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March 25, 2005
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Complete Benefits Law Guidance from Law Journal Press
The nation's workforce and health care system are constantly evolving
and so are the legal issues.  Law Journal Press helps you handle any
benefits law question with up-to-date, authoritative books on all
aspects of the field.  Get legal and practical advice from leading
experts on everything from COBRA to ERISA, "contingent" employees to
family and medical leave, and more.  Browse our product listings for
detailed information and special offers.

(Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)
Solving the Health Care Riddle: Did Cutler Do It?
Excerpt: "[A] recent poll taken by the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that more Americans were personally worried about health care costs than about losing their job, paying their rent or mortgage, or being the victim of a terrorist attack. David Cutler, a health economist ..., doesn't agree. In his thoughtful book, Your Money or Your Life: Strong Medicine for America's Health Care System ... Cutler argues that the value of medical spending has been worth its rapidly rising costs." (The Century Foundation)

Aon Consulting/ISCEBS Survey Shows Consumer-Driven Health Plans Becoming More Popular (PDF)
7 pages. Excerpt: "Twenty-two percent of ISCEBS members responding to the joint Aon Consulting/ISCEBS survey are currently offered a consumer-driven health plan ... by their employers. Reflecting how new this benefit design is, 74% of employers with a CDHP only began offering the plan in 2004 or 2005. Of the members at employers not offering a CDHP, 32% believe the concept is too new to offer one now and will wait to see what the experience of other employers is before deciding ...." (Aon Consulting/International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specia.lists)

Edited Transcript of a Talk with Jack Faris of the National Federation of Independent Businesses
Excerpt: "As the nation's largest advocacy group for small and independent businesses, the National Federation of Independent Businesses is a Goliath made up of many Davids. The group, which has more than 600,000 members, is considered the most powerful business organization in Washington. This year, it is putting its muscle behind legislation that would let small companies band together nationally to buy health insurance." (The News & Observer)

NE Journal of Medicine Article Calls for Higher Taxes and Legislation to Expand Health Coverage
Excerpt: "Two executives from Partners HealthCare System, Massachusetts' 'largest and most influential hospital and physician network,' on Thursday 'issued a public appeal' for higher taxes and laws that would require all employers to provide health insurance to workers, the Boston Globe reports." (Kaiser Family Foundation)

Presidential Panel Considers Proposals to Reform Federal Tax Subsidies for Health Insurance
Excerpt: "The President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform on Wednesday considered proposals to make the U.S. tax system 'fairer and simpler' in relation to health insurance and other areas, the AP/San Francisco Chronicle reports." (Kaiser Family Foundation)

Insurers Slam Commonwealth Fund Research Critical of Health Savings Accounts
Excerpt: "[A] new study critical of HSAs raises another issue that employers must consider, and that is whether the high-deductible plans will fulfill the essential role of health insurance by keeping workers healthy and solvent in the face of high medical costs. The study by the Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based think tank, shows that patients with deductibles of $500 or more are more likely to skip medical tests, treatment or follow-up exams or have pres.criptions filled than insured ...." (Workforce Management)

Pentagon to Extend Health Coverage for Reserve Troops
Excerpt: "The more than 400,000 members of the National Guard and Reserve mobilized since the Sept. 11 attacks will be offered military health coverage for up to eight years after returning to civilian life, officials said Thursday. Eligibility will be limited to personnel remaining in the Reserve after demobilization, said Thomas F. Hall, assistant defense secretary for reserve affairs." (AP via The New York Times; one-time registration required)

Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General

FASB to Clarify Intent of FAS 123 (R) as relates to EITF 00-19
Excerpt: "At its board meeting on March 23rd, the Financial Account Standards Board (FASB) board voted to issue a proposed FASB Staff Position (FSP), tentatively titled Proposed FSP EITF 00-19-a, 'Application of EITF Issue No. 00-19, 'Accounting for Derivative Financial Instruments Indexed to, and Potentially Settled in, a Company's Own Stock' to Freestanding Financial Instruments Originally Issued as Employee Compensation'." (Financial Executives International)

Compensation and Employment Policies for Higher Education (PDF)
15 pages. Excerpt: "This paper examines existing human resources policies and considers potential modifications designed to help institutions to strategically recruit, retain, and retire faculty. Consideration is given to health insurance for active and retired faculty, and phased retirement plans and early retirement programs." (TIAA-CREF Institute)

Newly Posted Events

401(k) Plans
in Georgia on May 24, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

401(k) Plans
in California on June 7, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

Cafeteria Plans
in Georgia on May 25, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

Cafeteria Plans
in California on June 8, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

COBRA Compliance for Group Health Plans
in Georgia on May 27, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

COBRA Compliance for Group Health Plans
in California on June 10, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

ERISA Compliance for Health & Welfare Plans
in Georgia on May 26, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

ERISA Compliance for Health & Welfare Plans
in California on June 9, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

HIPAA Portability, Privacy & Security
in Georgia on May 27, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

HIPAA Portability, Privacy & Security
in California on June 10, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

HSAs, HRAs, & Consumer-Driven Health Care
in Georgia on May 26, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

HSAs, HRAs, & Consumer-Driven Health Care
in California on June 9, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

Orphan Plans - New Approaches from the Firehouse Steps
Nationwide on April 26, 2005
presented by SunGard Corbel

Sexual Harassment? 401(k) Headaches? Payroll Tax Problems?
in District of Columbia on April 5, 2005
presented by Swidler Berlin LLP

Sexual Harassment? 401(k) Headaches? Payroll Tax Problems? -- A Compliance Seminar for HR Professionals
in District of Columbia on April 5, 2005
presented by Swidler Berlin LLP

Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Post a Help Wanted Ad

Pension Consultants/Administrators
for Northern NJ Mid-Size Pension Consulting Firm
in NJ

Communications Specialist
for Ingersoll-Rand
in NC

Advisor Relations Center Specialist
for Merrill Lynch
in NJ

Strategic Pension Sr. Consultant
for Merrill Lynch
in NJ

Defined Contribution Product (ML11) Director
for Merrill Lynch
in NJ

Product Initiative Manager
for Merrill Lynch
in NJ

Benefits Representative
for Actuant Corporation
in WI

Assistant Administrator (Full-time)
for CCPOA Benefit Trust Fund
in CA

Client Service Manager
for Fidelity Investments
in KY

Health & Welfare Consultant
for Towers Perrin
in CA, CT, DC, IL, MI, MN, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TX

Client Relationship Manager
for Union Central
in CA, NC, NY, TN

Benefits/Retirement Manager: Benefits Accounting, Financial Risk and Qualified Plan Administration
for SunTrust Banks, Inc.
in GA

Pension Administrator
for Ed Ferguson & Associates, Inc.
in IN

Assistant Director of Administration
for MidAmerica Administrative & Retirement Solutions, Inc.
in FL



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