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November 10, 2005
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Cafeteria Plans Could Provide Loophole on Treasury Department's Proposed HSA Rule
Excerpt: "Employers can avoid most existing and proposed HSA comparability rules, and boost enrollment, if they offer HSAs through a cafeteria plan, according to two HSA experts who spoke at an Oct. 26 audioconference sponsored by ICDC." (INSIDE CONSUMER-DIRECTED CARE via AISHealth.com)

Report Shows Why Flexible Work Schedules Benefit Businesses
Excerpt: "A new report finds that, [Flexible work options do] help profitability, based on internal data drawn from 28 major firms. The companies - members of Corporate Voices for Working Families (CVWF), the nonprofit partnership that published the report - were willing to go public to show how various flex programs positively affected everything from employee retention to customer service." (The Christian Science Monitor)

Firms Urged to Clarify Holiday and Vacation Policies for Employees
Excerpt: "Small business owners are starting to deal with an annual headache: Everyone wants the day after Thanksgiving off. And the week after Christmas. Any owner who's suffering through the annual holiday vacation crunch -- which can mean either too few staffers on hand or a business populated by disgruntled workers -- needs to rethink the company's policy on time off. Or, if there isn't a policy, create one." (AP via The New York Times; one-time registration required)

National Consumer Health Privacy Survey 2005
Excerpt: "[F]ollowing implementation of national privacy protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the President's push to adopt electronic medical records, a new CHCF survey plumbs consumers' attitudes about the privacy of their health information." (California HealthCare Foundation)

Tips for Avoiding Some of the Top Problem Situations in HIPAA Privacy
Excerpt: "With the anxiety of HIPAA privacy implementation now behind many covered entities (CEs), they have begun to identify where the typical privacy problems arise in their day-to-day operations. Some were easily anticipated, and others are proving to be a bit surprising." (REPORT ON PATIENT PRIVACY via AISHealth.com)

Shifting Health Care Costs -- More Employers Link Premium Contributions to Wages
Excerpt: "The era when companies picked up the bill for their workers' health insurance is fading fast under the relentless pressure of rising medical costs. And executives are exploring how employees can shoulder some of the financial burden." (The Philadelphia Inquirer; one-time registration required)

Pres.cription Drug Coverage in Light of Consumerism Initiatives
Excerpt: "Due to the rapidly rising cost of pres.cription drugs, which has outpaced all other components of healthcare over recent years, employers are evaluating various coverage options." (CCA Strategies, LLC)

Why the Plans of a Major Drug Purchasing Coalition Did Not Work
Excerpt: "When a group of more than 50 FORTUNE 500 companies embarked on a widely publicized mission to remove the pharmacy benefit manager's (PBM)'s rebate-driven 'profit motive' and directly contract with pharma.ceutical manufacturers, drug makers responded to their proposal with a 'resounding 'no.''" (DRUG BENEFIT NEWS via AISHealth.com)

Overview: E-Prescribing and Electronic Medical Records; Electronic Pres.criptions and Part D Drugs (PDF)
3 pages. (Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP)

Employee Education on Proper Contraception Use Pays Health Care Dividends
Excerpt: "Employee education to encourage consistent, effective use of contraceptives may cut huge costs associated with pregnancies, births, abortions and hysterectomies related to gynecologic disorders, experts say." (BenefitNews Connect)

Americans Oppose Tax-Funded Health System, According to PricewaterhouseCoopers Survey
Excerpt: "There is widespread global support for financing health care with a blend of public and private money, according to the New York City-based consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers, which surveyed 580 employers, hospital executives, physician groups, government leaders, policy-makers and medical supply companies in 27 countries." (BenefitNews Connect)

Financing Retiree Health Care: A Collection of TIAA-CREF Institute Reports 2005 (PDF)
62 pages. Excerpt: "The TIAA-CREF Institute has conducted and sponsored research over the past several years on retiree health care issues. This collection .... includes reports that explore, among other issues, the implications of retiree health expenditures for individual workers, the trends in retiree health benefits provided by colleges and universities and the options currently available for pre-funding retiree health expenditures (as well as the drawbacks of those options.)" (TIAA-CREF Institute)

HRAs or HSAs, How Does an Employer Decide Which to Offer?
Excerpt: "To assist an employer in deciding between HRAs and HSAs, this article compares the important features of each in a question and answer format and then discusses their advantages and disadvantages." (CCA Strategies, LLC)


Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General

Overview: IRS Proposed Regulations on Nonqualified Deferred Compensation (PDF)
10 pages. Excerpt: "Section 409A was added to the Internal Revenue Code by the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004. [T]his new section governs the tax treatment of various nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) arrangements, including traditional nonqualified salary deferral arrangements, 'mirror' and 'excess' 401(k) plans, supplemental executive retirement plans, 457(f) plans, severance arrangements, and many forms of incentive pay (including equity-based compensation arrangements)." (Buck Consultants)

Executive Compensation Accounting and the Boardroom Dilemma
Excerpt: "Past CEO packages have had a heavier focus on the retirement end, says Jones. 'But now we're seeing a shift in the mix, with more emphasis on long-term incentives, rather than retirement. It's not just about longevity anymore. It's about performance.'" (U.S. Banker)

Rabbi Trusts-- The Basics and Beyond (PDF)
10 pages. Excerpt: "In this article, [Groom Law Group reviews] the basics of rabbi trusts, address[es] some of the unique issues that can arise in connection with their use, and explain[s] the heightened interest in rabbi trusts on Capitol Hill and elsewhere. .... [Originally Published December 2004 in the BNA Benefits Practice Library]" (Groom Law Group)


Newly Posted Events

Form 1099-R Still Not As Simple As It Looks
Nationwide on December 20, 2005
presented by SunGard Corbel

Information Session for Graduate Degrees in Employee Benefits Law
in Illinois on November 15, 2005
presented by John Marshall Law School, The

Katrina Relief and What it Means to Me
Nationwide on December 13, 2005
presented by SunGard Corbel


Newly Posted Press Releases

The Principal Financial Group Launches National Benefit Strategy Network for Plan Sponsors and Financial Professionals; Principal Benefits Exchange Program Gives Industry Partners An Edge in Improving Employee Benefits
(Principal Financial Group)

Council Commends Continued Work On Pension Reform Legislation, More Improvements Still Necessary
(American Benefits Council)

Standard Insurance Company Appoints Thomas Blanchar as Product Manager of 403(b) and 457 Markets
(Standard Insurance Company)

MetLife Rolls Out California Partnership Program to Small- and Mid-Size Businesses Across the State; New Statewide Program is First to Deliver CPLTC-Certified Long-Term Care Policies Through the Workplace
(MetLife)

ARAG Names Robert M. Fishman President and CEO
(ARAG)

New White Paper and Podcast by Fred Reish Explores Emerging Fiduciary Responsibilities and Challenges
(Ameriprise Retirement Services)


Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Post a Help Wanted Ad

Pension Professionals
for Primark Benefits
in CA

Pension Administrator
for The Benefits Consulting Group, Inc.
in IL

Consultant Relations Manager
for Mercer HR Services
in MA

Pension Firm management
for Primark Benefits
in CA

Pension Administrator
for Primark Benefits
in CA

401(k) Enroller/ Investment Administrator
for Tycor Benefit Administrators, Inc.
in PA

Quality Assurance Specialist - Dental Claims Department
for Major Midtown Union Health Plan
in NY

Telephone Representative
for Major Midtown Union Health Plan
in NY

Senior Product Manager
for ING U. S. Financial Services
in CT

Benefits Specialist
for Safeco Corporation
in WA




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