March 20, 2007 Sponsored by: Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA) (Click on company name or banner to learn more.)
The Hazards Of Improper Removal of State Law Cases To Federal Court Excerpt: "Step Plan Services, Inc. v. Koresko illustrates the stakes involved in ERISA removal decisions. The successful defendant gains the advantages of ERISA preemption of state law claims and, depending on whether the claims can be cast as ERISA claims or not, perhaps complete victory on a subsequent motion to dismiss or for summary judgment. On the other hand, if a case is improvidently removed, the mistake can be costly." (Health Plan Law blog by Attorney Roy F. Harmon III) FDA Warning on ESA Drugs Prompts Some Health Plans to Restrict Coverage Excerpt: "FDA's decision last week to require the strictest 'black box' warning on widely used anti-anemia biologics prompted several Medicare carriers to stop paying for the erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in certain cancer patients, and other health plans to consider implementing restrictions on the costly products." (Drug Benefit News via AISHealth.com) Prescription Drug Costs for Consumers Can Be Reduced Through Compromise, Research, Advocates Say Excerpt: "Patient advocates say that many U.S. residents who have trouble affording prescription drugs can lower their costs by researching their options, making compromises and actively questioning their physicians, the Los Angeles Times reports." (Kaiser Family Foundation) Massachusetts Officials Recommend Universal Health Insurance Law Revisions Excerpt: "Massachusetts Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector officials on Thursday recommended revisions to the state's health insurance law, the Boston Globe reports. Under the recommendations, insurance companies would be able to limit lifetime benefits for plans, despite concern from some Connector board members that those limits could restrict access to care." (Kaiser Family Foundation) Opinion: You Say You Want VA-Style Health Care? Excerpt: "For some time, advocates of a national health care system have pointed to the Veterans Health Administration as a model for how such a system would work. New York Times columnist Paul Krugman writes endlessly on the idea, calling the VHA 'exhibit A for the advantages of government provision' of medicine, and praising it for holding down costs while providing high-quality care." (Cato Institute) Newly Posted Events ERISA Litigation Forum: Recent Notable ERISA Decisions Nationwide on April 10, 2007 presented by Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP Newly Posted Press Releases U.S. Labor Department Obtains Consent Judgment Restoring More Than $102,000 To Maitland, Fla., 401(k) Plan U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) The Standard Opens New Retirement Plans Office in New York Standard Insurance Company American Consumer Institute Finds Consumers Are Not Helped by Redundant and Costly State Insurance Regulations American Consumer Institute Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings Pension Implementation Analyst for Milliman, Inc. in TX Pension Analyst for Milliman, Inc. in TX Client Service Manager for Princeton Retirement Group, a Merrill Lynch Company in NC Retirement Plan Consultant for Pacific Life in ANY STATE Sr. Financial Analyst - Pension & Benefits for Sempra Energy in CA Defined Contribution Assistant for Standard Insurance Company in OR Defined Contribution Analyst II for Standard Insurance Company in OR National Sales Associate for WESPAC, a BenefitStreet Company in CA Senior Disbursement Services Associate for Administrative Systems, Inc. in CA Handy Links:
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:
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: |