougher is devising a plan that won't send the federal deficit soaring-- and one that can get through Congress." (The Hartford Courant)
Consumer-Directed Health Plans Expected to Obtain 24% Market Share by 2010
Excerpt: "Such plans comprise less than 1% of market share today, but that percentage is steadily growing." (BenefitNews.com)
Consumer Driven Health Care Is More Than a Cost-Cutting Measure
Preliminary numbers for 2004 suggest that employers will be experiencing another year of double-digit health care cost increases. Eighty percent of employers are planning on increasing employee cost sharing as a way to help them deal with these huge increases, according to the Washington Business Group on Health. Employers want to reverse this trend and view consumer driven health care plans as an option to help them increase employees' share of the costs. (Spencer Benefits Reports)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Insurance Marketing and Research
for Multi-line Independent Insurance Agency
in GA
Retirement Plan Administrator
for Papalia Financial
in PA
401(k)/DC Account Manager
for CNA Trust
in IL
Sales Specialist
for Principal Financial Group
in NY
Pension Valuation Manager
for Principal Financial Group
in IA
Investment Services Supervisor
for BISYS
in PA
Benefits Finance Analyst
for Fortune 500 Manufacturing Company
in NJ
Newly Posted Conferences
(Post Yours!)
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SECTION 125 CAFETERIA PLANS, HEALTH REIMBURSEMENT ARRANGEMENTS AND THE USE OF DEBIT/CREDIT CARDS FOR HEALTH PLAN EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS.
in MA
September 18, 2003
Worldwide Employee Benefits Network
Cash-Balance Pension Plans - Opportunities and Challenges for Employers and Plan Sponsors
in ALL STATES
August 20, 2003
Thompson Publishing Group, Inc.
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