BenefitsLink Welfare Plans Newsletter July 12, 2005 Today's sponsor: Healthcare IQ/IQPC (Click on company name or banner to learn more.) 2nd CREATING, DESIGNING & MARKETING HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS Practical Solutions for Reducing Healthcare Costs and Improving Enrollment in HSAs for Employers and Health Plans September 12 - 14, 2005 * Washington, DC LEARN FROM: US Department of Treasury * IBM * Microsoft * Mid States Mechanical * Eddie Bauer * Bacou-Dalloz USA * Equitrac Corporation * Collier Pest Control * McNeil Consumer and Specialty Pharmaceuticals * National Federation of Independent Business * Mellon Bank * Lumenos * Fallon Community Health Plan * The Haelan Group * Health Savings Administrators * Caregain * Alston & Bird * eFlexGroup * Human Resources Consulting Group * Consumer Driven Market Report (Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor) Loyal Workers Over 50: Businesses Attract Older Workers with Distinctive Benefits Excerpt: "Older workers have gained a reputation for being reliable, committed and skilled. So its not surprising that more employers are wooing these older workers with tailored benefits and flexible employment policies." (Employee Benefit News) Health & Productivity in the Aging American Work Force: Realities and Opportunities (PDF) 16 pages. Excerpt: "Over the next two decades (2005 - 2025), the American work force, as well as other industrialized countries, will be significantly influenced by the cohort of individuals born between 1946 - 1964, i.e. the 'baby boomers.' This group includes an estimated 78-million individuals in the U.S. who will be 40 - 60 years of age in 2006." (UnumProvident Corporation) Governor of Hawaii Allows VEBA Bill to Become Law Excerpt: "Gov. Linda Lingle announced today she will allow HB 1608 to become law without her signature. The bill, which was on the Governor's earlier list of potential vetoes, will allow for the temporary establishment of a voluntary employees' beneficiary association (VEBA) trust. The purpose of the VEBA trust program is to allow a thorough analysis and evaluation of the costs and benefits of a VEBA trust compared with the Hawaii Employer Union Trust Fund (EUTF) to determine ...." (Hawaii Reporter) HIPAA Security Requires IS Activity Review and Auditing Excerpt: "The [target page] is an excerpt from the chapter on 'Security Auditing and Audit Controls' in AIS's comprehensive HIPAA Security Compliance Guide. It was written by Troy T. Schumacher, CISSP, of Riskology, Inc. in Englewood, Colo." (REPORT ON PATIENT PRIVACY via AISHealth.com) Self-Funded Employers May Have Head Start in Push for Wellness Programs Excerpt: "Self-funding of employee medical expenses is not new, but consumer-driven health wattage is shedding new light on the opportunities presented by this type of arrangement. Many experts believe that a self-funded environment is the preferred approach for tapping the cost-cutting potential of the consumer movement because self-funding makes it easier to access and manipulate employer medical information." (Employee Benefit News) Cancer Drugs Offer Hope, but Expense Worries Doctors and Patients Excerpt: "[T]he high-priced cancer drugs are a relatively small part of overall medical spending. But some doctors warn that with more new drugs coming, the use of superexpensive therapies may further fuel the runaway costs of the health care system." (The New York Times; one-time registration required) Summary of 'Health Spending in the United States and the Rest of the Industrialized World' Excerpt: "[A] study published in Health Affairs, supported by The Commonwealth Fund, finds that higher prices for health services such as pres.cription drugs, hospital stays and doctor visits, is the main reason for higher U.S. spending." (The Commonwealth Fund) A Special Topic Solicitation on the Use of Consumer Information in Health Care (PDF) 2 pages. Excerpt: "The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, through its Changes in Health Care Financing and Organization (HCFO) initiative, is issuing a special topic solicitation on the use of consumer information. The HCFO program funds investigator-initiated research on issues of health care financing and health care organization that have implications for public policy." (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) Proposed Changes in Health Savings Accounts Could Boost Their Adoption Excerpt: "Health savings accounts (HSAs) are 'a high priority for President Bush,' and the White House has urged members of Congress to consider ways to make them even more attractive to employers and health care consumers, according to Roy Ramthun, senior health policy advisor to the White House National Economic Council." (INSIDE DISEASE MANAGEMENT via AISHealth.com) Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General Monthly Benefit News & Developments, July 2005 Issue from Milliman (PDF) 2 pages. Contents: Social Security Study; Legislative Activity on the Benefits Front; Upcoming Key Dates; GAO Studies; Regulatory Roundup; and, Accounting Items. (Milliman) Critical FewPoints -- First Installment of Series on Employee Plans Examinations' Priorities Excerpt: "I think it is important to focus resources and attention on the Critical Few priorities. If we do this, we'll have a strong and vibrant Examinations program, which is vital in combating non-compliance. Because I believe we must focus on the Critical Few, I will give my viewpoint of the 'Critical FewPoints' that are vital to the success of EP Examinations and TE/GE as a whole." (Michael Julianelle of U.S. Internal Revenue Service) Newly Posted Press Releases Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Announces $356.25 Million Bankruptcy Claim for Enron Retirement Plans (U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration) Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings Retirement Plan Coordinator for American Funds in VA 401(k) Administrative Assistant for 401(k) Advisors in CA 401(k) Finance/HR/Compliance Coordinator for 401(k) Advisors in CA Service Coordinator for 401(k) Advisors in CA Retirement Actuarial Associate for Towers Perrin in CA, MI, WA Human Resources Contact Center Team Leader for CitiStreet in FL Senior Human Resources Support Specialist for CitiStreet in FL Supervisor for Benefit Consultants Group in NJ Pension Consultant / Manager for Northern New Jersey Pension Consulting Firm in NJ Handy Links: View Today's Active Message Threads Search BenefitsLink Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article) Employee Benefits Library Copyright 2005 BenefitsLink.com, Inc.; except that you may reprint this newsletter in full (including this sentence) without obtaining our permission. 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