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September 15, 2004
Today's sponsor: World Congress
(Click on company name or banner to learn more.)
The 2nd Annual WORLD HEALTH CARE CONGRESS January 30 – February 1, 2005 ~ Washington DC ~ Marriott Wardman Park Hotel The 2nd Annual 2005 World Health Care Congress is the most progressive forum to achieve an affordable, accountable U.S. health care system. Co-sponsored by the Wall Street Journal and CNBC, the 2004 executive conference initiated a dialog of national significance. The 2005 conference achieves significant strides in implementing actionable solutions as it will convene all stakeholders - over 1500 CEOs, senior executives and government officials from the nation’s largest employers, hospitals, health systems, health plans, pharmaceutical and leading government officials.
(Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)
Mellon's HR&IS Releases Twelfth National Health Care Trend Survey (PDF)
1 page. Excerpt: "Mellon's Human Resources & Investor Solutions has just released the results of its twelfth National Health Care Trend Survey. The survey summarizes the trend factors used by 93 HMOs, Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans, health insurers and other plan administrators to project the rate of increase in employers' medical, dental, pres.cription drug and vision plan costs for the second half 2004." (Mellon’s Human Resources & Investor Solutions)
Hospital Cannot Sue Newspaper under HIPAA for Privacy Violations
Excerpt: "The publisher of a newspaper obtained (from an unknown source) a report that was prepared as part of a hospital's peer review process. The hospital sued to stop the newspaper from publishing information from the report, arguing that use of the report by the newspaper would violate the HIPAA privacy rules. [University of Colorado Hospital Authority v. Denver Publishing Co., No. 03-WM-1977 (D. Colo. Aug. 2, 2004)]" (Employee Benefits Institute of America)
Plan Amendment Can Apply Retroactively to Limit Disability Benefits of Participant
Excerpt: "After the participant in this case started receiving disability benefits, the plan was amended retroactively to limit disability benefits to 24 months when the benefits were based on self-reported symptoms. For a copy of Welch v. UNUM Life Ins. Co. of America, 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 18507 (10th Cir. 2004) see http://www.kscourts.org/ca10/cases/2004/09/02-3220.htm" (Employee Benefits Institute of America)
Third Circuit Court Decision: State Bad Faith Statute Preempted in Barber v. UNUM Life Ins. Co.
Excerpt: "In this dispute over insured disability benefits denied under an ERISA plan, the Third Circuit held that the participant's bad faith claims were barred under the doctrine of 'conflict' preemption (which provides that a state law may be preempted to the extent that it actually conflicts with ERISA). For a copy of Barber v. UNUM Life Ins. Co., 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 18827 (3d Cir. 2004) see http://www.ca3.uscourts.gov/opinarch/034363p.pdf" (Employee Benefits Institute of America)
Overview: IRS Releases Final Model HSA Trust and Custodial Account Forms
Excerpt: "...the IRS ha[s] released a final version of two model health savings account (HSA) forms. IRS Form 5305-B ('Health Savings Trust Account') and IRS Form 5305-C ('Health Savings Custodial Account') are model forms that HSA trustees and custodians, respectively, can use to allow individuals to establish HSAs. For a copy of IRS Form 5305-B (August 2004) see http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5305b.pdf; for a copy of IRS Form 5305-C (August 2004 see http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5305c.pdf" (Employee Benefits Institute of America)
As the California Health Care System Expands, Its Politics Grows More Convoluted
Excerpt: "The expansion of health care into California's single largest economic activity is emblematic of the larger evolution of the state's service-and technology-dominated, post-industrial economy. And as health care, in its myriad forms, became a $150 billion per year industry, it turned into a political pre-occupation, involving hundreds of lobbyists and untold tens of millions of dollars in campaign contributions and other forms of political action." (Dan Walters in The Sacramento Bee)
Carmakers in for a Long Haul Paying for Retiree Health Care
Excerpt: "For G[eneral] M[otors], the nation's largest private purchaser of health services and of drugs from Via.gra to Lipitor, the projected cost of providing health care benefits to current and future retirees … is a staggering $63 billion." (The New York Times; one-time registration required)
Opinion: Two Very Different Cures for U.S. Healthcare System Crisis
Excerpt: "Although the presidential campaign has been dominated for months by Iraq ... and, more recently, the candidates' military records, few issues matter more to voters -- or more profoundly divide President Bush ... and Sen. John F. Kerry ... -- than the plight of the U.S. healthcare system." (Los Angeles Times via Yahoo! News)
Bush Administration Opposes Move to Delay Medicare Premium Increase
Excerpt: "The Bush administration came out Tuesday in opposition to Democratic proposals to hold down the scheduled 17 percent increase in Medicare premiums next year, saying that a one-year freeze would lead to much higher premiums in 2006." (The New York Times; one-time registration required)
Medicare Chief Challenges Predictions of Out-Of-Pocket Costs of Medicare Beneficiaries
Excerpt: "The head of the U.S. Medicare program Tuesday said that newly released estimates showing that patients' out-of-pocket spending on services covered by Medicare will consume an ever-larger share of retirement income are being taken out of context. 'It is misleading to say beneficiaries will be worse off,' Mark McClellan told the U.S. Senate Finance Committee." (Reuters Health via Medscape)
Overview: IRS Corrects Guidance to Reflect Medicare Entitlement, Not Eligibility, Causes HSA Ineligibility
Excerpt: "In its latest round of HSA guidance …, the IRS confirmed that it is Medicare entitlement (not just eligibility) that prevents an individual from being eligible for an HSA. (Medicare entitlement occurs when an individual is both eligible for Medicare and becomes enrolled for coverage.) For a copy of IRS Announcement 2004-67 (Sept. 7, 2004)] see http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-irbs/irb04-36.pdf" (Employee Benefits Institute of America)
Medical Costs Eat at Social Security Benefits As Health Expenses Leave Less and Less of Checks
Excerpt: "With a new Medicare drug benefit set to begin in 2006, Americans 65 and older can expect to spend a large and growing share of their Social Security checks on Medicare premiums and expenses, previously undisclosed federal data show." (USA TODAY)
More American Workers Are Teleworking According to Survey
Excerpt: "Teleworking appears to be reaching new segments of the American workforce. The number of teleworkers grew from 41.3 million last year to 44.4 million this year, representing a 7.5% growth rate, according to a recent report (http://www.workingfromanywhere.org/news/pr090204.htm) from the International Telework Association and Council, a Silver Spring, Md.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the growth and success of telework." (Benefit News Connect)
Survey Confirms That Working Women Perform More Home Tasks Than Men
Excerpt: "It may fall into the category of Things You Knew but Could Never Prove, but a new survey by the Department of Labor shows that the average working woman spends about twice as much time as the average working man on household chores and the care of children." (The New York Times; one-time registration required)
Bureau of Labor Statistics Reports the First Results of the New American Time Use Survey
Excerpt: "…the new American Time Use Survey (ATUS) …. marks the first time that a federal statistical agency has produced estimates on how Americans spend … their time." (Department of Labor)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Technology Companies Unveil Options-Expensing Plan
Excerpt: "A group of technology companies Tuesday renewed pressure on accounting rule makers to drop a stock-options expensing rule, unveiling an alternative that they say is easier and less expensive to adopt." (AP via The Washington Post; one-time registration required)
Employee Benefit News/Forrester Survey Will Examine Benefits Technology Use
Excerpt: "Want to know where your organization stands when it comes to utilizing HR technology? Take a moment to complete the survey at http://www.securesurveysite.com/ebn904/ebnfr0904.htm on benefits and technology being conducted by Employee Benefit News and Forrester Research." (BenefitNews Connect)
Money Alone Won't Woo Workers Presented with Multiple Job Offers
Excerpt: "As the job engine heats up, workers say an offer of more money won't be enough to make them choose one employer over another, according a survey by global career management services company Lee Hecht Harrison." (HR Hub.com)
IRS/Treasury Officials Review Results of 2003-2004 Published Guidance; Set 2004-2005 Priorities
Excerpt: "Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary Eric Solomon and IRS Deputy Chief Counsel Nicholas DeNovio delivered a Joint Statement on the IRS's Priority Guidance Plan during a press briefing held on September 13 at IRS national headquarters." (CCH Tax News)
Newly Posted Events
ERISA Workshop
in New Mexico on December 1, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
ERISA Workshop
in Pennsylvania on December 2, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
ERISA Workshop
in Washington on December 2, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
ERISA Workshop
in Massachusetts on December 3, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
ERISA Workshop
in Michigan on December 3, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
ERISA Workshop
in California on December 3, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
ERISA Workshop
in Ohio on December 8, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
ERISA Workshop
in Pennsylvania on December 8, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
ERISA Workshop
in North Carolina on December 9, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
ERISA Workshop
in Iowa on December 9, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
ERISA Workshop
in New York on December 10, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
Newly Posted Press Releases
PBGC Calls For Pension Protections
(Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC))
Newport Expands Western Presence with New Regional Director
(The Newport Group)
Annual Employee Benefits Conference Canceled Due to Effects of Hurricane Ivan
(International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans)
SCICOM Data Services, Ltd and Arnerich Massena Education, Inc Announce Partnership to Launch Retirement (K)nowHow™ Line of Service Offerings
(SCICOM Data Services)
NAUS Offers ARAG Legal Plan to its Membership
(ARAG)
Work At Home Grows In Past Year By 7.5% In U.S. - Use Of Broadband For Work At Home Grows By 84%
(International Telework Association and Council (ITAC))
Movers and Shakers: Newly Posted Announcements of Promotions and New Personnel
(Post Yours!)
Paul Brotea (MEMS USA)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
New Product Development Specialist
for Wellpoint
in CA
Clinical Program Specialist
for NRECA
in VA
Salesperson
for Louis Kravitz & Associates, Inc.
in CA
Health & Group Benefit Project Manager
for Hewitt Associates
in FL
Pension Plan Administrator
for The ANGELL Pension Group, Inc.
in RI
Regional Director, ES-1801
for U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration
in CA
Counsel
for Abbott Laboratories
in IL
Junior Administrator
for Campbells Administration Inc.
in CA
Pension Specialist
for PFS
in GA
Pension Administrator
for Sheffler & Martin, Inc. in San Diego
in CA
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