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January 26, 2004 - 8,783 subscribers
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Sluggish Start for Offer of Tax Credit for Health Insurance for 'Displaced' Workers
Excerpt: "A program offering tax credits to jobless workers to buy health insurance has gotten off to a slow, sputtering start, despite energetic efforts by Bush administration officials who want the program to succeed as a model for a much more ambitious effort to help the uninsured." (New York Times; one-time registration required)
Text of Amicus Brief Supporting HMO Liability in U.S. Supreme Court Case
Excerpt: "The best way to satisfy explicit Congressional intent while adhering to the strict language of the law is to define the scope of ERISA as applying to the insurance coverage paid for by the plan, not the medical service paid for by the insurer.... The insurer's failure to pay for or provide specific medical service should subject the insurer to state contract and tort remedies, since ERISA provides no federal jurisdiction over such non-plan entities." (Health Administration Responsibility Project)
Text of IRS Announcement on HSA Contribution Code for 2004 Form W-2 (PDF)
Excerpt: "A new code (Code W -- Employer's contribution to an employee's Health Savings Account (HSA)) for use in box 12 on the 2004 Form W–2 has been added to the 2004 Instructions for Forms W–2 and W–3." (Internal Revenue Service)
Treasury Officials Hint at Quicker Guidance on Remaining HSA Issues
Excerpt: "The Treasury Department is interested in hearing whether simple outstanding issues about health savings accounts (HSAs) can be dealt with quickly before more guidance is issued this summer, according to a representative of the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation (ECFC) who attended a Jan. 21 meeting with Department officials." (Thompson Publishing Group)
Consumers Have Trouble Finding Health Savings Accounts
Excerpt: "While proponents say the accounts will help usher in a new era of consumerism in health care, only a few insurers are offering them -- and the Treasury Department has not finished issuing rules regarding them." (USA Today)
Opinion: President's Proposal Makes Health Savings Accounts More Lucrative for High-Income People
Excerpt: "In his State of the Union Address, President Bush proposed to expand Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) by allowing HSA participants to claim a tax deduction for the premium costs of the high-deductible health insurance policies that they purchase. The apparent intent of the proposal is to help more of the uninsured purchase health insurance, albeit less comprehensive high-deductible coverage." (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)
Opinion: HSAs Not the Single Solution for the Uninsured
Excerpt: "HSAs are not the silver bullet solution for all of the uninsured. We have long advocated refundable tax credits for the uninsured because tax deductibility isn't worth much to someone in a 15% tax bracket who has little cash to spare to purchase health insurance." (The Galen Institute)
AARP Honors Employers Providing Rich Benefits for Older Workers
Excerpt: "Criteria for receiving the award include recruitment practices, continuing opportunities for advancement, flexible work schedules, and benefits for current and retired employees." (BenefitNews.com)
FDA Warns Texas-Based Companies About Helping Montgomery, Ala., Reimport Medications From Canada
Excerpt: "The FDA on Thursday sent letters to three Texas-based companies to inform them that they must end the reimportation of lower-cost, U.S.-manufactured pr*scription drugs from Canada within 15 days or could face prosecution, the Washington Post reports." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Supermarket Picket Lines 'Falling Apart' In California
Excerpt: "The picket lines began thinning after Christmas, when union strike pay for the grocery workers was cut in half, and every day since, there have been fewer people holding picket signs with Vicky Cooper outside a Vons supermarket." (AP via Washington Times)
Opinion: Grocery Workers' Leader Paid Like a Corporate Boss
Excerpt: "Some of the union's top regional officials, whose strategic blunders have contributed to this costly, 15-week stalemate [involving the employees' share of health insurance costs], are among the best-paid labor leaders in the state -- nay, in the country." (Los Angeles Times; one-time registration required)
F.D.A. Begins Push to End Drug Imports
Excerpt: "A second 'blitz' inspection by federal drug and customs officials of medicines imported from Canada has found that nearly all of the almost 2,000 packages opened contained foreign versions of American pharmaceuticals that officials said might not be safe." (New York Times; one-time registration required)
Return on Investment in Mental Health Care Is More Than Anecdotal
Excerpt: "In any company today, there are success stories of employees who received effective treatment for emotional problems and quickly returned to their most productive selves." (BenefitNews.com)
Discussion Draft: Domenici-Kennedy Mental Health Parity Compromise (PDF)
13 pages. (Via American Benefits Council)
Text of Amended Regulations on Mental Health Parity Act (PDF)
3 pages. Excerpt: "This document contains an interim final amendment to modify the sunset date of interim final regulations under the Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA) to be consistent with legislation passed during the 108th Congress." (U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Text of Coalition Letter in Support of the Stock Option Accounting Reform Act (S.1890/H.R. 3574) (PDF)
5 pages. (Via American Benefits Council)
Same-Sex Couples Find New N.J. Laws Appealing
Excerpt: "The New Jersey law, which officially takes effect in June, will provide an inheritance-tax exemption, rights to hospital visitation and decision-making, and a state income-tax deduction for dependents. Partners of state employees will be eligible for health insurance and pension coverage." (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
Opinion: I'm Single and Paying For It
Excerpt: "Amid all the heated discussion on both sides of the g*y marriage debate, a broader point has somehow gotten lost: why should formally committed couples, straight or g*y, enjoy special privileges in the first place?" (Shari Motro in the New York Times; one-time registration required)
Newly Posted Events
The Entrepreneur's Workshop on Equity Compensation
Nationwide on January 27, 2004
presented by Beyster Institute
The ESOP Solution for Private Companies
Nationwide on February 18, 2004
presented by Beyster Institute
Newly Posted Press Releases
ICMA Retirement Corporation Executives Speak at the World Research Group’s Conference on Enhancing Retirement Education Programs
(ICMA Retirement Corporation)
ICMA Retirement Corporation Wins DALBAR Seal of Excellence For Defined Contribution Plan Participant Web Site
(ICMA Retirement Corporation)
Keenan Announces Appointment of Julia Chivers as Senior Vice President of Labor Relations
(Keenan & Associates)
Advent Software™ Ltd India Completes United States Spin-Off – Advent InfoSystems™ LLC; Flagship Product Is HIPAA Transaction Testing Software
(Advent InfoSystems™ LLC)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Pension Administrators
for Associated Pension Consultants
in CA
Employee Benefits Paralegal
for Reinhart Boerner VanDeuren s.c.
in WI
Qualified Plan Administrator
for High End Small Plan TPA
in FL
Plan Administrator
for Clifton Gunderson LLP
in IL
Trust and Investment Relationship Manager
for Trust Department of western Colorado community bank
in CO
Pension Plan Administrator
for GEBCorp
in GA
Senior Pension Administrator
for Retirement Alliance, Inc.
in NH
Retirement Plan Sales Executive
for Ceridian
in MA
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