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February 16, 2004 - 8,783 subscribers
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Minor Change Will Bring Big Shift In Employer-sponsored Insurance
Excerpt: "A high deductible health plan (at least $1,000 for an individual and $2,000 for a family) can often save an employer 10 percent to 20 percent over a traditional health plan with lower deductibles. Health savings accounts help make such a move more palatable to employees because the accounts provide an IRA-like vehicle they can use to pay their deductibles (and other expenses) on a tax-favored basis." (Houston Business Journal via bizjournals.com; one-time registration required)
Overview: HSAs Give Employers New Option for Consumer-Driven Health
Excerpt: "New Medicare legislation provides tax-advantaged health savings accounts (HSAs) for virtually anyone who has coverage under a high-deductible health plan. In a surprising twist, the law allows HSAs to be funded on a pre-tax basis through a cafeteria plan, opening a whole new avenue for funding consumer-driven health care." (BenefitNews.com)
Overview: Relief from 1099 Reporting for Credit and Debit Cards for FSAs and HRAs
Excerpt: "Notice 2004-16 ... provides relief from the reporting requirement for payments made prior to January 1, 2003. This means that any payments made prior to the effective date of the Medicare Act amendment will not be subject to the 1099-MISC reporting requirement." (SunGard Corbel)
Rev. Rul. 2004-22: Medicare Entitlement of Covered Employee Often Not a Second Qualifying Event (PDF)
5 pages. Excerpt: "HOLDING: The Medicare entitlement of a covered employee is not a second qualifying event for a qualified beneficiary unless the Medicare entitlement would have resulted (if COBRA continuation coverage, including COBRA continuation coverage due to the first qualifying event, is disregarded) in a loss of coverage for the qualified beneficiary under the group health plan that is providing the COBRA continuation coverage." (Internal Revenue Service)
ERISA Rights Model Statements Not a Forum Selection Clause, 7th Circuit Says
Excerpt: "MetLife was no doubt shocked when it removed a claim for disability benefits under an employee benefit plan to federal court on the basis of a federal question and had it remanded to state court. The district court relied on language in the STATEMENT OF ERISA RIGHTS which provides in part, 'If you have a claim for benefits which is denied or ignored, in whole or in part, you may file suit in a state or federal court.'" (Attorney B. Janell Grenier on BenefitsBlog)
Florida Attorney General Answers Questions on Military Leave for State Employees
Excerpt: "[A] state employee who is ordered into military active duty other than for training pursuant to the provisions of 10 U.S.C. §12301(d) is entitled to a leave of absence, receiving full pay for the first 30 days. After that time, the employing authority may supplement the employee's military pay in an amount necessary to bring the employee's total salary, including his or her base military pay, to the level earned at the time the employee was called into active military duty." (Cypen & Cypen)
How One Firm Offers a Robust Support System To Encourage Employee Fitness
Excerpt: "At some companies, the onsite 'gym' is little more than a glorified supply closet with just enough room for a creaky treadmill and a few pairs of free weights. Guidelines for using the space might include being sure not to stumble over the mop bucket. Not so at the Livermore, Calif., campus of Sandia National Laboratories ..." (BenefitNews.com)
Health Insurance Costs Hammer Retired Public Workers in Ohio
Excerpt: "[H]ealth benefits for retirees are not mandated by state law, and the report said those benefits might have to face more cuts to keep the pension systems solvent. For decades, retired public employees in Ohio received free health insurance. This year, health costs jumped for nearly every retired Ohio government worker. Many retired teachers saw their health premiums nearly double, with some now paying as much as $541 a month." ([Cleveland] Plain Dealer)
HIPAA and Health Plans – What Employers Must Do by April 14, 2004 (PDF)
3 pages. (Richard A. Rogers, Attorney at Law, PLLC)
California Bill Targets Drug Prices
Excerpt: "California lawmakers on Thursday introduced a package of bills designed to curb pr*scription costs, in part by leveraging bulk government purchases and in part by helping patients and state agencies buy medicine from Canada." (Sacramento Bee via Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights)
Arkansas Federal District Court Lifts 1998 'Any Willing Provider' Injunction
Excerpt: "According to this recent article, the injunction has now been lifted by a federal district court in Arkansas and 'Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arkansas may soon have to open up its massive statewide managed care network to 'any willing provider,' or any provider willing to abide by its network rules.'" (Attorney B. Janell Grenier on BenefitsBlog)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Yale Law Professor Discusses Potential Legal Issues Arising from Same-Sex Marriage
Excerpt: "The news that g*y and l*sbian couples will be able to apply for marriage licenses and legally marry in Massachusetts starting in May raises important and largely unresolved legal questions about the rights of states to formulate their own family law policies versus their conflicting obligations to recognize legal relationships entered into in other states." (Washington Post)
What the Democratic Candidates Are Saying About Executive Compensation (PDF)
3 pages. (HR Policy Association)
Talking Federal Tax Simplicity, But Building a Maze
Excerpt: "As Chris Bergin, the chief executive of Tax Analysts Inc., the nonprofit publisher of Tax Notes, put it, 'Instead of tearing the income tax out by its roots, Congress has been watering and fertilizing it.' For decades, Congress has used the tax code to engineer social goals and hand out favors, a trend that accelerated during the Clinton administration and became supercharged during the administration of George W. Bush ..." (New York Times; one-time registration required)
Newly Posted Events
401(k) Plan & Form 5500 Workshops - UPDATE
Nationwide on February 13, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
Top Heavy Rules - A Modern Prospective
Nationwide on March 16, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
Dental Benefit Summit
in Georgia on March 17, 2004
presented by Institute for International Research
9th Annual Medicaid Drug Rebate Program
in Colorado on September 2, 2004
presented by Institute for International Research
Customer Service and Claims Management for Health Insurers
in Florida on March 29, 2004
presented by Institute for International Research
Obesity Management: Prevention, Treatment and Coverage Strategies for Health Plans and Employers
in Texas on May 19, 2004
presented by Institute for International Research
WEB Benefits Solutions Conference - Controlling Costs in an Ever-changing Legislative and Regulatory Environment
in Virginia on April 22, 2004
presented by Worldwide Employee Benefits Network (WEB)
Overview of Form 5500 eSeminar
Nationwide on April 6, 2004
presented by McKay Hochman
Newly Posted Press Releases
Benefit Advisors Network Adds Medical Director
(Benefit Advisors Network)
SPARK Institute Comments Against SEC’S “Hard” 4 PM Close Proposal, Suggests Alternative
(SPARK Institute)
Snowbarger Named PBGC Acting Executive Director
(U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Public Affairs, Washington, D.C.)
Cynthia R. Marotz Joins Firm as Financial Advisor
(Allen & Company of Florida)
RxEOB And Pharmacy BenefitDirect Partner To Integrate Consumer-Directed Software Into A Common Pharmacy Benefit Management Platform
(RxEOB and Pharmacy BenefitDirect)
Movers and Shakers: Newly Posted Announcements of Promotions and New Personnel
(Post Yours!)
Cynthia R. Marotz (Allen & Company of Florida)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
ERISA Pension Analyst / Paralegal / Plan Administrator
for Retirement Plan Administration and ERISA Specialists
in IL
Account Executive
for Transamerica
in CA
Compensation Program Manager
for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
in WA
Employee Benefits Attorney
for Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP
in OH
Defined Contribution Plan Administrator
for MK Consulting, Inc.
in ALL STATES
Senior Actuarial Analyst
for Invesmart, Inc.
in OH
Enrolled Actuary
for Invesmart, Inc.
in OH
Defined Benefit Calculation Analyst
for Diversified Investment Advisors
in ALL STATES
Defined Contribution Salesperson
for CitiStreet
in MA
Employee Benefits - Account Manager
for Litchfield Insurance Group
in CT
Client Service Representative
for TPA Firm in Southeastern MI
in MI
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