BenefitsLink Welfare Plans Newsletter

Webcast: Consumer-Driven Health Benefits Survey Release -- Excerpt: "The Employee
Benefits Research Institute and Commonwealth Fund release results from a national survey
on the growth of consumer driven health plans and its impact on the behavior and
attitudes of health care consumers. Reaction to the survey findings are provided by plan
sponsors, insurers, providers and academia." (The Commonwealth Fund)
Broadband Technology Could Save Health Care System Billions -- Excerpt: "Speeding up
deployment of broadband technology could save more than $800 billion in healthcare costs
while boosting the nation's economy, according to a report released today by the New
Millennium Research Council. Great Expectations: Potential Economic Benefits From
Accelerated Broadband Deployment To Older Americans and Americans with Disabilities, was
authored by economist Robert E. Lit an...." (Healthcare IT News)
Health Care System Factory of Ideas: Entrepreneurs Forming Think Tank -- Excerpt: "The
grand plan to create what's being described as a 'think-and-act tank' stems from a
proposal two years ago by then chairman Tommy Frist, who wanted the Nashville Health C
are Council to have a greater impact. One of the first ideas to emerge was the creation
of a think tank that could provide practical solutions to the nation's health care
industry." (Nashville Business Journal via bizjournals.com; one-time registration
required)
Commentary: Recovering Health Coverage -- Excerpt: "The Big Three automakers (General
Motors, Ford and Daimler Chrysler) are suffering record losses and lagging sales. They've
been here before, in the late 1970s, and managed to pull through. However, there is one
significant difference between then and now: rising health-care costs, especially for
retirees. Unless those costs are addressed correctly and quickly, at least one automaker
could go out of business." (The Washington Times)
Health Insurance System Change to Hit Dutch Inflation in 2006 -- Excerpt: "A change in
the Dutch health insurance system next year will pull the country's European-harmonised
inflation figures into negative territory, impacting euro zone data, economists s aid on
[December 8]. The Netherlands is switching from a mixed private and public health
insurance system to a private but heavily regulated system next year, opening the 29
billion euro ($34 billion) market to competition." (Business Insurance)
Ford and UAW Sign Tentative Health Care Pact that Trims Benefits -- Excerpt: "The Ford
deal follows the basic framework of the GM agreement, which requires workers and retirees
to pay more for their health care, said a person familiar with the agreement. H e spoke
on condition of anonymity about the agreement that still must be presented to rank-and-
file members for ratification." (The Washington Post; one-time registration required)
The Next Retirement Time Bomb -- Retiree Health Care Benefits -- Excerpt: "For years,
governments have been promising generous medical benefits to millions of schoolteachers,
firefighters and other employees when they retire, yet experts say that virtually none of
these governments have kept track of the mounting price tag. The usual practice is to
budget for health care a year at a time, and to leave the rest for the future." (The New
York Times; one-time registration required)
Overview: IRS Releases 2005 Version of Publication 969, Covering HSAs, HRAs, Health FSAs,
and MSAs -- Excerpt: "IRS Publication 969 is a convenient resource for comparing the main
features of these various consumer-driven health care vehicles without getting into too
much detail." (Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc.)
Overview: IRS Announces 2006 Mileage Rate for Transportation to Obtain Medical Care --
Excerpt: "Transportation expenses that are deductible medical expenses under Code Section
213 generally can be paid or reimbursed on a tax-free basis by a health FSA, HR A, HSA,
or Archer MSA." (Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc.)
Treasury Explains that Design of FSA Run-Out Periods Is Within Employers' Discretion --
Excerpt: "Treasury's response is a succinct summary of basic design issues for run-out
periods. However, it highlights some important practical points. First, the run-out
period, which extends the time for submitting expenses for reimbursement that were
incurred prior to the end of a coverage period, should not be confused with the grace
period, which extends the time during which expenses may be incurred." (Employee Benefits
Institute of America Inc.)
Competitive Sourcing at DOD: Health Benefit Cost Comparison Had Minimal Impact -- 45
pages. Excerpt: "GAO, in response to a mandate, determined (1) how DOD implemented the
[health benefit cost comparability provision in the 2005 Defense Appropriations Act] ,
and (2) what impact the provision had on DOD's fiscal year 2005 competitive sourcing
program. [Highlights of the report are at http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0672high.pdf.]"
(U.S. Government Accountability Office)
Opinion: Questionable Hill Analyses -- Excerpt: "In the coming months Congress will
appoint a new director to the Congressional Budget Office. It is not a small decision.
Congress has a unique opportunity to fundamentally transform the way government weigh s
the financial costs of policy decisions. Nowhere can transforming the CBO have a greater
impact than in the area of health and health care. Doing so can literally save thousands
of American lives and billions of their tax dollars." (Newt Gingrich and David Merritt
via The Washington Times)
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Executive Benefits; Benefits in General
Employee Failed To Prove Claim Of Constructive Discharge Under ADEA, FMLA, Or ADA --
Excerpt: "An employee who resigned following his hospitalization failed to prove that he
was constructively discharged in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act
(ADEA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA). This was the ruling of the Tenth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Buettner v.
North Oklahoma County Mental Health Center (No. 04-6389)." (Spencer's Benefits Reports)
Nine Critical Trends in Benefits -- The Rising Expense Continues to Be the Top Concern --
Excerpt: "Containing the rising expense will continue to be the top concern for human
resource professionals in the next three to five years. That's the prediction from the
Society for Human Resource Management, which asked its panel of experts on benefits and
compensation to identify the most significant trends in their area." (Workforce
Management; one-time registration required)
Quick Look at Impact of Proposed Changes to FASB Accounting Standards on Postretirement
Benefits -- Excerpt: "To gauge the effect of marking the balance sheet to market for
pension plans, we looked at the difference between the funding position and the net asset
or liability recognized on the balance sheet as reported in the footnotes, where the
funding position was calculated as the projected benefit obligation (PBO) minus the
market value of assets." (Watson Wyatt Worldwide)
First Issue of the Government & Tax Exempt Plans Report, November 2005 (PDF) -- 5 pages.
Excerpt: "[Reish Luftman Reicher & Cohen presents this new] Firm newsletter addressed
exclusively to government and non-profit clients and potential clients." (Reish Luftman
Reicher & Cohen)
Interview: 10 Questions for Elaine Chao -- Excerpt: "As overseer of America's retirees
and 150 million workers, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, 52, spoke with TIME's Eric
Roston about the impending pension crisis, the growing skills gap and life as half of a
Washington power couple." (Time Online Edition)
Overview: 2005 Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Reporting and Withholding Suspended
(PDF) -- 1 page. Excerpt: "The guidance in essence provides employers and payors with
relief from penalties under 'a what-you-don't know now but subsequently find out'
scenario. Thus, in the future, if it turns out that 2005 deferrals were in violation of
Section 409A and therefore includible in income, no penalties will be assessed with
respect to a failure to timely withhold and report such amounts." (Buck Consultants)
Web Site Offers Help Navigating DOL Laws and Regulations -- Excerpt: "DOL's Office of
Compliance Assistance Policy, working with many DOL agencies, leads a variety of
Department-wide compliance assistance efforts, including this Web portal. All of our
compliance assistance activities are designed to provide businesses, workers, and others
with the knowledge and tools they need to comply with DOL's rules." (U.S. Department of
Labor)
Preparing for an Aging Workforce: A Focus on New York Employers (PDF) -- 38 pages.
Excerpt: "The survey measures the relative importance of employee qualities and the
degree to which older employees possess these qualities. The survey also examines
employers' perceptions of worker shortages, the loss of institutional knowledge, and the
extent to which employers have implemented approaches to keep older workers." (AARP)
A Growing Number of Employees Are Staying Away from the Office -- Excerpt: "According to
the latest count, 140,694 federal employees worked at home or at a steelwork center last
year. Through the magic of computers and telephone lines, these lucky souls avoid snarled
traffic, jammed subway trains and lousy weather." (The Washington Post; one-time
registration required)
Court Refuses to Give Effect to SPD Disclaimer Stating that Plan Document Controls --
Excerpt: "[This case] reminds us that because ERISA requires full disclosure in the SPD
of any material terms that could affect benefits, most courts do not give weight t o SPD
disclaimers. Second, this case illustrates that employers and plan administrators are
likely to be left holding the bag when a court finds ambiguities in the SPD, since
ambiguities are usually resolved in favor of the participant." (Employee Benefits
Institute of America Inc.)
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Newly Posted Events
Preparation Today To Keep The Auditors At Bay
in Texas on January 31, 2006
presented by WEB (Worldwide Employee Benefits Network) Dallas Chapter
https://benefitslink.com/cgi-bin/events/detail.php?id=40248
Post yours!
https://benefitslink.com/cgi-bin/events/eventmaint.php
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Newly Posted Press Releases
PBGC Announces Maximum Insurance Benefit For 2006
(Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC))
https://benefitslink.com/cgi-bin/pr/detail.php?id=39415
Post yours!
https://benefitslink.com/cgi-bin/pr/maint.php
==========================================================
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Manager Processing Team
for Administaff
in TX
https://employeebenefitsjobs.com/job/H44658
Retirement Specialist
for Nationwide Retirement Solutions
in CA
https://employeebenefitsjobs.com/job/H44659
Account Executive
for Principal Financial
in MD
https://employeebenefitsjobs.com/job/H44660
Relationship Manager
for Wachovia.
in PA
https://employeebenefitsjobs.com/job/H44662
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Attorney
for Perkins Coie LLP
in WA
https://employeebenefitsjobs.com/job/H44663
Regional Sales Consultant - Group Retirement Plans
for Security Benefit
in KS
https://employeebenefitsjobs.com/job/H44664
Pension Benefit Advisor
for The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America
in NJ, NY
https://employeebenefitsjobs.com/job/H44668
Account Executive
for Principal Financial
in MA
https://employeebenefitsjobs.com/job/H44670
Retirement Plan Analyst
for RPS Plan Administrators
in CO
https://employeebenefitsjobs.com/job/H44671
Assistant Plan Analyst
for RPS Plan Administrators
in CO
https://employeebenefitsjobs.com/job/H44672
Disability Claims Processor
for 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund
in NY
https://employeebenefitsjobs.com/job/H44673
Retirement Plans Analyst
for CBC Resources, Inc.
in MD
https://employeebenefitsjobs.com/job/H44674
Post yours!
https://employeebenefitsjobs.com/cgi-bin/jobs/post/

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