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October 3, 2006
Today's sponsor: Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

(Click on company name or banner to learn more.)
Banner ad for Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

Record Retention Requirements for Health & Welfare Plans

In Record Retention Requirements for Health & Welfare Plans, EBIA's experts analyze record retention requirements for ERISA health and welfare plans as well as other employer-provided health and welfare benefits not subject to ERISA. You'll find answers to your record retention questions for many benefits including cafeteria plans, DCAPs, qualified transportation plans, HSAs, group health plans (like major medical, dental, health FSAs, and HRAs), and other ERISA benefits.

Record Retention Requirements for Health & Welfare Plans is available now at the introductory price of $195.
Please enter priority code BL195. For more information and to order, visit http://www.ebia.com/OtherOfferings/Books/RecordRetention.


(Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)

Committee on Ways and Means Report on the Health Opportunity Patient Empowerment Act of 2006
Excerpt: "'Committee on Ways and Means filed the report, H. Rept. 109-704, to accompany H.R. 6134, the 'Health Opportunity Patient Empowerment Act of 2006." (U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means)

House Ways and Means Committee Approves Bill to Make HSAs More User-Friendly
Excerpt: "A key provision of the bill would allow HDHP enrollees a one-time transfer of funds from a flexible spending account or a health reimbursement arrangement into an HSA. Another provision of the bill would allow a similar one-time transfer of funds from an Individual Retirement Account." (INSIDE CONSUMER-DIRECTED CARE via AISHealth.com)

Medical Privacy Case Rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court
Excerpt: "The final rule put in place in 2003 leaves it up to health-care providers whether to seek patients' consent to use or disclose information for routine uses. The rule requires that disclosure must be limited to the 'minimum necessary' information to accomplish the intended purpose." (AP via The New York Times; one-time registration required)

Tracking Health Care Costs: Spending Growth Remains Stable at High Rate in 2005
Excerpt: "Two factors stand out as having potential to lower spending trends. First, in the pharma.ceutical sector, a number of important blockbuster drugs have either recently lost patent protection (Zocor) or are scheduled to lose patent protection in the near future (Zoloft). Second, the trend toward increased patient cost sharing has accelerated." (Center for Studying Health System Change)

Employers Help Working Parents Find Babysitters
Excerpt: "Recognizing the need for reliable child care, at least six employers have agreed to provide discounted or fully subsidized memberships to SitterCity as an employee benefit. The idea is to improve work-life balance by easing the stress of finding an occasional babysitter, a full-time nanny, back-up child care in an emergency, or a pet sitter for an upcoming vacation." (Employee Benefit News)

Work-Life Concerns Impede Senior Executive Promotions
Excerpt: "A recent survey by the Association of Executive Search Consultants shows that a growing number of senior executives would turn down a promotion if they thought it would tip their work-life balance." (Employee Benefit News)

Hearing Benefits Could Be Music to Employee Ears
Excerpt: "[W]hy are hearing plans such a forgotten benefit while dental and vision coverage is considered standard? It could be because employees are reluctant to recognize their diminished hearing or are too sheepish to ask about a benefit. Employers who raise awareness of hearing problems and implement a hearing benefit could see a major return on investment." (Employee Benefit News)

Unions Key on Health Benefit for Public Employee Retirees in New Jersey Counties
Excerpt: "In all but one of the state's 57 other counties, county-government retirees have all or part of their health insurance paid by the county's retirement system. San Joaquin County's lack of a retiree health benefit has come under fire from union officials, who say it should be available." (www.recordnet.com)

Working Paper: Health Insurance Patterns Nearing Retirement
Excerpt: "This chapter asks how well Baby Boomers are protected against . . . later-life health shocks. Our main finding is, that while exposure to risk is relatively high, the realization of risk is unlikely and relatively little wealth is at stake." (Pension Research Council; registration required to download full-text of paper)

EBRI Issue Brief: Sources of Health Insurance and Characteristics of the Uninsured (PDF)
32 pages. Excerpt: "This Issue Brief provides historic data through 2005 on the number and percentage of nonelderly individuals with and without health insurance. Based on EBRI estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau's March 2006 Current Population Survey (CPS), it reflects 2005 data. It also discusses trends in coverage for the 1994–2005 period and highlights characteristics that typically indicate whether an individual is insured." (Employee Benefit Research Institute)

Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide Updated September 26, 2006, for Health and Welfare Plans (PDF)
10 pages. This Federal Legislation Quick Guide provides short updates on federal legislation that is currently under active consideration by Congress or has recently been enacted into law regarding health and welfare benefit plans. (Hewitt Associates)


Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General

Overview: SEC's New Executive Comp Disclosure Requirements and Companies with Retirement Plans
Excerpt: "The changes to the rules for disclosure of executive and director compensation that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted this summer1 include requirements for additional reporting for companies with retirement plans. These new requirements have not yet received much media attention. This Compliance Alert focuses on the additional requirements and their implications." (The Segal Company)

Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide for September 19, 2006, on Human Resources and Employment Law (PDF)
9 pages. This Federal Legislation Quick Guide provides short updates on federal legislation that is currently under active consideration by Congress or has recently been enacted into law regarding human resources and employment law. (Hewitt Associates)


Newly Posted Events

Journey deep into the world of IRAs
in Montana on November 7, 2006
presented by Wolters Kluwer Financial Services

Journey deep into the world of IRAs
in Florida on November 7, 2006
presented by Wolters Kluwer Financial Services

Journey deep into the world of IRAs
in Texas on November 7, 2006
presented by Wolters Kluwer Financial Services

Journey deep into the world of IRAs
in Texas on November 8, 2006
presented by Wolters Kluwer Financial Services

Journey deep into the world of IRAs
in Florida on November 8, 2006
presented by Wolters Kluwer Financial Services

Pension Protection Act Series - Multiemployer Plans
Nationwide on October 11, 2006
presented by Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

Pension Protection Act Series - Multiemployer Plans
Nationwide on October 12, 2006
presented by Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

The Pension Protection Act 2006-Dallas
in Texas on October 6, 2006
presented by Executive Benefits Design Group

Vesting - Basics and Beyond Web Seminar
Nationwide on October 17, 2006
presented by SunGard Corbel


Newly Posted Press Releases

Employers Saved More than $4 Million Last Year through Midwest Business Group on Health’s HMO Buyers Group
(Midwest Business Group on Health)

Heat is on for Seniors Thanks to Information from the National Council on Aging’s BenefitsCheckUp
(National Council on Aging (NCOA))


Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Post a Help Wanted Ad

Trust Administrator - Employee Benefits
for Old Point Trust & Financial Services, N.A.
in VA

Health and Welfare Project/Client Manager
for TRI-AD
in CA

Regional Operations Manager
for Invesmart, Inc.
in WA

Relius Administration Pension Analyst
for SunGard
in FL

Compliance Testing Consultant
for Diversified Investment Advisors
in NY

401(k) Administrator
for ABA, Inc. - Accrued Benefit Administrators, Inc.
in CA

Pension Consultant
for Mercer Advisors
in CA

Benefits Specialist/Administrator
for Benefits Group WorldWide, Inc.
in CA

Marketing Communications Specialist
for BISYS Retirement Services
in PA




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