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| June 26, 2007 |
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| Record Retention Requirements for Health & Welfare Plans |
| In Record Retention Requirements for Health & Welfare Plans, EBIA's experts analyze record retention requirements for ERISA health and welfare plans as well as other employer-provided health and welfare benefits not subject to ERISA. You'll find answers to your record retention questions for many benefits including cafeteria plans, DCAPs, qualified transportation plans, HSAs, group health plans (like major medical, dental, health FSAs, and HRAs), and other ERISA benefits.
Available now at the introductory price of $195. Please enter priority code BL195. For more information and to order, visit http://www.ebia.com/OtherOfferings/Books/RecordRetention. |
Employer Health Coverage under the Final 409A Regulations - Should Plan Sponsors be Worried?
Excerpt: "[Since] this provision of the Final Regulations only exempts health coverage and benefits that are excludable from income, Section 409A could apply to any health plans that provide (or potentially provide) taxable coverage or benefits." (Kilpatrick Stockton LLP)
Taxation When Choice Between Retiree Health Benefits and Cash Under Early Retirement Incentive Plan
Excerpt: "EBIA Comment: The IRS has previously made it clear that giving employees a choice between taxable benefits (i.e., regular pay or cash-outs of accumulated, unused leave) and nontaxable benefits (i.e., retiree health benefits), without a cafeteria plan to protect them against constructive receipt, will result in taxable income to employees -- regardless of the choice they make." (Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc.)
Need for and Use of Family Leave Among Parents of Children With Special Health Care Needs
Excerpt: "OBJECTIVE. 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." (PEDIATRICS)
USA Today Series Examines Issues Related to Elder Care
Excerpt: "USA Today [yesterday] published several articles on issues related to elder care as part of a five-day series. . . . ABC News recently broadcast three reports in conjunction with the USA Today series." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Qualified Domestic Partners as Dependents for Health Plan Purposes
Excerpt: "In order for the premiums for domestic partners to be excluded from the employee's gross income, the domestic partners must satisfy the definition of a 'dependent' under Code §152. Section 152 defines a dependent as a 'qualifying child' or a 'qualifying relative.'" (Reish Luftman Reicher & Cohen)
Opinion: Medical Travel and Consumer Driven Health Care
Excerpt: "'Medical tourism' is better identified as 'medical travel'. The concept here is that patients travel across international borders to another country for health care services. While many do go on 'medical holidays' where health care offerings are combined with leisure activities, a great number of the travelers did so solely for health care." (AARP)
Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduces Health Care IT Bill
Excerpt: "Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) . . . introduced a bill that would encourage the development of uniform standards for health care information technology, CQ HealthBeat reports." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Vought Introduces Wellness Program: Cooper Aerobics Center to Help Employees Design the Program
Excerpt: "Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. is launching an industry-leading wellness program aimed at reducing health risk factors for employees and their families by more than 50 percent within the next three years. LiveWell@Vought will provide Vought employees with the resources to make substantial and permanent lifestyle improvements." (Business Wire)
Massachusetts Fair Share Law July 1 Deadline for Employers
Excerpt: "Most employers, insurance agents and brokers in Massachusetts are aware of the state's so-called 'fair share' law that becomes effective on July 1, 2007. What may not be as clear is what employers need to do in advance of that date to comply with the law." (infinisource)
Massachusetts Small Businesses Scramble As Health Mandate Looms
Excerpt: "'What country are we living in where I'm responsible for somebody's injury that happens off the clock? How is this even legal?' . . . ." (Boston Business Journal via bizjournals.com; free registration required)
Healthcare Legislation Update - Texas Legislature 80th Regular Session (PDF)
19 pages. Excerpt: "This update has been compiled . . . for use as a quick reference tool on topics that we believe that will be of interest to our clients and the healthcare industry, with a specific focus on those new laws that affect hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers." (Haynes and Boone, LLP)
Articles and Comments on the Political Status of Insurance Mandates in California
Excerpt: "Keeping the obsolete model of private health plans in play merely because of a bizarre adherence to concepts of political expediency is not sound policy. Yet we continue to allow bad politics to trump good policy. Why?" (The Sacramento Bee via Physicians for a National Health Program)
State-Based Health Insurance 'Exchange' Could Expand Coverage, Options, and Equalize Tax Treatment
Excerpt: "[F]rom Spencer's Benefits Reports: Establishing a 'Health Exchange Plan,' (HEP) or a coordinated marketplace provided by private insurers and administered by the states, could effectively expand health care coverage to everyone while strengthening the employer-based system, according to a proposal recently set forth . . . ." (Wolters Kluwer Law & Business)
Big Employers Contract with Aetna to Offer Retiree Health Insurance
Excerpt: "Aetna to provide retirees of its members companies -- 250 large employers -- with comprehensive health benefits beginning in 2008." (Financial Week)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Complaints About NFL Retirement and Disability Benefits Go to Congressional Hearing
Excerpt: "'The retirement plan has been contorted into a way for the players association to aid the active players,' said Bernie Parrish, a former Cleveland Browns defensive back who successfully lobbied for the hearing." (The Denver Post)
Newly Posted Events
ERISA Audits: What We All Knew But Forgot
Nationwide on July 12, 2008
presented by HRTrainingCenter.com
Global Compensation and Benefits: A Controls Approach to Reducing Risk - Webcast
Nationwide on July 11, 2007
presented by Deloitte
HIPAA and Health Laws Compliance Assistance Seminar
in Texas on June 29, 2007
presented by U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
Substance Abuse's Escalating Cost: How HR Can Spot, React, And Control It
Nationwide on July 18, 2007
presented by HRTrainingCenter.com
Newly Posted Press Releases
Council Commends 'Save for Retirement' Resolution
American Benefits Council
Updated Primer on Defined Contribution Fee Disclosure Released
Association for Financial Professionals
Employee Benefits See Little Change From 2006; 2007 Benefit Survey Shows Slight Decrease in Percentage of Organizations Offering Some Financial & Compensation Benefits
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
Blue Care Network's Healthy Blue Living(SM) Wellness Product Sees Surge in Enrollment
Blue Care Network of Michigan
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
(Post a Job | View All Jobs)
Pension Manager - Retirement Consulting Group
for Fidelity Investments
in MA
Retirement Plan Coordinator
for The Capital Group Companies
in CA
Retirement Plan Coordinator
for The Capital Group Companies
in VA
Business Systems Analyst
for Transamerica Retirement Services
in CA
Account Management - Benefits Insurance
for The CIP Group
in MA
Business Insurance Professional (Job #P-505BL)
for The California Teacher's Association (CTA)
in CA
Defined Benefits - Benefits Service Manager
for Hewitt Associates
in NJ
Project Manager (BIG)
for Hewitt Associates
in IL
Lead Systems Analyst-HW - BIG
for Hewitt Associates
in IL
Setup Configuration Analyst
for Hewitt Associates
in NJ
Client Acceptance Analyst- Woodlands, TX
for Hewitt Associates
in TX
ERISA - Regulatory Controls Manager
for TIAA-CREF
in NC
Client Acceptance Analyst
for Hewitt Associates
in IL
Benefits Implementation Req'ments Analyst (HW)-BIG
for Hewitt Associates
in IL
Client Acceptance Analyst- Orlando, FL
for Hewitt Associates
in FL
Setup Configuration Analyst
for Hewitt Associates
in IL
Systems Analyst -HW - BIG
for Hewitt Associates
in IL
Programmer Analyst (BIG)
for Hewitt Associates
in TX
Calc Engine Analyst - BIG
for Hewitt Associates
in IL
Pension Consultant/Administrator
for Wender & Company
in OH
Director - Global Pensions
for GE Industrial, Plastics
in MA
ERISA Consultant
for BISYS Retirement Services
in MN
Pension Administration Specialist
for Miami Valley Pension, LLC, a Brady Ware Company
in OH
Sr. Specialist, Retirement & Executive Compensation
for Assurant, Inc.
in NY
AVP, Health and Welfare Benefits
for Countrywide Financial
in CA
Qualified Plan Financial Consultant (QPFC) Technical Education Consultant (TEC)
for ASPPA
in ANY STATE
Handy Links:
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