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March 14, 2007
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Oregon Edges Toward Paid Leave
Excerpt: "The debate over paid family leave -- a benefit that has long differentiated the United States from other industrialized countries -- is about to erupt in the Northwest and elsewhere. Lawmakers in Oregon, Washington and four other states this year are considering new programs similar to the one in California, all financed by pennies-per-hour payroll taxes on worker earnings." (The Oregonian)
Washington State House Narrowly OKs Health Insurance Plan
Excerpt: "The state House on Saturday narrowly passed a bill to transform the way employees for small businesses buy -- and keep -- their health coverage. But as the measure moves to the Senate, it faces a barrage of opposition from employers and the insurance industry. Even its main Republican backer in the house threatened to withdraw support unless changes are made to the bill." (The Seattle Times)
Trends and Issues: Early Retiree Health Insurance Issues (PDF)
10 pages. Excerpt: "People retiring before the age of 65 need to carefully examine not only their financial status, but their access to good health insurance coverage as well. Although people can draw Social Security benefits at age 62, they must wait until age 65 for Medicare coverage (unless they have severe disabilities that qualified them for Social Security disability for two years). Thus, retirees need to think ahead about where they will get their health insurance . . . ." (TIAA-CREF Institute)
Oral Arguments Heard in AARP Challenge to EEOC's Proposed ADEA Exemption for Retiree Medical Plans
Excerpt: "Approximately two years after the AARP first sued to stop the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) from issuing a final Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) exemption for retiree medical plans that coordinate with Medicare, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in the case on February 27, 2007." (Deloitte via BenefitsLink.com)
Helping Clients Choose the Right Health Care Account
Excerpt: "Three types of employer-sponsored plans offer tax advantages for out-of-pocket or other medical costs: flexible spending arrangements (FSAs), health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) and health savings accounts (HSAs). Many employees, self-employed people and small business owners will turn to CPAs to sort out each plan's intricacies and help them tailor one to their needs and resources." (The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants)
FSAs Cramped by Use-It-or-Lose-It Rule
Excerpt: "To counter the fear of forfeiting FSA funds, proactive employers should boost participation by promoting good health-care planning, FSA debit cards, account management, wellness programs and enhanced communication efforts." (Human Resource Executive Online; free registration required)
Organization of Employers and Associations Publishes New Site on Family and Medical Leave Act
Excerpt from a press release: 'We hope that by raising our collective voices about the need for changes in the FMLA rules, we can lead the charge for improvements that will mean fair and balanced application of these important employee leave benefits. . . . [including] restoring the meaning of 'serious health condition' to the original congressional intent, modifying 'intermittent leave' to allow half-day increment tracking and streamlined record keeping." (The National Coalition to Protect Family Leave)
Federal Government Wants Federal Employee Plans to Offer More Health Price Data
Excerpt: "The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has issued the annual call letter that describes what the OPM wants to talk about when it negotiates contracts for the 2008 Federal Employees Health Benefits Program." (National Underwriter Life & Health; free registration required)
CalPERS Board Advised to Raise Members' Health Insurance Co-Pays
Excerpt: "Some trustees fear higher fees could discourage members from seeking medical care and potentially lead to serious and costly health problems. Most of the increases would affect some 850,000 CalPERS members with HMO coverage." (The Sacramento Bee)
Fixing Co-Pay Woes Promotes Health Care Cost Savings
Excerpt: "As U.S. health care costs continue to outpace inflation, a recent report suggests companies could do a better job of containing costs if they fine-tuned the way they wielded their main weapon: sharing the cost of health benefits with employees." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
State Authorization of Tax Credits or Deductions to Small Employers Offering Health Care, 2006
Excerpt: "Updated 2006 state-by-state information on tax credits or deductions for small employers offering health benefits and information on tax incentives offered to individuals who purchase long-term care insurance." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Patients' Rights: External Review, 2006
Excerpt: "Information on patients' rights including requirements for external review, health plan liability, financial incentives to providers, and direct provider access are available for 2006 for all states and the nation. State mandates for standing referrals for specialists, licensing of medical directors, and drug formulary requirements have also been updated to 2006." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
State Mandated Benefits: Cancer Screening for Women, 2006
Excerpt: "State mandates for cancer screening, inpatient mastectomy stay, post-mastectomy breast reconstruction, fertility treatment, and osteoporosis screening have been updated to 2006 for all states and the nation. Information on mandates for direct access to OB/GYNs and for OB/GYNs as primary physicians has also been updated." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
State Mandated Benefits: Clinical Trials, 2006
Excerpt: "Information on state mandated benefits including requirements for clinical trial coverage and cancer screening are now available for 2006 for all states and the nation." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Overview of the U.S. Health Care Dilemma: Who Has the Answer?
Excerpt: "The International Foundation has been monitoring the emerging platforms and proposals. This section will be updated periodically to reflect major initiatives. Here's a look at today's influential voices." (International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans)
Voluntary Benefits Vary Across Industries, According to Unum Study
Excerpt: "By studying the purchasing patterns of more than 100,000 employers nationwide, UnumProvident has identified trends in buying patterns and plan designs." (Employee Benefit News)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Overview: Sixth Circuit Says ERISA Preempts Breach of Contract Claim Against Employer in Merger (PDF)
5 pages. Excerpt: "The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals (Sixth Circuit) recently affirmed a lower court's ruling that a state law breach of contract claim against a party that is not, at the time of the contract, an ERISA fiduciary nonetheless still relates to an ERISA covered plan and therefore is preempted under ERISA. Hutchison, et al. v. Fifth Third Bancorp, 469 F.3d 583 (6th Cir. 2006)." (Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP)
Executive Pay Controversy Just Getting Started, According to Institutional Shareholder Services
Excerpt: "Corporate governance and proxy voting service provider Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) has a word of advice for those who think the excessive executive pay issue has run its course: Think again." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)
National Employee Benefits Day - April 2, 2007 - Theme: Financial Literacy
Excerpt: "Use this day as an occasion to help your participants make the most of their benefits. Participants need to make informed decisions in order to prepare for their future. Through financial literacy efforts, your participants can make educated and appropriate decisions about their health care choices and retirement future." (International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans)
New Edition of Model Equity Compensation Plans Book
The NCEO presents excerpts from the new edition of Model Equity Compensation Plans. Authored by attorney David R. Johanson, the book presents a complete set of model plan documents for incentive stock options (ISOs), nonqualified stock options (NSOs), and an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP). A CD is included with the plan documents in word-processing format. (National Center for Employee Ownership)
Overview: Treasury, IRS Add to Guidance Priorities Various Rules and Notices Implementing PPA
Excerpt: "In a March 12 update to the 2006-2007 Priority Guidance Plan, the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service included what officials described as 'substantial guidance implementing the Pension Protection Act of 2006.'" (The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.)
Newly Posted Events
Form 5500 Update eSeminar
Nationwide on April 5, 2007
presented by McKay Hochman Co., Inc.
Newly Posted Press Releases
Major Employers Urge House to Reject Senate Deferred Compensation Provisions
ERIC (ERISA Industry Committee)
Council Urges Rejection of Deferred Compensation Provision in Minimum Wage Legislation
American Benefits Council
The Standard Ranks High in 401kExchange Provider Ratings for 2006
Standard Insurance Company
NCQA Recognizes Leadership, Innovation in Health Care Quality
National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)
HR Survey Shows Need to Fix Medical Leave Law
National Coalition to Protect Family Leave
AAPPO Survey Finds 95 Percent of Health Savings Account (HSA) Enrollees Receive Health Care Through Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs)
American Association of Preferred Provider Organizations
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Employee Benefits Administration
for Primary Consulting, Inc.
in ANY STATE
External Wholesaler
for John Mulligan & Associates, Inc.
in AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, MO, MS, MT, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OK, OR, PA, RI, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WY
Enrolled Actuary
for Summit Benefit & Actuarial Services, Inc.
in OR, WI
Account Manager
for Northwestern Benefit Corporation of Georgia
in GA
Operations Manager (Insurance/TPA)
for Zenith Administrators
in NV
Employee Benefits Attorney With at Least 5 Years Experience
for Chang, Ruthenberg & Long PC
in CA
Employee Benefits Attorney With ESOP Experience
for Chang, Ruthenberg & Long PC
in CA
Senior Benefits Specialist
for CIT Group
in NJ
Defined Contribution Analyst Assistant
for TPA Firm
in OH
Manager - Welfare Benefits
for Ameriprise Financial
in MN
Pension Administrator
for Pension Administrator
in NJ
Senior Plan Administrator
for Transamerica Retirement Services
in CA
401(k) Administrators
for CEP Consultants, Inc.
in NY
Senior Health & Benefits Planner
for King County Human Resources
in WA
Pension Administrator / Temporary Assignment
for Aker Kvaerner Business Partners
in TX
Manager - HR Service Center (Workforce Absence Team)
for Kaiser Permanente
in CA
Actuary- Sr Consulting
for The Standard
in OH
Benefits Consultant
for Northwestern Benefit Corporation of Georgia
in GA
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article)
- Employee Benefits Library
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