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May 3, 2006
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Lawmakers Working To Gather Consensus on Association Health Plan Legislation
Excerpt: "Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, on Tuesday said that she might introduce an amendment to an association health plan bill (S 1955) that would require such plans to include benefits currently mandated by two-thirds of states ..." (KaiserNetwork.org)

Trade Associations See Potential Boon from AHP Legislation
Excerpt: "Trade associations representing small employers are eyeing the potential benefits to their own organizations if Congress passes legislation that would allow them to offer health insurance to their members." (The Hill via The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights)

Overview: CMS Issues Final Part D Guidance on Controlling Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
Excerpt: "Included in this Health Alert are highlights of the Final Guidance, which updates Chapter 9 of the Pres.cription Drug Benefit Manual and clarifies the draft guidance document issued on February 8th of this year." (Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.)

Opinion: More People Will Start Companies, Thanks to Health Savings Accounts
Excerpt: "I think HSAs are a great innovation, and not simply because they provide employers with a way of buying cheaper coverage for their workers at a time when health care costs continue to rise. No, I like HSAs because I think they provide an aspiring entrepreneur with a health insurance cushion so that he or she feels more comfortable leaving a job that provides coverage in order to start a company." (Carl Schramm via Inc. Magazine)

Is There a Future for Individual Health Insurance?
Excerpt: "Why doesn't the drop in employment-based coverage bode well for individual insurance? First, the drop will increase the focus on the individual market, and it may not be able to bear the scrutiny. Individuals used to obtaining insurance through their employers will expect access, affordability, and portability. Will they find it?" (Contingencies)

Friends with Benefits -- But Not What You're Thinking
Excerpt: "Do people love you for who you are - or just for your awesome, mind-blowing employee discount?" (The New York Post Online Edition)


Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General

A Summary of the 2006 Annual Social Security and Medicare Trust Fund Reports (PDF)
22 pages. Excerpt: "Each year the Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds report on the current status and projected condition of the funds over the next 75 years. This message summarizes the 2006 Annual Reports." (U.S. Social Security Administration)

Overview: Financing and Solvency of Social Security
Excerpt: "The Trustees of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance (OASDI) programs project in their 2006 report that the combined trust funds are sufficient to pay full benefits for the next 34 years, until 2040." (AARP)

Benefits Briefs: Legal Developments Affecting Employee Benefits -- March 2006 (PDF)
5 pages. Excerpt: "In this issue: More Tax Troubles for Stock Options; Smokers' Rights -- Snuffed by ERISA?; Spouses as Preferred Beneficiaries; Waiver of Benefits Not Permitted; Crazy Cases" (Nixon Peabody LLP)

Special Report: Compensation (PDF)
7 pages. Excerpt: "This special report on compensation describes how companies as varied as TIAA-CREF, Payless ShoeSource and TriQuint Semiconductor are making pay for performance work. Other stories examine CEO compensation and look at the changing nature of compensation surveys." (Workforce Management; one-time registration required)

UnitedHealth Halts Executive Options
Excerpt: "The UnitedHealth Group, under fire for the timing of lucrative options grants to executives, said Monday that it had discontinued equity-based awards to its two most senior managers and that it would cease other perks like paying for personal use of corporate aircraft." (Reuters via The New York Times; one-time registration required)

Overview: DOL Updates Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program
Excerpt: "The VFC Program is only available for the correction of certain listed transactions. The 2006 Update expands the previously listed transactions to include: ...." (Seyfarth Shaw LLP)


Newly Posted Events

401(k) Educational Seminar With Speaker Stephen Forbes From Corbel
in Connecticut on June 14, 2006
presented by National Institute of Pension Administrators-CT Chapter

401(k) Plan Workshop
Nationwide on May 4, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel

401(k) Plan Workshop
in Texas on May 12, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel

401(k) Plan Workshop
in Utah on May 12, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel

401(k) Plan Workshop
in Washington on May 12, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel

Code Section 409A Workshop
in California on June 8, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel

Code Section 409A Workshop
in Colorado on June 8, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel

Code Section 409A Workshop
in Washington on June 9, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel

Estate Planning Considerations for Qualified Plans and IRAs
in Georgia on June 15, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel

Estate Planning Considerations for Qualified Plans and IRAs
in North Carolina on June 16, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel

Fall Forum 2006
in Illinois on September 18, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

Fall Forum 2006
in Georgia on October 2, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

Fall Forum 2006
in Maryland on October 23, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

Fall Forum 2006
in California on November 13, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

Form 5500 Preparation Workshop
in New York on May 17, 2006
presented by New York Metropolitan Area Chapter - ISCEBS

Form 5500 Workshop
in Texas on May 11, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop
Nationwide on May 11, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop
in Utah on May 11, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Workshop
in Washington on May 11, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel

Health & Welfare Plan Fundamentals - A One-Day Seminar
in New York on May 25, 2006
presented by New York Metropolitan Area Chapter - ISCEBS

IRA Institute 2006 - CIP
in Illinois on June 19, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

IRA Institute 2006 - CISP
in Illinois on June 19, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

IRA Online Institute 2006 - CIP
Nationwide on May 8, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

IRA Online Institute 2006 - CIP
Nationwide on September 11, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

IRA Online Institute 2006 - CISP
Nationwide on May 8, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

IRA Online Institute 2006 - CISP
Nationwide on September 11, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

New! Fundamentals of 401(k) and Other Qualified Plans
in Texas on June 14, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel

Population Health Management -- Valuable Lessons from the Fortune 100 Pave the Path to Health and Profit
in California on May 24, 2006
presented by ArlenGroup

Web/Telephone Seminar: Introduction to Roth 401(k)s
Nationwide on June 7, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

Web/Telephone Seminar: IRA Beneficiary Distributions
Nationwide on June 15, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

Web/Telephone Seminar: IRA Compliance
Nationwide on June 8, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

Web/Telephone Seminar: IRA Fundamentals for Frontline Personnel - Part I
Nationwide on June 6, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

Web/Telephone Seminar: IRA Fundamentals for Frontline Personnel - Part II
Nationwide on June 8, 2006
presented by BISYS Retirement Services


Newly Posted Press Releases

New Analysis Shows Largest U.S. Companies Continued Shift to 401(k) Plans in 2005
(Watson Wyatt)

CPI Qualified Plan Consultants Adds Heritage Funds to Retirement Platform
(CPI Qualified Plan Consultants, Inc.)

CitiStreet Surveys Show Investment Advice Spurs Action Among Retirement Plan Participants
(CitiStreet)

ftwilliam.com Announces The Release Of Form 8905
(ftwilliam.com)

MediKeeper to Provide Health Management Tool For All First HSA Customers
(MediKeeper)


Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Post a Help Wanted Ad

Pension Administrator
for Primark Benefits
in CA

Trust Administrator - Employee Benefits
for Old Point Trust and Financial Services
in VA

Benefits & Retirement Specialist
for Aerojet - Sacramento
in CA

Defined Contribution Plan Administrator
for New York Life Investment Management LLC
in NJ

Product Manager
for New York Life Investment Management LLC
in NJ

Assistant Product Manager
for New York Life Investment Management LLC
in MA

Defined Benefit Client Account Manager
for New York Life Investment Management LLC
in MA

Defined Benefit New Business Consultant
for New York Life Investment Management
in MA

Benefits Administrator
for Independent Benefit Services
in MD

Account Executive- Philadelphia
for Transamerica
in PA

National Accounts Consultant
for Standard Insurance Company
in OR

Administrative Assistant
for McCready and Keene, Inc.
in IN

Sr. HR Representative
for Entergy Corporation
in LA

Not-for-Profit / 403(b) Market Manager
for Transamerica
in CA

Jr. Installation Specialist
for Transamerica
in CA

Benefits Manager
for Callison
in WA

Sr. Installation Specialist
for Transamerica
in CA

Defined Contribution Plan Administrator
for Pension Works, Inc.
in VT




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