| BenefitsLink Welfare Plans Newsletter |   |
March 12, 2007
Sponsored by: World Congress
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| The 4th Annual World Health Care Congress |
| April 22 - 24, 2007 | Washington Convention Center | Washington, DC
The 4th Annual World Health Care Congress, co-sponsored by The Wall Street Journal, is the most prestigious meeting of chief and senior executives from all sectors of health care. The conference will convene over 1,800 CEOs, senior executives and government officials from the nation's largest employers, hospitals, health systems, health plans, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, and leading government agencies. Join other senior executives in creating a new healthcare model based on value, quality and consumer choice. www.whcc2007.com - 800-817-8601 - wcreg@worldcongress.com |
Texans Want to Strike Rule on Projecting Retiree Care
Excerpt: "Cities or states that have already calculated the price of their retirement promises have often found the figures to be alarmingly high, angering taxpayer groups and posing a potential threat to government bond ratings. New York City, for instance, disclosed in the fall that its obligation for retiree health care was $53.5 billion. Now Texas wants to opt out of the whole process, and hopes to persuade other states to join it." (The New York Times; free registration required)
Texas Revolts Against Benefits Reporting Rule
Excerpt: "State and local officials are lining up against a nationwide accounting rule that requires them to start tallying the massive long-term costs of providing health care and other benefits to retired government workers -- and to disclose how they plan to pay the tab. Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, filed legislation last week that rejects the accounting standard for the State of Texas and every other governmental body in the state." (The Austin American-Statesman)
Overview: Qualified HSA Distributions
Excerpt: "As explained in the IRS Notice 2007-22, cafeteria plan and HRA plan sponsors may take advantage of the Qualified HSA Distribution provisions in the Health Opportunity Patient Empowerment Act of 2006." (SunGard Corbel LLC)
Guidelines: Filing a Claim for Your Health or Disability Benefits
Excerpt: "If you participate in a health plan or a plan that provides disability benefits, you will want to know how to file a claim for your benefits. The steps outlined [in the target page] describe some of your plan's obligations and briefly explain the procedures and timelines for filing a health or disability benefits claim." (U.S. Employee Benefits Security Administration)
Some Companies Set Up Maternity-Leave Programs with an Emphasis on the Return
Excerpt: "'There's a feeling among companies that there is a huge investment they make of their top talent. And they've all experienced women -- and men -- leaving who they didn't want to leave,' says Ellen Galinsky, president of the Families and Work Institute." (The Washington Post; free registration required)
Google's Buses Help Its Workers Avoid the Traffic
Excerpt: "The perks of working at Google are the envy of Silicon Valley. Unlimited amounts of free chef-prepared food at all times of day. A climbing wall, a volleyball court and two lap pools. On-site car washes, oil changes and haircuts, not to mention free doctor checkups. But the biggest perk may come with the morning commute." (The New York Times; free registration required)
IRS Rules That Certain Contributions of Unused Leave to an HRA Are Not Taxable
Excerpt: "EBIA Comment: Private letter rulings apply only to the taxpayers who request them, but they provide useful insights into the IRS's position on particular issues. This ruling confirms the IRS's approval -- as previously stated in Revenue Ruling 2005-24 -- of HRA designs that include mandatory, automatic employer contributions (without employee election) of unused leave . . . ." (Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc.)
The Long Arm of ERISA: How Exigent Care Can Force Providers to a Distant Forum
Excerpt: "This case warrants attention because it revisits and summarizes the opposing views on the proper venue for ERISA causes of action. . . . The question can give at least three different answers in provider-plan disputes: where the participant resides, where the provider is located or where the plan is administered. While providing a useful catalog of decisional authority, the district court in Boyd Gaming ultimately declined to decide the issue." (Health Plan Law blog by Attorney Roy F. Harmon III)
On-Site Doctors Bolster Disease Management
Excerpt: "Doctors in medical clinics at employer work sites are three times more likely to get employees with chronic illnesses enrolled in disease management programs than the telephone counselors most programs rely on, a new study shows." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
Opinion: The Health Care Monster Returns: How to Slay the Beast?
Excerpt: "The first crucial step is to define the problem. For many people, it's the rising number of Americans without health insurance, now nearly 47 million. But equally problematic is the decline in quality and scope of coverage for those who have insurance. And much of the public ranks the cost of health care as their top medical and economic concern." (David Moberg, In These Times, via Physicians for a National Health Program)
Opinion: Jonathan Gruber on the RAND Health Insurance Experiment, with Don McCanne's Comments
Excerpt: "The debate over health care reform implementation in Massachusetts has become focused on the critical issue of defining the level of 'minimum creditable coverage' . . . . This is not a decision that can be avoided; without such a definition, the mandate has no teeth. But this decision has become needlessly controversial because the debate has moved away from the fundamental goal of insurance: to insure individuals against unexpected medical risk." (wbur.org, Boston's NPR, via Physicians for a National Health Program)
Blues Publish Medical Cost Guide
Excerpt: "Health care spending in the U.S. reached $2.2 trillion in 2006, according to estimates by Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Chicago. These and other data are included in the association's 2007 Medical Cost Reference Guide, which also covers topics such as health care utilization, chronic disease and obesity and trends among hospitals, physicians, consumers and the uninsured. The guide is available online at http://www.bcbs.com/betterknowledge/mcrg/MCRG.pdf." (National Underwriter Life & Health; free registration required)
California Jury Finds Discrimination in Comfort Animal Case
Excerpt: "Jurors have awarded $45,000 to a woman who said she was fired for bringing her dog to work as a way to ease her anxiety and depression." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)
Opinion: Over Time, Health Sector Has Been Moving Toward More Free-Market Solutions
Excerpt: "The policy proposals being debated in Washington - and these are only a few of the growing list - reveal a very different philosophy than the market-based perspective that has dominated the debate for the first part of this decade." (Galen Institute)
Genetic Nondiscrimination Bill Nears Vote
Excerpt: "Business groups say a proposed bill banning the use of genetic information in work and health-care decisions is both unnecessary and a potential boondoggle, saying it could open the door to confusing regulations and procedures, a mandate to provide genetic-health benefits and the potential for costly lawsuits." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
House Subcommittee Considers Bill That Would Prohibit Genetic Discrimination
Excerpt: "The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on Thursday held a hearing on legislation (HR 493) to ban discrimination against U.S. residents based on the results of genetic tests, CQ HealthBeat reports." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Swiss Vote Rejects Single Health Insurer Plan
Excerpt: "Swiss voters have overwhelmingly rejected a proposal for a single health insurer. In the March 11 ballot, 71% of voters were against the proposal to establish one state-run insurer to replace the 87 that now write the coverage." (Business Insurance)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Plan Participants in Suit May Obtain Draft Communications Regarding Benefit Plan Changes
Excerpt: "This decision reminds us that even though a plan sponsor may generally design its benefit plans free of ERISA's fiduciary restrictions, actions taken to implement plan design (such as communicating with employees about new or amended plans) will be subject to the fiduciary rules." (Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc.)
409A Regs Due Out Soon, Says Treasury Official
Excerpt: "Final deferred compensation regulations under Code Sec. 409A have 'a little way to go' and hopefully will be out in the next month or so, Treasury Attorney Daniel Hogans told pension and benefit practitioners on February 28, 2007." (Wolters Kluwer Law & Business)
Workers Spend an Average 1.4 Hours Annually Reviewing Benefits
Excerpt: "The average person spends or will spend 1.4 hours reviewing their benefits packages each year and nearly half of Americans spend either no time or less than an hour, according to a recent study." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)
Newly Posted Events
401(k) Plan Workshop
in Missouri on April 19, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
401(k) Plan Workshop
in Illinois on April 20, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
401(k) Plan Workshop
in Colorado on April 20, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
401(k) Plan Workshop
in California on April 20, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
401(k) Testing Techniques - Added Location
in Texas on March 29, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
401(k) Testing Techniques - Added Location
in Florida on March 29, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
401(k) Testing Techniques - Added Location
in Arizona on March 29, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
Form 5500 Workshop
in Missouri on April 18, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
Form 5500 Workshop
in Illinois on April 19, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
Form 5500 Workshop
in Colorado on April 19, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
Form 5500 Workshop
in California on April 19, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
Participant Forms and Notices Workshop - Added location
in Texas on March 29, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
Participant Forms and Notices Workshop - Added location
in Florida on March 29, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
Participant Forms and Notices Workshop - Added location
in Arizona on March 29, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
The State of Generational Equity, 2007: Weighing the Interests of Younger and Future Generations
in District of Columbia on May 1, 2007
presented by Americans for Generational Equity
Why Everything You Think You Know About DC Pension Plans is All Wrong!!
in Connecticut on March 21, 2007
presented by National Institute of Pension Administrators-CT Chapter
Newly Posted Press Releases
White Horse Advisors Named BC Superstars
White Horse Advisors, LLC
Fidelity Research Institute Retirement Index Finds Working Americans On Track To Replace 58 Percent Of Income In Retirement
Fidelity Research Institute
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Retirement Plan Consultant
for Cassidy Retirement Group
in MA
Retirement Plan Specialist
for Goodman & Company
in VA
Benefit Analyst
for CCA Strategies
in IL
401(k) Daily Valuation Plan Administrator Consultant up to Senior Level Consultant
for Pension Management Corporation, Inc.
in NY
Trust Operations Manager
for Regions Financial
in AL
Senior ERISA Consultant (Principal)
for Tofias PC
in MA
401(k) Plan Administrator
for Tofias PC
in MA
Pension Administrator
for Small, full service administration firm in greater Los Angeles area
in CA
Retirement Compliance Testing Administrator
for Vanguard
in PA
Relationship Manager
for Vanguard
in PA
Associate Attorney
for Haynes Benefits PC
in KS, MO
Voluntary Sales Representative: CTA
for Standard Insurance Company
in CA
Voluntary Sales Representative: CTA
for Standard Insurance Company
in CA
Assistant Vice President of Insurance Plan Services
for Nolan Financial Group
in DC, MD
Nonqualified Plans Consulting Administrator
for Vanguard
in PA
Benefits Analyst
for Cassidy Retirement Group
in MA
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article)
- Employee Benefits Library
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