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| July 19, 2007 |
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Insurers, Employers Lose Mental Parity Battle
Excerpt: "Members of the House Education and Labor Committee voted 33-9 Wednesday to go with the House version of a mental health benefits standards bill. . . . Many insurance groups, employer groups, provider groups and patient advocacy groups have been backing S. 558, the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007, a bill that would permit states to enforce existing mental benefits standards, but prohibit states from adding new standards that were stricter than the federal standards." (National Underwriter)
Statement of House Committee Chair at Markup of Mental Health Parity Bill
Excerpt: "Opponents of H.R. 1424 and mental health parity in general argue the bill will significantly increase cost for employers. But there is considerable evidence demonstrating that providing mental health parity is cost effective and could even reduce costs to employers by eliminating the need for medical care and emergency room visits that result if mental illnesses are left untreated." (U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA))
Chairman's Version of The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act (H.R. 1424), as Approved by Committee (PDF)
49 pages. (via American Benefits Council)
House Committee Approves Mental Health Parity Bill
Excerpt: "The measure, approved on a 33-9 vote by the Education and Labor Committee, mirrors in certain ways a measure approved in February by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee." (Business Insurance)
Retirees' Health Costs Loom Over U.A.W. Talks
(New York Times)
Federal Law Enforcement Cracking Down on Healthcare Fraud by Service-Providers
Excerpt: "National health-care expenditures last year surpassed $2 trillion, according to government estimates, and they are likely to grow even larger as aging baby boomers require more medical treatments. That is spurring federal officials to renew their focus on health-care fraud." (Washington Post)
Overview: Legislative Efforts to Provide Paid Family Leave for Federal Employees
(GovernmentExecutive.com)
Obesity: Is Britain's 'Fat Tax' A Good Idea?
(Health Affairs)
New Health Policy Group Forms for Free-Market-Oriented, Faith-Based Organizations
Excerpt: " The coalition says any comprehensive reform proposal should include the following: . . . Free choice of doctors, hospitals and health plans. . . . Health savings account option for all Americans. . . . Tax fairness and simplification. . . . Affordable health insurance for small business. . . . Buying health insurance across state lines. . . . Health care price disclosure. . . ." (National Underwriter)
GAO Report: Fiscal Challenges for States and Local Governments Are Coming Due to Healthcare Costs
7-page PDF document. Excerpt: "As is true for the federal sector, it is the growth in health-related costs that is a primary driver of the fiscal challenges facing the state and local government sector. In particular, two types of state and local expenditures will likely rise quickly because of escalating medical costs. The first is Medicaid expenditures, and the second is the cost of health insurance for state and local employees and retirees." (KaiserNetwork.org)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
A Look At California County Employees' Fringe Benefits and Retirement Benefits (PDF)
78 pages; Excerpt: "According to a study by Governing magazine, California spends more on state and local public pension plans than the states of Florida, New York, Texas, Arizona and Vermont combined. The increasing cost of public pension plans, in combination with public employee fringe benefits and other factors, has resulted in large fiscal burdens for county governments." (Cal-Tax)
Report: California Pension Plans for County Employees in Trouble
Excerpt: "[A]n increasing amount of money could be taken away from county services -- such as law enforcement and road paving -- to pay for the pensions of retired employees." (WhitterDailyNews.com)
Newly Online: DOL Amicus Brief to First Circuit in Fiduciary Breach Damages Case
Regarding a denial of a death benefit. Excerpt: "Recovery Of Monetary Losses From A Fiduciary That Has Breached Its Duty Constitutes 'Equitable Relief' Under Section 502(a)(3). . . A Monetary Award Against A Fiduciary to Redress Its Breach Was Typically Available In Equity . . . The Court Should Reexamine Armstrong In Light Of Sereboff and Great-west . . . " (U.S. Department of Labor)
The Social Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Prevention Act (PDF)
56 pages. (via American Benefits Council)
Overview: IRS Issues Guidance on Tax Shelter Transactions Involving Employee Benefit Plans
Excerpt: "The IRS has issued final, temporary and proposed regulations providing guidance on prohibited tax shelter transactions for 'non-plan' tax-exempt entities, such as charitable organizations, and 'plan' tax-exempt entities, such as tax-favored retirement plans and IRAs. The guidance defines prohibited tax shelter transactions, sets forth disclosure requirements and specifies parties subject to the applicable excise taxes and attendant reporting and disclosure requirements." (CCH Pension and Benefits)
Newly Posted Events
Cafeteria Plan Compliance: Handling Status Change Rules - Including HSA Considerations
Nationwide on July 26, 2007
presented by HRTrainingCenter.com
Customer Service-- Best Practices for Payroll
Nationwide on August 14, 2007
presented by HRTrainingCenter.com
Do Employee Assistance Programs Keep Employees at Work? Teleweb
Nationwide on August 2, 2007
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Health Care Reconsidered Pt. 2: Who's Got the Cure? Four Options for Achieving Universal Coverage
Nationwide on July 20, 2007
presented by KaiserNetwork.org
The ABCs Of Staff Management
Nationwide on July 24, 2007
presented by HRTrainingCenter.com
Newly Posted Press Releases
Great-West Makes Top Ten Lists For Retirement Plan Service Providers
Great-West Retirement Services
ACS and Buck Consultants Announce Integrated Absence Management Services
Buck Consultants, an ACS Company
Labor Committee Approves Legislation to Help People with Mental Illnesses Get Treatment
U.S. House Education and Labor Committee
Transcend Technologies Group and the Association of Health Insurance Advisors Partner to Provide Members with Group Benefits Manager(TM)
Transcend Technologies Group, Inc.
CAPTRUST Completes Acquisition of Atlantic Capital Management
CAPTRUST Financial Advisors
Wolters Kluwer Law & Business Acquires Technical Answer Group
Wolters Kluwer Law & Business
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
(Post a Job | View All Jobs)
Regulatory Compliance Manager
for ADP, Inc.
in GA, WA
Client Service Representative
for Bellevue Financial
in WA
Retirement Plan Specialist
for Diversified Investment Advisors
in MI
Relationship Manager (IRC38755)
for Huntington National Bank
in WV
Manager, Employee Benefits
for Deloitte
in CT, NY, TN
RVP/External Wholesaler - Iowa, North & South Dakota
for Transamerica Retirement Services
in IA, ND, SD
Account Manager (Insurance/TPA)
for Zenith Administrators
in WA
Non-Qual Implementation Project Manager
for Fidelity Investments
in KY
Retirement Benefits Supervisor
for Unitrin, Inc.
in IL
DC and 401(k) Plan Administrator
for N. A. FALCONE AND ASSOCIATES, INC.
in PA
Handy Links:
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- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article)
- Employee Benefits Library
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