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March 10, 2004 - 8,783 subscribers
Today's sponsor: CB's 2nd Annual Disease Management Summit for Employers, Providers and Health Plans
(Click on company name or banner to learn more.)
Al Lewis and Warren Todd to speak at CB's Disease Management Summit! CBI's 2nd Annual Disease Management Summit for Employers, Providers and Health Plans: Improve Productivity and Outcomes While Reducing Absenteeism and Healthcare Costs, April 22-23, 2004 in Washington D.C. The Summit features employers and healthcare strategists who will present innovative strategies to evaluate and implement disease management programs. Through in-depth case studies, speakers and healthcare strategists will present financial and clinical outcomes that have effectively managed health care costs, decreased absenteeism and improved productivity for employees with chronic conditions.
(Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)
Correction: The advertisement in the March 9, 2004 BenefitsLink Welfare Plan Newsletter captioned HIPAA: Are You Covered? should not have included references to Miller & Chevalier.
Obesity and Disability: the Shape of Things to Come
Excerpt: "Researchers in RAND Health have conducted a series of studies analyzing obesity trends and estimating their effects on future health care costs. They found that ... obesity is linked to higher health care costs than smoking or drinking is; obesity plays a major role in disability at all ages; the cost consequences of disability among the young could swamp recent Medicare and Medicaid savings stemming from increasingly good health among the elderly." (RAND Corporation)
Employers Seek Healthier Ways To Approach Sick Time
Excerpt: "Absenteeism may be a symptom of a broader problem in the workplace, an early warning sign that morale is lagging and turnover may rise, human resource experts said. It is also pricey, costing companies an average of $645 per employee last year, according to a survey by CCH Inc...." (Chicago Tribune; one-time registration required)
Ironwood, Michigan, Trims Retiree Health Care But Still Requires Tax Hike
Excerpt: "A divided Ironwood City Commission trimmed the retiree health care benefit for non-union workers Monday. Meanwhile, benefits already awarded city retirees remain unfunded and city taxpayers are facing a 1.7-mill additional tax levy and must find additional tens of thousands of dollars to pay for them ..." (Ironwood Daily Globe)
Maine's Legal Odyssey Toward Affordable Pres.cription Drugs (PDF)
5 pages. Excerpt: "Maine thought it had found a way to make pres.cription drugs more affordable for its senior citizens. The pharmaceuticals industry had other ideas." (Contingencies Magazine)
Job-Based Health Insurance in the Balance: Employer Views of Coverage in the Workplace (PDF)
12 pages. Excerpt: "A new Commonwealth Fund report finds strong employer support for providing health insurance benefits for their employees. A majority of employers say that rather than expanding public insurance, they'd prefer a mandate for companies to either provide health benefits or pay into a fund to cover uninsured workers." (The Commonwealth Fund)
Overview: Managed Care Insurer Liability Among the States
Excerpt: "In 1997 Texas became the first state to pass a 'right to sue' law. In 1999 Georgia became the second state to allow law suits in certain circumstances, while California's liability bill also was signed into law. In March 2000 Washington became the fourth state with such a liability law. In April 2000, Arizona, Maine and Oklahoma enacted similar laws.... These actions bring the 'right to sue' total to eleven states." (National Conference of State Legislatures)
Health Group Gets New Name, New Focus
Excerpt: "The merged health insurance association formerly known as the AAHP-HIAA unveiled a new name -- America's Health Insurance Plans, or AHIP -- and a new focus on promoting clinical quality through evidence-based medicine. AHIP officials said the new name represents the group's greater breadth, including both managed-care and traditional indemnity insurers." (Modern Healthcare)
Interest in Health Savings Accounts Picks Up Steam Among Employers
Excerpt: "Health savings accounts (HSAs) could gain ground quickly over the next year, but there are some doubts about their potential effectiveness as well as uncertainties about how they will work, according to industry experts queried by AIS." (Inside Consumer-Directed Care via AISHealth.com)
Obesity on Track to Become No. 1 Preventable Cause of Death
Excerpt: "Poor diet and lack of exercise might end up killing more people than tobacco use and become the leading cause of preventable deaths in the USA by as early as next year, a new study says." (USA Today)
Albertson's Health Plan to Pay for Contraceptives Under Settlement
Excerpt: "The order was handed down as part of a settlement reached with the Boise, Idaho based grocery store chain of a 2001 discrimination complaint filed by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)." (PLANSPONSOR.com; one-time registration required)
Washington D.C.-Area Grocers Want Pay Cuts for New Workers
Excerpt: "Giant Food LLC and Safeway Inc., which have begun renegotiating a four-year contract with the union representing their 18,000 local workers, are calling for cuts in pay and in vacation for new employees, according to a copy of the companies' proposal." (Washington Post; one-time registration required)
Text of Prepared Testimony at Hearing on the Health-Uninsured
Hearing held on March 9, 2004. Witnesses included Diane Rowland, Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured; Len M. Nichols, Center for Studying Health System; Glenn Melnick, University of Southern California; and Greg Scandlen, Director, Center for Consumer Driven Health Care. (U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee)
Lack of Pres.cription Drug Coverage, and Uninsurance, Threaten Care
Although pres.cription drugs have become a more important part of medical treatment, nearly 10% of adults under age 65 with health insurance had no pres.cription drug benefits in 2001, in addition to the 15% of the adults who lacked health insurance entirely, a recently-released study from the Commonwealth Fund revealed. This compares with 35% of insured adults over age 65 who had no pres.cription drug coverage and another 2% who were uninsured. (Spencer Benefits Reports)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
2004 Directory of Actuarial Software (PDF)
32 pages. (Contingencies Magazine)
San Jose to Recognize G.ay Marriages for Municipal Workers
Excerpt: "San Jose became the first city in California to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, although the decision only applies to municipal workers." (Oakland Tribune)
Seattle Mayor Orders Same-Sex Benefits for Municipal Employees
Excerpt: "Seattle Mayor Gregory Nickels has issued an executive order acknowledging the validity of marriages regardless of the sex of the individuals for purposes of city employee benefits." (PLANSPONSOR.com; one-time registration required)
Equity Compensation: the Future is Now
Excerpt: "In lieu of simply replacing stock options with the next 'big thing,' two consultants say companies have an opportunity to strategically rethink their approach to equity compensation." (Financial Executives International)
Stock Options Showdown: Accountants May Finally Win
Excerpt: "The nation's accounting poohbahs soon will unveil their long-awaited plan to force companies to recognize employee stock-option compensation as an expense on their income statements. And this time, it looks as if they actually might pull it off." (Wall Street Journal via SFGate.com)
Newly Posted Events
Fundamentals of Qualified Plans Seminar
in Georgia on June 3, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
412(i) and Beyond - What the New Rules Mean for Me
Nationwide on March 3, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
Fundamentals of Qualified Plans Seminar
in Washington on June 1, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
Fundamentals of Qualified Plans Seminar
in Pennsylvania on June 17, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
Fundamentals of Qualified Plans Seminar
in Texas on June 24, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
Fundamentals of Qualified Plans Seminar
in Indiana on May 6, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
Fundamentals of Qualified Plans Seminar
in Wisconsin on May 13, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
Fundamentals of Qualified Plans Seminar
in Illinois on May 2, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
Fundamentals of Qualified Plans Seminar
in Ohio on May 26, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
ASPA Benefits Council of Greater Cincinnati 2004 Kickoff & Washington Update
in Ohio on March 24, 2004
presented by ASPA
Putting the Clamp on Workers' Comps Costs Through New Treatment Trends -- 90-Minute Interactive Audio Conference
Nationwide on March 31, 2004
presented by Thompson Interactive
Newly Posted Press Releases
Annuitants Gain Under New IRS Guidance
(American Council of Life Insurers)
Movers and Shakers: Newly Posted Announcements of Promotions and New Personnel
(Post Yours!)
Leslie A. Schuster (Group Insurance Solutions, Inc.)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Pension Administrator
for Benefit Strategies, Inc.
in CA
Pension Document Specialist
for Liden, Morton, Nestle & Soled
in CA
Issues Resolution Associate
for ICMA Retirement Corporation
in DC
Benefits Analyst
for Career Education Corporation
in IL
Data and Trade Services Manager
for Financial Engines
in CA
Senior Customer Support Representative
for Financial Engines
in CA
Production & Fulfillment Manager
for Financial Engines
in CA
Analyst/Associate, Mutual Fund Group
for Financial Engines
in CA
Program Operations Manager
for Financial Engines
in CA
ERISA / Executive Compensation Attorney
for Kaufman & Canoles, P.C.
in VA
Benefits Manager
for Howrey Simon Arnold & White, LLP
in DC
Benefits Analyst/Sr.
for Howrey Simon Arnold & White, LLP
in DC
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