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| June 21, 2007 |
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Health IT Rides Again, But to Where?
Excerpt: "[L]egislation to encourage the adoption of health information technology, or HIT, looks like it may be getting a second chance as recent activity signals renewed interest . . . on Capitol Hill. The issue has also received a major boost from large business and labor interests. However, can the popular legislation break free before the Congress becomes totally bogged down in the politics of the 2008 elections, both Presidential and Congressional?" (National Council on Teacher Retirement)
Overview: Third Circuit Paves Way for Approval of EEOC Regulations Allowing Medicare Coordination (PDF)
2 pages. Excerpt: "A panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has issued a ruling that virtually assures the release of EEOC regulations providing an exemption from ADEA for employer retiree medical benefits that coordinate with Medicare. Affirming a decision by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the court ruled that the EEOC properly exercised the authority it was granted under ADEA to issue these regulations." (Buck Consultants)
University of Michigan to Offer Benefits to Same-Sex Partners
Excerpt: "The University of Michigan has created guidelines that could enable it to offer health care and other benefits to same-sex domestic partners of employees, despite a court ruling that forced it to stop explicitly offering them. Spokeswoman Kelly Cunningham said the policy 'is consistent with efforts to promote a healthy workforce and a welcoming and inclusive environment.'" (Detroit Free Press)
Need for and Use of Family Leave Among Parents of Children With Special Health Care Needs
Excerpt: "Parents of children with special health care needs are especially vulnerable to work-family conflicts that family leave benefits might help resolve. We examined leave-taking among full-time employed parents of children with special health care needs." (RAND)
A Comparison of Health Insurance Exchanges and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program
Excerpt: "Unwilling to wait still more years for Congress to fix the tax treatment of health insurance, state legislators are now learning that they can take steps to create a new health insurance market in which individuals and families own and control their own health insurance while receiving the generous tax breaks previously available through conventional employer-provided, defined benefits plans." (The Heritage Foundation)
New Hampshire Contract with Public Employees Ends an Era
Excerpt: "Barring last-minute surprises, the state and the union representing its 10,000 employees are likely to sign a contract that ends the longstanding practice of providing first-dollar health insurance coverage to state workers." (Concord Monitor Online)
Opinion: Add Competition to Public Benefits System
Excerpt: "The Public Employee Health Benefits Act addresses the rising cost of benefits by allowing units of government to pool medical, dental and vision benefits, and provides increased access to claims and health care provider data." (Detroit Free Press)
Health Plans Target Comorbid Patients in Disease Management Pilots
Excerpt: "WellPoint, Inc. is rolling out a DM program for comorbid patients on a company-wide basis, concentrating on those who seem ready to change behavior. Other DM programs focus resources on nonmedical support to help resolve problems that distract members from effective self-management of conditions, and use Internet-enabled monitors to identify patient issues." (Managed Care Week via AISHealth.com)
Overview: The Illinois Fair Patient Billing Act (PDF)
3 pages. Excerpt: "The Act imposes obligations upon hospitals in four categories. Specifically, hospitals must: (1) notify patients of the availability of financial assistance; (2) include certain information in patient bills; (3) follow certain procedures prior to pursuing collection actions against insured and uninsured patients; and (4) notify patients concerning the costs associated with out-of-network providers." (Drinker Biddle Gardner Carton)
South Carolina Blues Plan Pioneers Medical Tourism Via Affiliation with Thai Hospital
Excerpt: "Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina (BCBSSC) is likely the first U.S.-based Blues plan to develop a formal relationship with a foreign-based hospital." (The AIS Report on Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans via AISHealth.com)
Research Highlight: Reinsuring Health - A Proposal to Make Health Insurance More Affordable (PDF)
2 pages. Excerpt: "This research highlight summarizes Katherine Swartz's book, Reinsuring Health: Why More Middle-Class People Are Uninsured and What Government Can Do, funded in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The book explains why health insurance is cheaper for large employer groups and outlines a proposal to make health insurance less expensive for individuals and small groups through government reinsurance." (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
Estimating the Effects of Prescription Drug Coverage for Medicare Beneficiaries
Excerpt: "Medicare Part D was enacted to subsidize the costs of prescription drugs for millions of Medicare beneficiaries. But, in doing so, the new benefit raises serious questions about costs and utilization -- namely, how prescription drug coverage affects drug use and what the impact is on subsequent costs." (The Commonwealth Fund)
Testimony on Health Care Access for Veterans
Excerpt: "In my written testimony, I present detailed information on the health insurance coverage and problems in access to health care of America's veterans, based on a study done in conjunction with Pubic Citizen." (Steffie Woolhandler via Public Citizen)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Washington Budget Experts Traveling the Country to Raise an Alarm About Nation's Financial Prospects
Excerpt: "The problem is the skyrocketing cost of government health-care and retirement benefits. By most estimates, they will break the national bank as the baby boom generation retires." (The Washington Post; free registration required)
Overview: Retired Public Safety Officers May Pay for Health Coverage with Retirement Benefits
Excerpt: "In a May 15, 2007 letter to the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Ways & Means, the Department of the Treasury signaled its intention to expand the ability of retired public safety officers to use their benefits from governmental retirement plans to help them pay for health coverage." (The Segal Group, Inc.)
Home Depot to Give Assistant Managers Stock Grants
Excerpt: "Home improvement retailer Home Depot Inc. . . . [yesterday] said it would give stock grants to its 10,000 assistant store managers as it tries to improve employee performance and customers' shopping experience." (Reuters via The New York Times; free registration required)
Overview: Proposed IRS Regulations on Entertainment Use of Business Aircraft (PDF)
3 pages. Excerpt: "The IRS recently issued proposed regulations under Code section 274(e)(2) (and 274(e)(9)) on deducting entertainment use of an employer's aircraft by specified individuals -- officers, directors, more than 10% owners and their family members. 72 Fed. Reg. 33169 (June 15, 2007). We summarize the IRS proposal . . . and highlight a number of issues." (Groom Law Group)
Newly Posted Events
Evolving Fiduciary Responsibilities, along with a 401K Class Action Litigation Update - Webcast
Nationwide on June 27, 2007
presented by AllianceBernstein
Off Target? An In-Depth Look at Target-Date Investing - Webcast
Nationwide on June 21, 2007
presented by Boston University School of Management
Newly Posted Press Releases
Many Companies Weighing Options for Retiree Medical Benefits, Watson Wyatt Finds
Watson Wyatt
IRS Expands Project to Ensure Eligible Public School Employees Are Allowed to Participate in Retirement Annuities
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Major Employers Increase Health and Disease Management Programs for Employees
ERIC (ERISA Industry Committee)
White Paper Released on Financial Advisor Best Practices: Current Trends in Retirement Advisors & Client Relationship Management (CRM) Systems
McHenry Group, The
Food and Commercial Workers Urge New Jersey Senate to Pass Paid Leave Bill
United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)
JPMorgan Chase and McKesson Form Strategic Relationship to Transform and Simplify Healthcare Claim and Payment Processing
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
IHC Launches 'Healthy Advantage' -- An Innovative, Self-Funded Product for Small to Mid-Size Employers in Mid-Atlantic States
Independence Holding Company
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
(Post a Job | View All Jobs)
Defined Contribution Plan Administrator
for Pension Plan Professionals, Inc.
in FL
Compliance and Administration Consultant
for Towers Perrin
in MA
Governance and Compliance Advisory Associate
for Towers Perrin
in MA
Marketing Manager
for Advanced Benefits Consulting
in MO
Benefits Manager
for Insurance Programs
in FL
Governance and Compliance Advisory Associate
for Towers Perrin
in DC
Governance and Compliance Advisory Associate
for Towers Perrin
in PA
Installation Administrator
for Transamerica Retirement Services
in CA
Account Manager - Retirement Plans
for Standard Insurance Company
in CA
Handy Links:
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