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March 18, 2004 - 8,783 subscribers
Today's sponsor: ProAct Technologies

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

Moving HR Communication Online at Lee Enterprises
03/25/2004 11:00am - 12:00pm PST
Lee Enterprises, the 12th largest newspaper company in the U.S., was
the first in the world to produce a newspaper entirely by computer. So
when the company acquired 17 more newspapers in 2002, it realized it
was time to automate HR and benefits communication and enrollment as well.
Join us for a Web seminar with Kim Mann, director of HR for Lee. She will
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(Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)
White House Backs Probe Into Medicare Cost Estimate
Excerpt: "The White House yesterday supported plans to investigate whether a top Medicare official was threatened with retaliation if he told members of Congress about higher cost estimates of the Medicare pres.cription-drug bill." (Washington Times)

House Ethics Panel to Look Into Medicare Bribery Charges
Excerpt: "The House ethics committee said yesterday that it would investigate whether a congressman had been offered a bribe to vote for the Medicare pres.cription-drug bill. It was the second probe related to the Medicare overhaul announced in two days." (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Weirton Steel Retirees to Lose Benefits
3/17/04. Excerpt: "A federal bankrup.tcy court judge approves the termination of health care and life insurance benefits for more than 9,000 retirees of the Weirton Steel Corporation and their dependents. The judge rules that the financially troubled steel maker can no longer afford to pay the benefits. Keri Brown of West Virginia Public Broadcasting reports." (National Public Radio)

Aetna's Benefits Integration Packs Powerful Selling Punch
Excerpt: "Aetna recently announced a new coordinated approach to medical, disability, behavioral health and pharmacy benefits delivery. Through Aetna Integrated Health and Disability, company executives say they will now be able to proactively identify members at risk of adverse health or potential disabilities." (BenefitNews.com)

New Momentum for Letting Federal Government Help Regulate Nation's Insurers
Excerpt: "The prospect that Washington will seize a role in the regulation of insurance is gaining momentum after more than 150 years of control by the states." (New York Times; one-time registration required)

State Maternity Leave Variations May Cause FMLA Conflict
Excerpt: "In Massachusetts, employers often are shocked to learn how differently maternity leave is applied under their state law when compared to the federal FMLA ... Unlike the FMLA, which provides 12 weeks per year, the state statute grants 'eight weeks of leave per child.' Therefore, if an employee has twins, she would be entitled to 16 weeks of job-protected leave ..." (Thompson Publishing Group)

CalPERS Panels OKs Different Rates for Health Coverage in Different Parts of California
Excerpt: "CalPERS, the country's largest public pension fund, moved closer on Tuesday to charging its 1.2 million members different rates for their health coverage depending on where they live." (San Francisco Chronicle)

Opinion: Public Employee Fantasyland in California
Excerpt: "There was a time when government employees in Silicon Valley and around California, riding the same boom, were asking for, and getting, pay hikes and pension sweeteners. Not today? Not so fast." ([San Jose] Mercury News)

California: Health Coverage Mecca No More
Excerpt: "Once the nation's envy, state's costs now barely beat the U.S. average." (Sacramento Bee)

Managed Care Redux: Health Plans Shift Responsibilities to Consumers
Excerpt: "Mindful of the managed care backlash, health plans also are stepping up utilization management activities for high-cost services and focusing care management on high-cost patients. While the move toward greater consumer engagement is clear, the impact on costs and consumer willingness to assume these new responsibilities remain to be seen." (Center for Studying Health System Change)

Poll: Workers Underestimate Cost of Health Benefits
Excerpt: "[A]ccording to a recent poll ... by Harris Interactive for The Wall Street Journal, most people, with the exception of those on Medicare, know how much they are paying and do not have a problem with it." (BenefitNews.com)

Methodists Are First Church Group to Offer Members Rx Discount Card
Excerpt: "An arm of the United Methodist Church is giving its 8.3 million members a pharmacy card that claims to offer up to 65% off the cost of pres.cription drugs." (Drug Cost Management Report via AISHealth.com)

Should California Regulate Health Insurance Premiums?
Excerpt: "This issue brief evaluates why health insurance premiums are rising and examines the potential long-term consequences of regulating premium costs, using examples from other insurance products such as automobile coverage and workers compensation. The findings underscore that if health care costs continue to rise while premiums are frozen, stringent rate regulation could lead to undesired consequences." (RAND Health via California HealthCare Foundation)

Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General

Companies Offering Benefits to Same-Sex Couples
Excerpt: "While President Bush pushes a constitutional ban on g.ay marriage, change in the workplace is going full speed toward allowing same-sex couples the same work-family benefits and supports as heterose.xuals." (Wall Street Journal via MLive.com)

Hewlett Packard Shareholders Back Stop Options Expensing
Excerpt: "For the second time in two years, Hewlett-Packard shareholders voted Wednesday in favor of a proposal to require the technology giant to expense the cost of stock options." ([San Jose] Mercury News)

Newly Posted Events

412i Company to Host National Teleconference on New 412i Regulations
Nationwide on March 26, 2004
presented by The 412(i) Company

Sales and Marketing Track of the U.S. Defined Contribution Plans Overview Program
in New York on May 19, 2004
presented by Society of Professional Administrators and Recordkeepers (SPARK)

Sales and Marketing Track of the U.S. Defined Contribution Plans Overview Program
in California on June 10, 2004
presented by Society of Professional Administrators and Recordkeepers (SPARK)

Sales and Marketing Track of the U.S. Defined Contribution Plans Overview Program
in Georgia on April 21, 2004
presented by Society of Professional Administrators and Recordkeepers (SPARK)
Newly Posted Press Releases

SunGard Corbel’s Multimedia Pension Learning Now Meets NASBA CE Requirements
(SunGard Corbel)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Post a Help Wanted Ad

Qualified Plan Sales Representative
for Metavante 401(k) Services
in WI

Associate Manager, Retirement Plan Administration
for Yum! Brands - Work for the best company in the country!
in KY

Manager- Trust Technology and Compliance
for Hancock Bank
in MS

Junior Administrator
for Small Daily Val Shop in Jacksonville, FL
in FL

Retirement Plan Sales Executive
for Ceridian
in TX

Sales Analyst
for Merrill Lynch (Retirement Group)
in NJ

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