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| May 4, 2007 |
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| National Employee Benefits Summit in Atlanta, June 19-21 2007 |
| Attend the National Employee Benefits Summit, the Leading Forum for Employers Focusing on Current Employee Benefits Trends, Issues and Solutions, June 19 - 21, 2007 at the Hilton Atlanta in Atlanta, GA. The Summit provides 19 nationally renowned keynote speakers, plus 30 concurrent sessions organized into tracks including: Health Benefit Management; Health Care Consumerism; Retirement Plans & Personal Finance; HR & Benefit Insourcing / Outsourcing; Tools and Technology; and Supplemental Health/Voluntary Benefits. For details or to register, go to www.BenefitsSummit.com |
Medical Costs a Top Risk Manager Concern
Excerpt: "A series of industry surveys . . . finds that rising medical costs, the health of their employees and an aging workforce are of major concern among risk managers. The studies, disclosed at the annual conference for the Risk and Insurance Management Society, were part of a research and education effort conducted by Hartford, Conn.-based Specialty Risk Services . . . ." (The National Underwriter Company; free registration or paid subscription required)
GM Meets Health Mandate - $1 Billion Set Aside for Its Retirees
Excerpt: "General Motors Corp. set aside $1 billion this week to help pay for retiree health care." (The Oakland Press)
FDA Launches New Consumer Health Information Web Page
Excerpt: "A Web page, Consumer Health Information for You and Your Family, provides comprehensive and timely consumer information. A free monthly e-newsletter, FDA Consumer Health Information, will alert consumers to content contained on the page." (beSpecific)
Civil Unions Law's Impact on Firms Expected to Be Minimal
Excerpt: "While a civil unions law in New Hampshire should have little overall affect on Granite State companies, firms should start reviewing their benefit plans to ensure their benefits comply with the law, employment law attorneys said . . . ." (The Union Leader)
Integrating EAPs into Smoking Cessation Can Help Workers Stub Out the Habit
Excerpt: "'Benefit managers and health care practitioners treat smoking as an acute problem, instead of the chronic condition that it is,' . . . . 'We need to change this perception. [Smokers] want comprehensive smoking cessation benefits.'" (Employee Benefit News)
Overview: Court Decision Upholding Lower Court's Ruling That MD's Fair Share Law Preempted by ERISA
Excerpt: "One judge on the three-judge panel dissented from the ruling, stating that the law is a legitimate effort by the state to address escalating Medicaid costs, and that it does not require covered employers to have an ERISA plan or to administer the plan in an specific way." (The Segal Group, Inc.)
D.C. Considers Paid Sick Leave for All
Excerpt: "The D.C. Council is considering legislation that would guarantee every private and public sector District worker up to 10 days of paid sick leave per year." (The Examiner)
The Value of Speech, Language and Hearing Benefits
Excerpt: "When trying to squeeze greater returns from their health care investment dollars, employers may be overlooking the potential return-on-investment for covering services for communication and related disorders in their health plans." (Employee Benefit News)
Costly Indemnity Plan, Free Retiree Medical, Minimal Employee Contributions Drain Illinois Finances
Excerpt: "from Spencer's Benefits Reports: The combination of an 'excessively expensive' indemnity plan, low required employee contributions, and the provision of free health insurance to many retirees has made the state of Illinois' group health plan 'a significant drain on state finances,' according to a Civic Federation study released on April 16." (Wolters Kluwer Law & Business)
State of Illinois Employee Health Insurance Plans: Analysis and Recommendations for Cost Containment (PDF)
43 pages. Excerpt: "The purpose of this report is to review the features and costs of the current State of Illinois employee group health insurance program, explore the fiscal impact of this program on the State operating budget, and make policy recommendations for containing the program's rising costs." (The Civic Federation)
Physician Survey Ranks Health Insurer Reimbursement Practices
Excerpt: "UnitedHealth was ranked last among the seven largest national health insurers in an Athenahealth survey of 8,500 doctors examining how quickly and accurately insurers reimburse for physician services, the Wall Street Journal reports." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Employers May Focus on Health Care Decision Tools
Excerpt: "Employers want their workers to have tools that help them manage their medical costs, according to a new survey from United Benefit Advisors, which polled 1,746 employers of various industries and sizes. Employers favor this approach over adopting a high deductible plan." (Employee Benefit News)
Background Paper: Health Care Price Transparency and Price Competition (PDF)
31 pages. Excerpt: "This report examines steps that insurers and others have taken to make better price information available, possible government measures to further promote price transparency or to simplify price comparisons, and the likely effects on consumer behavior and provider competition." (National Health Policy Forum)
Are Health Care Behavior Change Efforts Stalling? Confusing Technology Is Often To Blame
Excerpt: "Changing employee behavior regarding health care use and retirement planning is a priority for more and more employers. However, at many companies, technology and communication programs are not giving employees the tools and information necessary to accomplish these goals." (Employee Benefit News)
Work/Life Balance Influences Workplace Ethics, According to Survey
Excerpt: "Providing a work/life balance to employees not only increases retention and job satisfaction, but it may create a more ethical workplace, according to a recent survey. Such a finding could prompt employers to increase such programs." (Human Resource Executive Online; free registration required)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Professional Websites That Offer Legal Information on Insurance and Employee Benefits Issues
Excerpt: "One of the truly great resources provided in this digital age can be found in the enormous quantity of free legal information available on the web." (Health Plan Law blog by Attorney Roy F. Harmon III)
Wal-Mart Outlines $1.1 Bln in Employee Benefits
Excerpt: "Wal-Mart Stores Inc. . . . said [yesterday] it contributed $1.1 billion to U.S. hourly associates through profit sharing and 401(k) accounts, stock purchase plans and merchandise discounts in its last fiscal year." (Reuters via The New York Times; free registration required)
Newly Posted Events
Executive Compensation in Private Companies: Strategies for Attracting, Retaining, and Motivating Top Talent
Nationwide on June 7, 2007
presented by Deloitte
Pension Protection Act: DOL Interpretations of Participant Investment Advice Rules
Nationwide on May 10, 2007
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Newly Posted Press Releases
ASPPA Calls for Consolidated, Streamlined Plan Participant Disclosure
ASPPA (American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries)
Mercer Human Resource Consulting Supports President Bush's Executive Order to Promote Health Care Transparency
Mercer Human Resource Consulting
President Announces Nominees for EBSA, PBGC Leadership
White House
PSCA Commends Representatives Pomeroy, Cole, And Kildee For Introducing HR 2119, The Tribal Government Pension Equality Act Of 2007
Profit Sharing/401(k) Council of America (PSCA)
ERIC Board Member Calls for Pension Act Changes, More Realistic Effective Dates
ERIC (ERISA Industry Committee)
Stock Market Advance Contributed to Improved Funding Status of U.S. Pension Plans in April, According to Mellon Financial
Mellon Financial Corporation
Macey: Modifications to Pension Protection Act Necessary to Avoid Unintended Consequences
American Benefits Council
Groundbreaking Proposals For Increasing Retirement Savings To Be Released By Diverse Coalition Of Experts
Pension Rights Center
Wal-Mart Recognizes Associate Contributions By Giving Back More Than $1.1 Billion in Profit Sharing, 401(k), Stock Purchase and Merchandise Discounts to Hourly Associates in the U.S.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
(Post a Job | View All Jobs)
Director, Compensation & Benefits Attorney
for Discover Financial Services
in IN
Sr. Benefits Assistant
for Raley's
in CA
ERISA Compliance Administrator
for Sun Life Retirement Services (U.S.), Inc.
in MA
Benefits Administrator
for The Emering Companies, LLC
in IL
Wellness Programs Manager
for Apple Inc.
in CA
401(k) Retirement Plan Support
for Benefit Strategies, LLC
in NH
Business Development and Client Relationship V.P.
for DR Pension Services, LLC
in NY
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article)
- Employee Benefits Library
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