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May 17, 2007
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Employers Plan Health Incentives for Workers, According to Survey
Excerpt: "Three in five employers plan to provide cash and other incentives to motivate their workers to use preventive medical-care services to curb illness, according to a new study by the Midwest Business Group on Health." (Chicago Tribune; free registration required)

Qwest Employees Fight Life Insurance Coverage Cutback
Excerpt: "Seven retired employees of telecommunications company Qwest or their beneficiaries are challenging a Qwest move to cut the benefits available under a company life insurance policy." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)

Research Paper: Compensating for Birth and Adoption
Excerpt: "This paper examines comparative data on compensating families for birth and adoption. . . . The paper develops an actuarial cost framework and applies it in three situations: . . . and (3) California, which now compensates families for births and adoptions through both TDI and its new program of paid family leave." (The Urban Institute)

After Babies, Women 'Opting Back In' - to the Workforce, That Is
Excerpt: "A looming worker shortage, brought on by the imminent retirement of the baby boomers, means off-ramped employees, already trained and battle-tested, will be increasingly valuable. This means more of what we have already seen: flexible work schedules, telecommuting, job sharing. Women in particular, but also a substantial percentage of men, have made it clear that is what it will take to keep them loyal." (The New York Times; free registration required)

CalPERS to Charge More for Doctor's Visits in Bid to Stem Costs
Excerpt: "CalPERS is the nation's third largest purchaser of health care benefits, after the federal government and General Motors Corp. The changes affect members in CalPERS' Basic plans, most of whom are still working. The changes do not apply to retirees who use CalPERS' Medicare plans." (AP via The Ledger)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Is a Burgeoning Global Problem
Excerpt: "Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a burgeoning global problem that is not receiving the attention it deserves from the healthcare community, governments and the pharma.ceutical industry, an expert on lung disease argues in an essay in the current issue of PLoS Medicine." (Reuters Health via Yahoo! News)

In Bid for Better Care, Hospital Group Offers Surgery with a Warranty
Excerpt: "The group, Geisinger Health System, has overhauled its approach to surgery. And taking a cue from the makers of TVs, washing machines and other products, Geisinger essentially guarantees its workmanship, charging a flat fee that includes 90 days of follow-up treatment. Even if a patient suffers complications or has to come back to the hospital, Geisinger promises not to send the insurer another bill." (The New York Times; free registration required)

Modeling Health Reform in California - Cost Estimates (PDF)
30 pages. Excerpt: "How much will the two major Democratic health reform proposals cost and how many people will they cover? The first non-partisan review of the plans is available on CalHealthReform.org, a project of CHCF." (California HealthCare Foundation; free registration may be required)

Massachusetts Officials Say State Must Curb Health Cost
Excerpt: "To sustain the landmark Massachusetts health insurance initiative, the state must find ways to control the climbing costs of healthcare, policy-makers said yesterday at a forum on the first year of healthcare reform." (The Boston Globe)

Consumer-Directed Care Could Help Accelerate Adoption of Personal Health Records
Excerpt: "[W]hile some health insurers are already piloting PHRs, how they are used will ultimately be defined by consumers who have a growing financial stake in their own health, industry observers say." (INSIDE CONSUMER-DIRECTED CARE via AISHealth.com)

Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide Updated May 15, 2007, for Health and Welfare Plans (PDF)
20 pages. This Federal Legislation Quick Guide provides short updates on federal legislation that is currently under active consideration by Congress or has recently been enacted into law regarding health and welfare benefit plans. (Hewitt Associates)

Some Say Bush Initiative to Change Tax Treatment of Health Insurance Ends Employer-Based Health Care
Excerpt: "During his State of the Union speech earlier this year . . . the President suggested changing the tax code so that Americans get a standard deduction for health insurance, regardless of whether an employer provided it or it was arranged via the individual-insurance market. By now, employers have had enough time to think about what it could mean." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)


Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General

Deloitte Says Pay More Attention to New FASB Valuation Standard
Excerpt: "Only 6 % of companies in a new survey have assessed how Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Statement No. 157 (SFAS 157), Fair Value Measurement, will impact the valuation of their assets and liabilities." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)

Employer Malpractice Claims Against Service Providers - A User's Guide
Excerpt: "Preemption under § 514(a) covers 'any and all State laws' that 'relate to' an ERISA plan. 29 U.S.C. § 1144(a). What is the implication of that provision for employers that assert state law claims, such as negligence or misrepresentation, against service providers to their ERISA plans?" (Health Plan Law blog by Attorney Roy F. Harmon III)

Time-Vested Restricted Shares Gaining Popularity as Executive Compensation
Excerpt: "A majority (63%) of U.S. companies are now offering their executives time-vested restricted shares, an incentive that was once most popular as a tool to retain middle managers, according to the Hay Group's 2006 study of executive compensation." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)

Overview: SEC's Proxy Disclosure Rules on Executive Defined Benefit Retirement Plans (PDF)
Excerpt: "The key intent of the newly finalized Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC's) proxy disclosure rules is to give investors a handle on the total compensation that public companies pay to their senior executives. Until now, fully understanding this concept has been a complex undertaking because senior executives' total compensation is typically derived from numerous programs, and amounts were not disclosed for some of these programs." (Buck Consultants)

Executive Summaries: Benefits Quarterly, 2nd Quarter, 2007, Articles
Excerpt: "The 2nd Quarter issue covers personal responsibility for benefits." (International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists)

Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide for May 15, 2007, on Human Resources & Employment Law (PDF)
11 pages. This Federal Legislation Quick Guide provides short updates on federal legislation that is currently under active consideration by Congress or has recently been enacted into law regarding human resources and employment law. (Hewitt Associates)


Newly Posted Events

2007 SPARK National Conference
in District of Columbia on June 24, 2007
presented by SPARK -- Society of Professional Asset-Managers and Record Keepers

Do You Have to Pay A Royalty on Your ERISA and Tax Advice?
Nationwide on June 14, 2007
presented by ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits

Lunch with Congressional Expert Witness on Retirement Plan Hidden Fees - Matthew D. Hutcheson
in Florida on May 25, 2007
presented by ASPPA Benefits Council of Central Florida


Newly Posted Press Releases

U. S. Labor Department Resolves Lawsuit With Owners of Charlotte, N.C. Manufacturer Over Loans From Profit-sharing Plan
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)

U.S. Companies Are Relying More on Time-Vested Restricted Share Plans, Despite European Market's Shift Away Years Ago, According to New Hay Group Executive Compensation Study
Hay Group

Awards Recognizing Leadership In Incentives & Rewards Presented At National Employer Symposium
National Business Coalition on Health

Arizona Investors Have A New Local Resource For Assistance In Diversifying Their Self-Directed IRAs
Polycomp Administrative Services, Inc.

Polycomp Expands Self-Directed IRA Business Into Arizona Market By Opening New Scottsdale Office To Offer Local Support To Arizona IRA Investors
Polycomp Administrative Services, Inc.

Social(k) and Fidelity Out of Sudan Target Companies to Divest Retirement Funds from Fidelity Investments over Sudan
Social(k)

7.5% Payroll Tax Will Devastate California's Small Business Economy
California Small Business Health Coalition


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401(k)/Defined Contribution Valuation Processor
for National Retirement Services, Inc.
in CA, NC

Account Executive Assistant
for The Paragon Alliance Group
in PA

HM Benefits Service Manager
for Hewitt Associates
in GA

Retirement Plan Administrator
for Omega Recordkeeping Group LLC
in FL

Senior Manager - Compensation Accounting
for Charles Schwab
in CA

Recordkeeper/Administrator
for Retirement Strategies Group, LLC.
in LA

Director Global Benefits
for Agilent Technologies
in CA

Client Relationship Manager - San Mateo, CA
for Transamerica Retirement Services
in CA

Internal Wholesale Director
for Transamerica
in MN

Pension Administrator
for AKT Retirement Plan Services
in CA

Defined Benefit Administration Software Consultant
for Winklevoss Technologies
in CT

Retirement & Institutional Sales Officer
for BOK Financial
in TX




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