| BenefitsLink Welfare Plans Newsletter |   |
April 22, 2005
Today's sponsor: World Congress
(Click on company name or banner to learn more.)
| The World Congress 1st Annual Human Capital Management Congress |
| The World Congress is proud to present the 1st Annual Human Capital Management Congress taking place this October 31 - November 2, 2005 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC.
The HCMC will bring together the most innovative and knowledgeable industry experts addressing the most pertinent issues relating to health and human capital management. The event is uniquely designed to discuss the impact of benefits on employee productivity, healthcare costs and overall company competitiveness. |
| (Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor) |
Association Health Plans Not Getting Anywhere in Congress
Excerpt: Excerpt: "Banter at the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee was collegial this week and lawmakers' promises of bipartisan cooperation numerous, but when it came down to the details, Democrats dug in their heels and opposed Republican legislation allowing association health plans. The Bush administration has proposed AHP legislation several times. It would allow industry associations to offer health plans to their members as a way to help small businesses afford ...." (UPI via The Washington Times)
Small Business Health Insurance Fight Picks Up Where It Left Off in Congress
Excerpt: "A key U.S. Senate committee chairman said Thursday he plans to act on legislation this year to help small businesses buy affordable health insurance, but that he has not made up his mind on whether that bill should include controversial provisions to allow federally regulated pools called 'Association Health Plans.' The U.S. House has passed bills that would allow creation of interstate groups to help small firms band together outside of state regulation at least seven times ...." (Reuters Health Information via Medscape)
Segal's Survey of Health and Welfare Benefits at Large Law Firms: Summary of Results, 2003 and 2004 (PDF)
3 pages; the target page leads you to Segal's Survey of Health and Welfare Benefits at Large Law Firms -- the 2004 Update. (The Segal Company)
Benefits Advisory: AARP v. EEOC and the Future of Retiree Health Benefits
Excerpt: "This client advisory explains the background of a dispute [between] a government agency and a private senior advocacy group--both with similar constituencies and goals. Where they differ is on the question of whether the EEOC has the power under the ADEA to exempt certain retiree medical plan designs from the ADEA, or whether only Congress can do so. The EEOC rule in issue would allow employers to suspend or substantially reduce retiree health benefits to Medicare-eligible retirees." (Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C.)
Overview: What Employers Need to Know: Medicare Subsidies for Providing Pres.cription Drug Coverage (PDF)
4 pages. Excerpt: "Beginning in 2006, employers that sponsor pres.cription drug coverage for retirees may be able to take advantage of federal subsidies. These subsidies present an attractive opportunity for employers, but as you might expect, the opportunity comes with certain regulatory burdens. Keep in mind that all employers who provide pres.cription drug coverage for retirees will face new requirements -- not just those employers who apply for subsidies." (Dechert LLP)
Audit Urges End of IRS's Employee Tuition Plan; Administrative Costs Said to Be 'Far Too High'
Excerpt: "The Internal Revenue Service's employee tuition assistance program has spent more than 60 percent of its funds -- or $4.4 million in two years -- on administrative costs, employing the equivalent of 30 full-time workers while turning away hundreds of employees for lack of funds, an inspector general audit has found." (The Washington Post; one-time registration required)
Patients Spend from Health Savings Accounts While Uninformed about Treatment Costs
Excerpt: "Most patients using health savings accounts (HSAs) do not have access to the pricing and quality information that supporters say is key to the HSAs' success in controlling rising healthcare costs, a survey of major insurers has found. The survey, which polled major insurers covering 800,000 of the approximately 1.2 million Americans using HSAs, shows that more than 55% offer customers no information on the quality of services provided by covered hospitals or physicians." (Medscape Medical News)
Opinion: Passing the Buck in America's System of Health Care Spending
Excerpt: "The United States spends far more on health care than other advanced countries. Yet we don't appear to receive more medical services. And we have lower life-expectancy and higher infant-mortality rates than countries that spend less than half as much per person. How do we do it? An important part of the answer is that much of our health care spending is devoted to passing the buck: trying to get someone else to pay the bills." (The New York Times; one-time registration required)
San Francisco Considers Proposal to Require Businesses to Provide Health Benefits
Excerpt: "The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Wednesday discussed a proposal for an ordinance to require businesses in San Francisco to provide health insurance to employees, the San Francisco Chronicle. The ordinance would be based upon SB 2, which was repealed under Proposition 72 in the November 2004 election, according to Supervisor Tom Ammiano." (California HealthCare Foundation)
Gingrich Says U.S. Health Care System Can't Be Fixed
Excerpt: "Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich didn't mince words about the state of the health care system at an April 21 breakfast at the Arlington Club in Portland. The current system can't be fixed. We shouldn't bother trying,' he told a crowd of 50 at the event, .... 'Third-party payer systems are inherently destructive,' he added, and Medicaid needs an overhaul." (The Business Journal of Portland via bizjournals.com; one-time registration required)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Overview: Supreme Court Makes It Easier to Bring Age Discrimination Claims (PDF)
3 pages. Excerpt: "Aged-based claims premised only on the impact of an employer's practice or decision now are a viable alternative to disparate treatment claims under the ADEA. Although this ruling may give rise to additional age claims, employers should be able to avoid liability if their practices and decisions are based on reasonable factors other than age." (Powell Goldstein LLP)
Connecticut Civil Union Bill Could Affect Employer State Tax Computations and Benefit Offerings
Excerpt: "Connecticut employers may need to change their HR recordkeeping systems to reflect the potential changes in the handling employee benefits under the state's new civil union law. Benefits consultant Andrew Sherman, a senior vice president at the Segal Company, said the differences will come in the tax treatment of both salary and benefits at the state level since federal law doesn't recognize domestic partners or civil unions." (PLANSPONSOR.com; one-time registration required)
Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide Updated as of April 19, 2005
Excerpt: "Hewitt's Federal Legislation Quick Guide provides short updates on federal legislation that is currently under active consideration by Congress or has recently been enacted into law regarding health and welfare benefit plans, retirement plans, and human resources and employment law." (Hewitt Associates)
Greenspan Urges Congress to Rein in Entitlement Programs -- Social Security and Medicare
Excerpt: "Alan Greenspan, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, urged lawmakers on Thursday to scale back promised benefits for both Social Security and Medicare 'sooner rather than later.' Expressing particular alarm about health costs and Medicare, Mr. Greenspan warned that the federal budget was on an 'unsustainable path' that would lead to a vicious circle of higher deficits, higher interest rates and even higher borrowing." (The New York Times; one-time registration required)
Newly Posted Events
3rd Annual 412(i) Summit
in Washington on July 21, 2005
presented by 412i Company
Annual Benefits and Compensation Conference: Negotiate Your Way to Success & Happiness!
in Maryland on May 5, 2005
presented by Worldwide Employee Benefits Network (WEB) - Baltimore Chapter
Newly Posted Press Releases
PSCA Comments on Senator Bingaman's Automatic Enrollment Plans
(Profit Sharing/401(k) Council of America (PSCA))
WageWorks Launches ''Health Care Choice Account''; Single Consolidated Spending Account Provides Unprecedented Choice and Quality for Employers and Employees
(WageWorks Inc.)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Senior Benefits Administrator
for Access Retirement Services, LLC
in TN
Pension Assistant
for Preferred Pension Planning Corporation
in NJ
Pension Consultant
for Preferred Pension Planning Corporation
in NJ
Defined Benefit Actuarial Specialist
for Standard Insurance Company
in OR
Claims Examiner III
for Great-West Corporate
in KS
Retirement Plans Specialist
for FBOP Corporation
in IL
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