| BenefitsLink Welfare Plans Newsletter |   |
March 5, 2007
Sponsored by: International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
(Click on company name or banner to learn more.)
| Get answers to your health, retirement and compensation questions. Join today. |
| The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans is a comprehensive resource for those working with benefit plans. Members enjoy personalized secondary research services, informative publications and online information, as well as discounted educational programs, books and distance learning options. Known as the cosponsor of the CEBS designation, the International Foundation also offers numerous ways to keep current with benefit issues, so you are prepared to answer your participants’ questions. |
More Companies Are Offering Benefits to Help Care for Elderly Parents
Excerpt: "Freddie Mac started offering backup child care to its employees in December 2001 to keep them at work and happy. This December, responding to changing demographics in its workforce, it extended that benefit to let employees care for their elderly relatives." (The Washington Post; free registration required)
San Francisco Delays Full Implementation of Paid Sick Leave Ordinance (PDF)
Excerpt: "[Last] week, legislative action was taken to delay, by 120 days, full implementation of San Francisco Measure F, known as the Paid Sick Leave Ordinance (the Ordinance)." (Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP)
2006's 10 Biggest Health Care Security Breaches
Excerpt: "From stolen laptop computers to CDs with patient information accidentally misplaced, 2006 was the year many health care providers and insurers experienced data breaches." (REPORT ON PATIENT PRIVACY via AISHealth.com)
Off-Label Marketing of Prescription Drugs/Devices, False Claims Act and Impact of Medicare Part D (PDF)
54 pages. Excerpt: "The OIG has solicited comments on and has finalized a series of 11 compliance guidance documents each applicable to a different component of the health care delivery system. These guidance offer valuable assistance and provide the OIG's insight." (Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.)
Overview: EBSA Publishes MHPA Interim Final Amendment
Excerpt: "The Employee Benefits Security Administration of the Department of Labor published an interim final amendment on February 27, 2007. The amendment modifies the sunset date of interim final regulations under the Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA) to be consistent with legislation passed during the 109th Congress and is effective December 31, 2006." (SunGard Corbel LLC)
ERIC Supports Personal Health Records Bill (PDF)
Excerpt: "The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) is writing in support of the Personalized Health Information Act. This bill would help bring the US healthcare system into the 21st century, increasing patient safety and making our system more reliable and effective." (The ERISA Industry Committee)
Massachusetts Health Care Plan Moving Forward
Excerpt: "The average uninsured Massachusetts resident could obtain health care coverage for as little as $175 a month under the state's insurance law, less than half of earlier estimates, officials said . . . ." (AP via The New York Times; free registration required)
Insurers Slice Rates on Massachusetts Health Plan's Premiums
Excerpt: "Governor Deval Patrick . . . unveiled significantly lower prices for the health insurance plans that uninsured residents will be required to buy starting July 1." (The Boston Globe)
Majority of Blues Plans Reduces Individual and Small-Group Premium Hikes for 2007
Excerpt: "Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) is among those Blues plans that have smaller rate increases. According to spokesperson Mark Stinneford, 'in general, rates are increasing by low double digits' for 2007." (AIS Report on Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans via AISHealth.com)
Without Health Benefits, a Good Life Turns Fragile
Excerpt: "Even those with insurance have reason to be concerned, economists say, because they end up paying for the uninsured in various ways. Some of the costs are also passed on to taxpayers and employers. To help cover the cost of treating the uninsured, hospitals often increase charges to other patients. Insurers then increase premiums for companies that provide health benefits, and they in turn shift some costs to employees." (The New York Times; free registration required)
Plan Sponsors' Medicare Part D Liabilities to CMS May Be Huge and Add Up Quickly
Excerpt: "Sponsors of Medicare drug plans ought to calculate payables and receivables associated with provisions in the Part D program such as the risk corridor, reinsurance and low-income cost-sharing subsidy provisions 'as quickly as possible,' an actuary tells AIS." (MEDICARE ADVANTAGE NEWS via AISHealth.com)
Webinar Replay - Wellness: Effective Benefit Design, Incentive and Communications Strategies
Excerpt: "An effective wellness strategy can improve the health status of employees, reduce medical costs, and create a culture of good health that attracts and retains employees. This presentation will make the business case for wellness, including the costs and impact of unhealthy employees, and demonstrate how implementing health improvement programs can decrease these costs and change behaviors." (The PRECEPT Employee Benefits Blog; registration required to download)
Health Savings Accounts: A 2007 Discussion Guide for Employers and Employees (PDF)
11 pages. Excerpt: "The HSA provides many of the benefits and tax incentives that are missing from the HRA -- a portable account that can be invested and grow over time, and tax-free contributions, earnings, and distributions. In addition, both employers and employees may contribute to an HSA." (Hewitt Associates)
Survey Results Show Health Care Ranks as Most Offered Employer Benefit
Excerpt: "Health care benefits ranked as the most popular benefit offered by employers, in a recent survey by SmartPros, followed by retirement savings plans and flexible schedules." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Claimant Has Right to Documents Generated in Administrative Appeal Only After Final Decision
Excerpt: "EBIA Comment: The court was careful to limit its 'disclose-at-two-times' ruling to situations in which the evidence is already known to the claimant and no new factual information or diagnoses are relied upon." (Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc.)
Opinion: Tenth Circuit Got It Wrong in Case About Information Required Under DOL Claims Procedures
After her disability claim was denied, the participant appealed to the carrier; her lawyer requested the carrier to provide him with copies of any reports obtained by the carrier while it considered the appeal, so that he might be able to comment on them before the carrier made its final decision. The 10th Circuit said such disclosure is not required by the DOL regulations on claim procedures. (Brian S. King, Attorney at Law)
Overview: IRS Report on Executive Compensation Study (PDF)
2 pages. Excerpt: "On March 1, 2007, the Internal Revenue Service released its report on the Exempt Organizations Executive Compensation Compliance Project. The IRS reported that it found substantial reporting issues, but out of 1,826 organizations contacted, only 25 organizations with 40 disqualified persons/organization managers, collectively, have been determined by the IRS to have received excess compensation." (Powell Goldstein LLP)
Working Paper: Social Security Spouse and Survivor Benefits for the Modern Family
Excerpt: "Our project uses DYNASIM3, the Urban Institute's dynamic microsimulation model of the U.S. population, to simulate several alternative systems of Social Security auxiliary benefits. We specifically consider earnings sharing, a system in which a husband's and a wife's earnings records are combined and averaged over the duration of their marriage when computing Social Security benefits." (Center for Retirement Research at Boston College)
Newly Posted Events
401(k) Testing Techniques - Added Location
in Indiana on March 28, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
401(k) Testing Techniques - Added Location
in California on March 28, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
401(k) Testing Techniques - Added Location
in Alabama on March 28, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
Participant Forms and Notices Workshop - Added location
in California on March 28, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
Participant Forms and Notices Workshop - Added location
in Alabama on March 28, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
Participant Forms and Notices Workshop - Added location
in Indiana on March 28, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
Participants' Statements and Notices Under PPA: What You Need to Know.
Nationwide on March 28, 2007
presented by American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Plan Administration Specialist
for Boston Financial Data Services
in MA
Retirement Plan Writer
for The Capital Group Companies
in CA
Retirement Specialist
for Dreyfus Corporation
in AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX
DC Plan Administrator
for E.A. Edberg Associates, Inc.
in AZ
Retirement Plan Sales Specialist
for CitiStreet
in NJ
Enroller - Bilingual Retirement Specialist
for MassMutual Financial Group
in CA
Enroller - Bilingual Retirement Specialist
for MassMutual Financial Group
in IL
Client Relationship Manager (CRM)
for Merrill Lynch
in CO, FL, GA, NJ
Enroller - Bilingual Retirement Specialist
for MassMutual Financial Group
in MI
Pension Administrative Specialist
for Pension Corporation of America
in OH
Benefit Professionals
for Sentinel Benefits Group, Inc.
in MA
Pension Administrator - Plan Documents
for AIG VALIC
in TX
Regional Retirement Services Manager
for AMERICAN Financial Search, LLC
in AR, LA, TX
Retirement Plan Analyst
for Standard Insurance Company
in TX
Compliance Administrator
for AIG, Inc. - Valic Retirement Services
in TX
Administrator for DC Plans
for Ingham Group, a premier full service Tier One firm
in FL
Assistant Retirement Plan Consultant
for UBS Financial Services Inc.
in MO
Plan Administrator/Trust Accountant
for Thomas F. Barrett, Inc.
in MD
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 2007 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/
Other useful links: