| BenefitsLink Welfare Plans Newsletter |   |
July 14, 2006
Today's sponsor: The Center for Tax Law and Employee Benefits at The John Marshall Law School
(Click on company name or banner to learn more.)
| You Have the Potential. We Have the Programs. |
| Are you working in human resources? Are you dealing with health insurance plans or pension benefits? Learn how you can broaden your experience with an M.S. degree (for non-lawyers) or LL.M degree (for attorneys) in employee benefits from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago during an information session from 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, August 2. Learn how these unique programs can help advance your career. |
| (Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor) |
NEJM Article Examines Trends in Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
Excerpt: "'Employer-Sponsored Insurance -- Riding the Health Care Tiger,' New England Journal of Medicine: [T]he second of two articles for NEJM ... examines how employers and insurers are working to address issues related to cost and quality of care, how well their solutions are working and how the employer-sponsored health insurance system will change over the next two decades." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Senate Committee Hearing on Insurance Regulation Reform, July 11, 2006
The target page includes links to the video record of the hearing and to the written testimony of the witnesses. (U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs)
University of Louisville Will Cover Domestic Partners
Excerpt: "Domestic partners of University of Louisville employees will be included in school health insurance coverage, following a 14-1 vote by trustees [yesterday]. Such coverage could begin Jan. 1, pending a competitive bidding process for insurers." (The Cincinnati Enquirer)
HSAs and the Chronically Ill: Smarter Patients and Better Care (PDF)
3 pages. Excerpt: "The new paper evaluates how the chronically ill may find HSAs a valuable new option since HSAs provide patients greater control and flexibility over their health care decisions and empower consumers to be better-informed patients." (The Council for Affordable Health Insurance)
Blame it on RHIO: Potential Liability Concerns with Electronic Health Information Exchange (PDF)
8 pages. Excerpt: "The article ... discusses potential liability issues and risk mitigation strategies for RHIOs." (Polsinelli Shalton Welte Suelthaus PC via Health Lawyers News)
Small Business Discount for Wellness Programs Expands to Michigan
Excerpt: "The program by Blue Care Network, part of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, comes as benefit managers nationwide embrace 'consumerism.' The term encompasses a range of efforts, often aimed at getting workers to pay a larger portion of their health costs and be more judicious consumers." (USA TODAY)
Opinion: A Telephone Worker Responds to Andy Stern on Single Payer Health Care
Excerpt: "In a June 16th speech at the Brookings Institute in Washington, Andrew Stern, SEIU President, attacked a Canadian style single payer health care system as irrelevant to the U.S. . . . John Horgan, a Boston area telephone worker, wrote [this] response to Stern." (All Unions Committee for Single Payer-HR 676 c/o Nurses Professional Organization via Physicians for a National Health Program)
Text of Solicitation by Medicare Agency for High-Deductible Health Plan Products for Use With MSAs
Excerpt: "The MA MSA demonstration design waives certain [Medicare Advantage Medical Savings Account] plan requirements under . . . the Social Security Act. This waiver will allow entities to offer products that more closely resemble high deductible health plans (HDHPs) that are offered with Health Savings Accounts to the non-Medicare population." (Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Text of the 2006 Form 5500 and Instructions
Excerpt: "[According to the press release, t]he modifications to the Form 5500 for plan year 2006 are described under 'Changes to Note' in the 2006 Instructions. Of particular importance, the Schedule P (Annual Return of Fiduciary of Employee Benefit Trust) is no longer required; the instructions for the Schedules H and I are updated to refer to EBSA's revised Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program and companion exemption; new addresses for submitting late filing penalties...." (U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration)
Newly Posted Events
Challenges and Solutions for Mature ESOP Companies
in Pennsylvania on September 26, 2006
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
ESOP Feasibility: Beyond the Basics
in Minnesota on October 3, 2006
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
Rewards Risk Management: Hidden Accounting and Compliance Risks in Your Global Compensation Programs - Webcast
Nationwide on August 2, 2006
presented by Deloitte
Stock Option Backdating
Nationwide on August 17, 2006
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
Newly Posted Press Releases
Employer Cash Incentives for Hybrids Are Taxable
(Internal Revenue Service (IRS))
Pension Bill Conferees Warned That House Provisions On Cash Balance Issues Do Not Protect Older Workers
(Pension Rights Center)
Aetna Introduces Vital Savings on Health: Industry-First Offering Combines Discounted Care with Debit Card Feature
(Aetna)
Three-Year Study Shows Consumer-Driven Health Plans Continue to Stimulate Positive Changes in Consumer Health Behavior
(UnitedHealth Group)
Health Coaching Best Practices Outlined in New White Paper from Leade Health
(Leade Health)
Former Senator John Breaux Launches Podcast on Health Care Reform From His Ceasefire on Health Care Campaign
(Ceasefire on Health Care)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Plan Administrator
for Third Party Administration Firm
in FL
401(k) Administrator - Analyst
for The Pension Group, Inc.
in CA
Regional Vice President - NC, SC and VA
for BISYS Retirement Services
in NC, SC, VA
Senior Plan Administrator
for American National Insurance Company
in TX
Pension Plan Administrator
for Qualified Plans, LLC
in GA
Benefits Coordinator
for Montgomery County Government
in MD
Retirement Policy and Planning Specialist
for University of California, Office of the President
in CA
Relationship Manager-Business Development Group
for Transamerica
in IL
Implementation Project / Program Manager
for Fidelity Investments
in NC, NH
Bookkeeper/Assistant Plan Administrator
for RSM McGladrey Retirement Resources
in MD
Employee Benefits Tax Manager
for Deloitte
in NJ
Design Analyst (Insurance/Benefits)
for Clark Consulting
in TX
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article)
- Employee Benefits Library
NOTE TO AOL MEMBERS: PLEASE DO NOT REPORT THIS EMAIL AS SPAM. This email is not unsolicited. We do not send unsolicited email. This email is coming to you because you asked to receive it by entering your email address on our web page at
https://benefitslink.com/newsletter/
These emails are sent each workday except federal holidays.
This email has been published by:
BenefitsLink.com, Inc.
1298 Minnesota Avenue, Suite H
Winter Park FL 32789
(407) 644-4146
Fax: (407) 644-2151
David Rhett Baker, J.D., Editor
Copyright 2006 BenefitsLink.com, Inc.; except that you can forward this email in full (including this boilerplate part) or otherwise reprint this email in full (including this boilerplate part) without obtaining our permission.
Anyone can receive these emails; just have them sign up at this Web page: https://benefitslink.com/newsletter/
Housekeeping: