| BenefitsLink Welfare Plans Newsletter |   |
April 29, 2005
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Pharmaceutical Companies' Nominal Pricing Practices Facing Growing Scrutiny
Excerpt: "A practice in the pharmaceutical industry of providing steep discounts on medications to some hospitals without informing Medicaid of the price reduction is coming under increasing scrutiny by attorneys, lawmakers and regulators, the Wall Street Journal reports." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Minimum Benefits Budgets for Employers Proposed in 30 States
Excerpt: "Thirty states are considering bills that would require employers to either provide a basic level of health care coverage or contribute to a state fund to cover the uninsured, according to an analysis ... by the HR Policy Association, an advocate for large employers." (BenefitNews.com)
Mandatory Health Insurance Rejected in California
Excerpt: "California lawmakers killed a bill Wednesday that would have required all individuals in the state to purchase health insurance." (BenefitNews.com)
Towers Perrin U.S. Legislative Tracking Charts-- Health and Welfare (PDF)
Excerpt: "These charts summarize selected federal legislation that would affect employee benefit programs. The bills included on the charts are based on judgments regarding the prominence of the issue, the likelihood of enactment, and the influence of the sponsors." (Towers Perrin)
Opinion: Conservatives' Private Obsession is Preventing Reform of Healthcare System
Excerpt: "America is ruled by conservatives, and they have a private obsession: they believe that more privatization, not less, is always the answer. And their faith persists even when the evidence clearly points to a private sector gone bad." (New York Times; free one-time registration required)
Overview: EEOC Rule Allowing Coordination of Retiree Health Benefits Permanently Enjoined
Excerpt: "[T]his decision, if affirmed on appeal, leaves employers with few options other than to restructure and reduce the health benefits provided to retirees. An employer can comply with this decision only by: (1) increasing health benefits for retirees over the age of 65; (2) reducing health benefits for retirees under the age of 65; (3) limiting the duration of health benefits to a specified number of years regardless of age; or (4) terminating health benefits for all retirees." (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
Retiree Health Benefit Promises Haunt GM
Excerpt: "The challenges the company will face in trying to keep its promises to retirees mirror the looming federal budget dilemma. GM employees, particularly younger ones, must confront the frightening possibility that neither their employers nor Uncle Sam will be equipped to meet their income and health-care needs in retirement." (The Motley Fool)
Summary of Hearing on Challenges to Employer Efforts to Preserve Retiree Health Care Benefits (PDF)
3 pages. Excerpt: "On April 28, 2005 the House Education and the Workforce Committee, Employer and Employee Relations Subcommittee held a hearing in response to the recent activity regarding the so-called 'Erie County' issue.... The purpose of this committee hearing was to explore this issue further and to consider whether Congress should act to help employers continue to provide these valuable retiree health benefits." (American Benefits Council)
Consumer-Driven Plans Fall Short In Providing Usable Information For Consumers
Excerpt: "Only 54% of insurers provide cost information on consumer-driven plans to consumers, and only 44% provide any quality information, according to a survey of insurers that offer consumer-driven health plans conducted for the Federation of American Hospitals and the American Hospital Association by Reden & Anders, Ltd. The survey garnered responses from 28 insurers and health plan vendors, which represented 800,000 individuals enrolled in consumer-driven plans." (Spencer Benefits Reports)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Wanted: Retirees to Work
Excerpt: "Odd as it sounds in this era of downsizing and outsourcing, workforce experts say that companies and government agencies soon will have to encourage older employees to work longer because there aren't enough experienced younger people to replace them." (San Francisco Chronicle)
Towers Perrin U.S. Legislative Tracking Charts-- Human Resources (PDF)
Excerpt: "These charts summarize selected federal legislation that would affect employee benefit programs. The bills included on the charts are based on judgments regarding the prominence of the issue, the likelihood of enactment, and the influence of the sponsors." (Towers Perrin)
Newly Posted Events
Form 5500 Preparation Workshop
in Pennsylvania on May 12, 2005
presented by Central Pennsylvania Chapter - ISCEBS
Major Employers: Controlling Your Healthcare Budget
in District of Columbia on June 22, 2005
presented by ERIC (ERISA Industry Committee)
Plan Design Workshop - Exploring New Directions
Nationwide on June 15, 2005
presented by SunGard Corbel
Newly Posted Press Releases
IRS Names New Members to TE/GE Advisory Group
(Internal Revenue Service (IRS))
Employers and Plan Sponsors Are Missing New Medicare Prescription Dollars
(Part D Advisors, Inc. )
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Retirement Plan Specialist
for Diversified Investment Advisors
in MN
Employee Benefits Tax Consultant
for Deloitte
in VA
Pension Plan Administrator
for McDermott & Miller, P.C.
in NE
401(k) / DC Plan Administrator
for DR Pension Services, LLC
in NY
Junior 401(k) Administrator
for Benefit Equity Inc.
in CA
DB Plan Administrator
for TPA Firm in Boca Raton, FL
in FL
Employee Education Consultant
for PNC Advisors
in PA
Benefits Manager
for Peninsula Regional Medical Center
in MD
Handy Links:
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- Search BenefitsLink
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article)
- Employee Benefits Library
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