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November 3, 2004
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More States Help Residents Buy Pres.cription Drugs from Abroad
Excerpt: "Missouri and Washington recently introduced programs allowing state residents to buy medications from foreign countries. Missouri's program, I-SaveRx ..., helps residents to save 20% to 50% on the price of medications by using pharmacies in Can.ada, England and Ireland. Washington's program involves a state Web site ... that links to approved Canadian pharmacies. At least a dozen other states and local governments have done likewise in defiance of federal law." (BenefitNews Connect)
Newspapers Weigh National Significance of California State Health-Related Ballot Initiatives
Excerpt: "The AP/San Luis Obispo Tribune on Friday examined four health-related measures on the Nov. 2 statewide ballot that would provide about $5 billion in funding for children's hospitals, mental health care, emergency and trauma systems and stem cell research. State residents also are being asked to require some businesses to provide health insurance for workers. [T]he measures 'could clear the way for a wave of future initiatives that bypass the state Senate and Assembly ....'" (California Healthcare Foundation)
Ballot Measures: American Health Line Features Health-Related Proposals on State Ballots
Excerpt: "American Health Line highlights a number of the health-related state ballot measures that voters will consider on Election Day. Summaries of the measures [are] listed by state ...." (American Health Line via The BlueCross BlueShield Association)
Home Delivery -- Not Usually Covered by Health Insurance
Excerpt: "Most insurers cover births at the center ... but Aetna, Mamsi and Kaiser Permanente are among those that do not cover home births. 'Aetna considers planned deliveries at home . . . not medically appropriate,' the insurer says on its Web site. The insurer cites a policy statement from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that home delivery 'clearly presents hazards to both the mother and fetus before and after birth. ....'" (The Washington Post; one-time registration required)
Opinion: Mandatory Health Insurance! It Will Save Private Medicine -- and Spur Medical Innovation
Excerpt: "In an ABC News/Washington Post poll last fall, 62 percent of the respondents favored a universal, government-run medical insurance program. Such surveys reflect a widespread frustration with a health care system that is too expensive, too uncertain, and too complicated. .... The current system poses three main problems. First, it's expensive. In 2003 total spending on health care was $1.7 trillion, ...." (Reason Online)
Opinion: American Health Care Reform Leaders
Excerpt: "[T]he real impetus for health care transformation comes from the broader community of consumers, physicians, employers, insurers, brokers, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies who realize our current system of third-party payment is not working very well and are willing to think boldly about changing it for the better. The best ideas come from all across America and from a variety of disciplines. Some of the heroes of consumerism in health care [are listed]." (Consumer Choice Matters via Galen Institute)
Shortage of 200,000 Doctors Predicted in US
Excerpt: "Over the next two decades, the US could find itself short of 200,000 doctors unless steps are taken to curb current trends, according to a new report. Still, what should be done to remedy the problem remains unclear. The report, which is authored by Dr. Richard A. Cooper, from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, appears in the Annals of Internal Medicine." (Reuters Health via Yahoo! News)
Building Bridges: Making a Difference in Long-Term Care Initiative
Excerpt: "The Commonwealth Fund and AcademyHealth launched a new multi-year strategic initiative, Building Bridges: Making a Difference in Long-Term Care, with the first annual colloquium on June 5, 2004, in San Diego. .... In order to involve a broader cross-section of LTC stakeholders in these discussions, we have prepared this summary of the colloquium presentations and discussion." (AcademyHealth)
Effects of Copayments on Use of Medical Services and Pres.cription Drugs in Utah's Medicaid Program
Excerpt: "This paper presents findings from an analysis of data about changes in the use of medical services and pres.cription drugs that occurred after 'nominal' copayments were instituted in Utah's Medicaid program in the 2001-2002 period, based on data collected by the Utah Department of Health (UDOH).[3] Our analyses take advantage of the natural experiment that occurred after copayments were imposed on Medicaid beneficiaries." (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)
2005 Demonstration Project of Improved Quality of Care for Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy
Excerpt: "In order to assess and provide new support for the quality of care for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, Medicare will initiate a one-year demonstration project during CY 2005. .... In addition to reducing cancer burden or providing cures, effective cancer care also results in managing pain, minimizing nausea and vomiting, and limiting fatigue. These steps may also help reduce the overall costs of cancer care, by avoiding hospitalizations with complications." (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
Welcome to new BenefitsLink advertiser Core Documents, Inc.
Excerpt: "Core Documents, formerly NetPay USA, is the nation's leading Plan Document provider for Section 125 POP, FSA, Section 105 HRA, and Section 132 Commuter Plans for small businesses. Since 1997 Core Documents has been providing IRS compliant Plan Documents starting at only $99 to thousands of employers for: Section 125 Premium Only Plans (POP), Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account Plans (FSA), Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)," (BenefitsLink.com)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Letter to Treasury Department on Guidance Under Section 409A of P.L. 108-357 on NQDC Plans (PDF)
Excerpt: "As a follow-up to the Treasury Department's invitation to provide input into the issues that Treasury and the IRS should address in guidance regarding Section 409A of the American Jobs Creation Act, P.L. 108-357, the HR Policy Association is submitting the attached recommendations for issues to be clarified in the short term." (HR Policy Association via Mercer Human Resource Consulting)
American Benefits Council Letter to Treasury Department on Guidance on New NQDC Restrictions (PDF)
Excerpt: "We are writing on behalf of the member companies of the American Benefits Council ... to request immediate and broad transition relief under new [IRC] Section 409A, which was enacted as part of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, ..., and will govern the taxation of deferred compensation effective January 1, 2005. [T]he Council and its member companies have serious concerns ... about the application of Code Section 409A ...." (American Benefits Council via Mercer Human Resource Consulting)
The 2004 Form 5500; Lost (and Found) EINs and Other Updates
Excerpt: "The Form 5500 and Form 5500-EZ for plan year 2004 are essentially unchanged from 2003. Some modifications ... made to the instructions and attachments to be filed with the forms, [are] noted .... The good news is that IRS has stopped deactivating retirement plan EINs for 'non-use' as of January 2004. .... A change has been made to the instructions for the 2004 Form 1099-R, used to report distributions from retirement plans." (form5500help.com)
Phasing Out of Work: Easing Into Retirement Can Be a Boon to Worker and Company
Excerpt: "Retiring from a lifetime in the work force traditionally means cleaning out a desk or locker, the bittersweet moments of a retirement party and a sudden shift to a vastly different daily routine. .... 'Phased retirement can be absolutely ideal for workers and employers when it is fully voluntary and when workers fully understand what the offer entails,' said Sara Rix, senior policy adviser for AARP, a lobbying group for older-than-50 Americans." (The Star-Ledger; subscription required)
Newly Posted Press Releases
State of Oklahoma's Online Benefits Enrollment System Exceeds Expectations
(The State of Oklahoma Employees Benefits Council)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Manager, Compliance Testing
for Diversified Investment Advisors
in NY
Business Developer Manager
for Merrill Lynch
in CA, IL, NY
Senior Recordkeeper/Tester
for Wachovia Corporation
in NC
Special Products Analyst
for ICMA Retirement Corporation
in DC
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Search BenefitsLink
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research
- Employee Benefits Library
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