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January 21, 2005
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HHS Offers Guidance on Disclosing Protected Health Information in Litigation
Excerpt: "The Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR), in charge of enforcing the HIPAA Privacy Rule, recently posted to its site answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) on disclosing protected health information (PHI) in litigation." (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services via HIPAAdvisory.com)

Stressed Workers Want Elder-Care Benefits: Some Companies Give Flex Time to Care for Aging Parents
Excerpt: "Employees are increasingly juggling their jobs and the draining demands of caring for parents. While companies have long offered child care benefits, a small but growing number are adding elder care as employee benefits, as Compuware and the United Auto Workers are doing. Half of working caregivers say they have had to alter their work schedules to accommodate care-giving responsibilities, research shows." (The Detroit News)

Study Indicates Savings from California Universal Health System; Legislation Could Be Reintroduced
Excerpt: "Some lawmakers on Wednesday announced their support for legislation that would create a state-run health insurance system to cover all state residents, after a report released Wednesday stated that such a program could save the state $343 billion over the next 10 years, the Sacramento Bee reports. Sen. Sheila Kuehl ... said she intends to introduce a bill next month that builds on previously proposed legislation and is based on a model developed in the Lewin Group report ...." (California Healthcare Foundation)

High Insurer Profits Could Spur Lower Health Premiums, According to Report from A.M. Best
Excerpt: "Higher profits for health insurers could spell lower medical prices for many cost-conscious employers and workers, according to a new report from the insurance rating service A.M. Best." (BenefitNews Connect)

Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Examines Three States' Pres.cription Drug Reimportation Efforts
Excerpt: "The [target page] summarizes news developments in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Texas regarding pres.cription drug reimportation." (Kaiser Family Foundation)

Reimportation of Pres.cription Drugs: Merck to Block Supplies to Canadian Pharmacies
Excerpt: "Merck this week has begun to block supplies to Canadian pharmacies that sell company products to U.S. residents, 'adding to manufacturers' efforts to disrupt' the practice of pres.cription drug reimportation, the Bloomberg News/Boston Globe reports.' (The National Journal Group, Limited via The BlueCross BlueShield Association)

Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General

Chart: Comparison of New Major Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan Changes to Old Law (PDF)
4 pages. The chart provides the nonqualified deferred compensation plans' provisions contained in the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 with a comparison of major changes, including initial IRS guidance, to old law. (Prudential Retirement)

Overview: IRS Publishes Initial Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan Guidance (PDF)
3 pages. Excerpt: "On December 20, 2004, the IRS issued Notice 2005-1, providing initial guidance on the new rules that apply to nonqualified deferred compensation plans as a result of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004. In general, the new rules are effective January 1, 2005. However, due to the short timeframe between enactment of the law and this effective date, the IRS has provided a number of helpful transition rules for 2005: ...." (Prudential Retirement)

News Summaries of Benefit Industry Developments as of January 2005 (PDF)
4 pages. Articles include: GASB Publishes Exposure Draft on Accounting for Termination Benefits; U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Rule on Suit Regarding Retiree Health Benefits; Form SSA-1945 Available Online for Non-Social Security Covered Positions; CMS Announces Medicare Advantage and Pres.cription Drug Plan Regions; Kaiser Studies Medicare Out-of-Pocket Drug Spending; Survey Indicates Retiree Health Coverage May Be Reduced; and, CMS Publishes Draft Medicare Drug Benefit Documents. (Gabriel, Roeder, Smith & Company)

Newly Posted Events

New Strategies In The Growth of Consumer Driven Healthcare
Nationwide on February 3, 2005
presented by Health Resources Online

Taming the Tiger: Conquering Rising Pharmacy Benefit Costs to Lower Your Overall Healthcare Expenditures
in Georgia on February 8, 2005
presented by NMHC

Taming the Tiger: Conquering Rising Pharmacy Benefit Costs to Lower Your Overall Healthcare Expenditures
in Maryland on February 10, 2005
presented by NMHC

Taming the Tiger: Conquering Rising Pharmacy Benefit Costs to Lower Your Overall Healthcare Expenditures
in Illinois on February 22, 2005
presented by NMHC

Taming the Tiger: Conquering Rising Pharmacy Benefit Costs to Lower Your Overall Healthcare Expenditures
in Texas on February 24, 2005
presented by NMHC

Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Post a Help Wanted Ad

Chief Compliance Officer - Employee Benefits
for CitiStreet
in FL, MA

Employee Benefits Participant Service Rep II
for Union Bank of California
in CA

Actuarial Analyst
for USI Consulting Group
in CT, NY

Team Leader - Defined Pension
for The Rosen Group
in MA

Client Service Analyst
for The Rosen Group
in MA

Enrolled Actuary
for American Express Tax & Business Services
in IL

Product Implementation Project Manager
for Transamerica
in CA

Individual Consultant Manager
for TIAA-CREF
in IN, MN, OH, PA

Retirement Plan Specialist
for Diversified Investment Advisors
in IN

Plan Compliance Manager
for Union Bank of California
in CA

Institutional Sales Officer
for Fifth Third Bank
in MO

Retirement Plan Sales Representative
for Ceridian
in IN, KY, MI, OH

Paralegal/ERISA
for The ANGELL Pension Group, Inc.
in RI



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