| BenefitsLink Welfare Plans Newsletter |   |
October 3, 2005
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Overview of Health Savings Accounts with Comparison to Archer MSAs, HRAs & FSAs (PDF)
33 pages. (Miller & Chevalier Chartered)
Benefits with a Bit of a Bite Are Popular with Employers
Excerpt: "More companies are offering unusual perks such as gourmet meals in the company cafeteria, on-site car washes, laundry services and massages, said Susan Afan, a regional vice president for Robert Half International Inc. in Oakland." (San Francisco Business Times via bizjournals.com; one-time registration required)
Paid-Time-Off Banks Make Managing Employee Absences Easier
Excerpt: "After acquiring five companies in the past five years, Monster Worldwide Inc. found itself with a hodgepodge of policies governing vacation, personal, and sick days. 'They were a nightmare to administer,' recalls Greg Limoges, vice president of compensation, benefits, and human-resource information systems for the online career network based in Maynard, Massachusetts. Monster's solution: a paid-time-off bank." (CFO Magazine)
COBRA Rights Notice When Plan Receives Notice from Qualified Beneficiary of 2nd Qualifying Event
Excerpt: "The federal trial court in this decision takes a novel approach to COBRA's notice requirements by ruling that a COBRA qualified beneficiary has the right to receive a notice of COBRA rights after experiencing a second qualifying event. The qualified beneficiary in question, the son of a former employee, was receiving COBRA coverage due to his mother's termination of employment." (Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc.)
7th Annual Report on the Implementation of the Administrative Simplification Provisions of HIPAA
Excerpt: "In compliance with Section 263, Subtitle F of Public Law 104-191, the report was developed by the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS), the public advisory committee to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on health data, privacy, and health information policy, and covers the period January 2004 through April 2005." (National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics)
Proposed Standards for Electronic Request & Supply of Supplemental Info to Support Health Claims
Excerpt: "HHS has issued proposed standards and codes to be used when health plans electronically request, or health care providers electronically supply, supplemental information (commonly referred to as 'claims attachments') for certain types of claims." (Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc.)
Doctors Use Annual Fees to Pay Them What Insurance Won't
Excerpt: "Take two aspirin and pay our new annual fee in the morning. An increasing number of doctors are telling their patients something along those lines. With health care economics what they are today, to get a clean bill of health, you may have to pay a second bill -- a fee that helps your doctor pay his bills. Sometimes called a 'concierge fee,' it's sort of like slipping a couple of Jacksons to the maitre d' to get a good table." (The Washington Post; one-time registration required)
Insurance Payments for Infertility Treatment Lags
Excerpt: "A 2005 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management indicated 41 percent of 355 U.S. employers offered insurance covering at least some infertility treatment. Many plans lack coverage for in vitro fertilization, and a few states that mandate coverage have age restrictions. Connecticut, which limits coverage to women under 40, is the most restrictive." (AP via Yahoo! News)
Once Considered a Luxury, the Corporate Medical Clinic Just Might Be a Money Saver
Excerpt: "In the last year, large companies such as Capital One Financial Corp., Discovery Communications Inc., Sprint Nextel Corp. and mortgage guarantor Freddie Mac have opened on-site medical clinics with physicians and nurse practitioners. The clinics offer medical treatment for free or, compared with the company's health plan, at reduced prices." (Los Angeles Times; one-time registration required)
Health Care: Continued Leadership Needed to Define and Implement Information Technology Standards
16 pages. Excerpt: "The House Committee on Government Reform asked GAO to summarize (1) its previously issued reports and recommendations on health IT standards and (2) recent actions taken by HHS to facilitate the development of health IT standards. [Highlights of the report are at http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d051054thigh.pdf.]" (U.S. Government Accountability Office)
Health Costs Rising Again -- 12% Premium Hike on Tap, According to Survey
Excerpt: "Health-insurance costs are projected to rise at a double-digit clip again in 2006 unless employers take steps to cut benefits or shift more of the payment burden to their workers. That is the conclusion of new surveys by two national employee-benefits firms, and a view shared by Central Ohio health insurance experts." (Business First of Columbus via bizjournals.com; one-time registration required)
What's Causing Health Care's Rising Costs? According to Some, It's the System
Excerpt: "[T]here are few simple answers when it comes to explaining how much of the nation's $1.9 trillion in health care bills is justified, experts say. The ``system'' is loaded with incentives to push costs higher and disincentives to keep costs low. Virtually everyone involved deserves a share of the blame, including insurers, hospitals, doctors, drug-makers, the government. And at the heart of it all are American consumers who demand the best health care." (The Mercury News; one-time registration required)
Seven Steps to Address the Communication Challenges of Medicare Part D
Excerpt: "These days it's hard to get through a periodical without finding an article about the upcoming implementation of the federal government's Medicare Part D program. For the most part, the news is not good. Healthcare trade publications and mainstream business press alike seem to run an article an issue painting a grim picture of seemingly inevitable chaos on January 2, 2006-the effective date of the Part D benefit." (HealthLeaders Media)
Two Recent Opinion Pieces Address U.S. Health System Changes and Quality
Excerpt: "Nicholas Kristof [in the] New York Times [says,] 'In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we have an opportunity to construct something far more important than higher levees -- a national health care system that looks less like a tightrope and more like a safety net,' ...." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Health Care Crisis Goes Untreated, but the Cancer Is Spreading
Excerpt: "The share of Americans receiving health insurance at work has fallen in each of the last four years, from 63.6% in 2000 to 59.8% in 2004, the Census Bureau recently reported. The decline has continued despite a recovering economy that has created jobs in each of the last three years." (Los Angeles Times via BlueCross BlueShield Association)
Health Savings Accounts and the States: Lifting the Barriers (PDF)
7 pages. Excerpt: "Recent surveys and media reports show that more and more businesses are or soon will be offering health savings account (HSA) plans. While this is excellent news for health care consumers, there are still many state government barriers that interfere with the efficient delivery of HSA plans. This study examines those barriers and offers suggestions for overcoming them." (Galen Institute)
'Health 401(k)s' Gaining Slowly: Health Savings Account Subscribers Are Still Few
Excerpt: "Health Savings Accounts and related high-deductible plans continue to nibble away at traditional health-care alternatives, such as HMO and PPO plans, as employers rebel against rising premium costs. But so far, the inroads appear to be incremental, even though the availability of options is growing rapidly." (San Francisco Business Times via bizjournals.com; one-time registration required)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Issue in Brief: Work Opportunities for Older Americans -- What Makes Older Women Work? (PDF)
9 pages. Excerpt: "This brief explores the extent to which older women -- particularly those who are married -- face different employment opportunities and incentives than men. The first section provides background on trends in labor force participation. The second ... describes different factors -- demographic, financial and family-related -- that might affect whether older women are employed. The third ... assesses how influential these factors are by presenting the results ...." (Center for Retirement Research at Boston College)
A Hurricane of Relief-- A Summary of Employee Benefit Plan Provisions
Excerpt: "In the devastating wake of Hurricane Katrina, Congress and federal governmental agencies have moved swiftly to provide relief to the individuals and businesses that have been affected by this natural disaster. .... This Legal Alert summarizes the current state of the relief as it affects employee benefit plans." (Kilpatrick Stockton LLP)
Michigan Same-Sex Benefits Decision Appealed
Excerpt: "State Attorney General Mike Cox announced Friday he would appeal last week's ruling in favor of domestic partner benefits. The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, which filed the lawsuit resulting in last Tuesday's ruling, has indicated it will fight attempts to overturn the decision. The Ingham County Circuit Court ruling permits public institutions in the state to provide benefits such as health care to the same-sex partners of employees despite Michigan's constitution ...." (The Michigan Daily)
Overview: Proposed Regulations Under Section 409A Issued; Year-End Action Might Be Desirable
Excerpt: "The proposed regulations do not provide for any extension of time for a participant to terminate participation or cancel elections under Q&A 20 of Notice 2005-1 or for an employer to amend applicable nonqualified deferred compensation plans for any termination or cancellation election. As a result, in some instances, actions to terminate a deferral for 2005 may need to be taken before December 31, 2005 to comply with Section 409A." (McDermott Will & Emery LLP)
Microsoft Settles 'Permatemp' Case for $97 Million
Excerpt: "Microsoft hired the so-called 'permatemps' through 'temp' agencies, allegedly so that the software giant could avoid paying pensions, health care and stock options that they would have been entitled to as full time workers." (PLANSPONSOR.com: one-time registration required)
Newly Posted Events
409A Regs at Last: How Employers Should React
Nationwide on October 6, 2005
presented by Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans Working Group on Communications to Retirement Plan Participants and Working Group on Retirement Plan Distributions and Options; Notice of Meeting
in District of Columbia on October 20, 2005
presented by U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration
Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans Working Group on Improving Plan Communications for Health and Welfare Plan Participants; Notice of Meeting
in District of Columbia on October 19, 2005
presented by U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration
Form 5500s: Tips and Traps for Health & Welfare Plan Filings
Nationwide on June 2, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)
Health FSAs and HSAs: How They Can Work Together--Design a Plan That Works for You
Nationwide on September 8, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)
Health Plan Eligibility Audits: Getting Rid of the Ineligibles--Pros, Cons, Whys, and Hows
Nationwide on October 20, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)
Medicare Part D: What All Health Plans Need to Do by November 15
Nationwide on August 24, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)
Processing Benefits Claims and Appeals for Self-Funded Health Plans, Health FSAs, and HRAs: How to Make Plan Decisions That Stand Up to Scrutiny
Nationwide on June 30, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)
Teleconference Briefing: Proposed IRS Guidance on Deferred Compensation Plans
Nationwide on October 6, 2005
presented by Seyfarth Shaw LLP
The "New" Use-It-or-Lose-It Rule: How the May 2005 IRS Guidance Affects Employers, Health FSAs, and DCAPs
Nationwide on June 1, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)
What Your Insurer Might Not Take Care Of: Compliance Steps for Employers With Insured Health Plans
Nationwide on October 6, 2005
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)
Newly Posted Press Releases
Federal Pension Insurance Program Will Speed Replacement Of Lost Checks In Hurricane-Hit Texas, Louisiana
(Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC))
Partners Spread the Word on Leave-Donation Program
(Internal Revenue Service (IRS))
IRS Reaches Agreement With Doctors Benefit Insurance Company, LTD.
(Internal Revenue Service (IRS))
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Relationship Manager
for BISYS Retirement Services
in PA
Defined Benefit Calculation Consultants
for Constantin Control Associates
in NJ
Investment Consultant
for Invesmart, Inc.
in TX
Manager, Benefits Services
for The Coca-Cola Company
in GA
401(k) Manager
for Retirement System Group Inc.
in NY
Benefits Consultant/Account Manager
for Aflac
in TX
Benefits and Training Manager
for NASCAR
in FL
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