BenefitsLink |
 |
 |
| November 28, 2007 |
| Here are the Web's best new links about compliance and cost aspects of plan operation, design and policy. |
Today's sponsor is EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com
(Click on company name or banner to learn more.)
| Where the best benefits employers find the best candidates |
| Fill your employee benefits job openings fast by advertising on
BenefitsLink. What better place to find qualified candidates?
Your help wanted ad will be listed in the BenefitsLink Newsletter, will be seen by thousands of candidates who view our listings online, and will be emailed to over 2,300 job-seekers. Click here to see how easy it is to place an ad! |
(a) New Guidance Documents
Rev. Proc. 2007-70: Optional Business Mileage Rate for 2008 is 50.5 Cents (PDF)
31 pages. Excerpt: "The standard mileage rate for transportation expenses is 50.5 cents per mile for all miles of use for business purposes. . . . This revenue procedure is effective for (1) deductible transportation expenses paid or incurred on or after January 1, 2008, and (2) mileage allowances or reimbursements paid to an employee or to a charitable volunteer (a) on or after January 1, 2008, and (b) with respect to transportation expenses paid or incurred by the employee or charitable volunteer on or after January 1, 2008." (Internal Revenue Service)
(b) News
CMS Outlines Value-Based Healthcare Purchasing Program
Excerpt: "CMS this week outlined its long-awaited value-based purchasing program (VBP) proposal that would reduce diagnostic-related group (DRG) payments for Medicare patients, but give hospitals a chance to earn the money back through stellar performance or dramatic improvement. . . . Karen Linscott, acting CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said in a statement. 'Now that CMS' plan for value-based purchasing has been made public, the public and private sector can leverage their combined purchasing power to cure the toxic payment system by implementing payment policies that are based on higher quality rather than volume.'" (HealthLeaders Media)
More Health Insurers Adopt Doctor Ranking Model
Excerpt: "More health insurers have adopted New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's doctor ranking model, thereby agreeing to fully disclose to consumers, physicians and plan sponsors the cost and quality metrics they use to rank doctors." (Workforce Management)
'Health Plan' Promoter Sentenced to Four Years for Embezzling Premiums Paid by Small Businesses
Excerpt: "According to the U.S. Department of Justice, his business offered health-care coverage through its TRG Health Plan. Enrollees in the plan paid premiums to TRG Marketing. [William P. Crouse] embezzled funds from the premiums, and used $546,732 of it to buy a private residence. He no longer owns the home." (Indy Star)
(c) Summaries of Guidance; Filed Comments
(None today.)
(d) Trends, Surveys, Research
Telecommuting Prized by Employees More than Stock Options or On-Site Child Care, Survey Shows
Excerpt: "A survey released Tuesday by Citrix Online found that 23 percent of American workers regularly do their jobs from someplace besides the office, and that 62 percent of respondents who cannot work off-site would like to. The survey also found that workers prized the ability to telecommute more highly than stock options or on-site child care." (Washington Post; free registration required)
Studies Say Lack of Health Insurance Delays Retirement
Excerpt: "The researchers' retirement model predicts that workers whose health insurance is tied to their job leave the labor force about 0.41 years later than workers with employer-provided retiree medical coverage." (CCH Pension)
(e) Policy, Opinion, Advocacy
Opinion: What Do Americans Want -- or Think They Want -- as Healthcare Reform?
Excerpt: "[American voters'] responses bristle with contradictions and discrepancies that I think the reform-minded presidential candidates will have to consider when deciding how to approach health care reform." (The Century Foundation)
Updated: Outline of 2008 Presidential Candidates' Health Care Reform Proposals (PDF)
Updated as of November 27. (Council for Affordable Health Insurance)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Practical Tips for Compliance with Section 409A
Excerpt: "[E]mployers should implement procedures to review drafts of all new benefit plans and agreements, or amendments to existing plans or agreements, to verify Section 409A compliance before adopting, or amending, them. Employers and other service recipients should also consider offering special training and other education for those personnel responsible for negotiating compensatory arrangements to ensure a basic understanding of all applicable documentation and operational requirements." (Perkins Coie)
Opinion: The Shame of the NFL Pension Dispute
Excerpt: "Gene Upshaw, the Hall-of-Fame offensive tackle and current head of the NFL Players Association, is under fire for his failure to assist former players in collecting on pension and health claims made to the union. . . . The crux of the problem is that voting by active players determines the amount of funding allocated to the pool for disability benefits." (Bleacher Report)
Newly Posted Events
401(k) & Corporate Retirement Plan Seminar - Minimize Fiduciary Risk and Maximize Employee Benefit
in Virginia on December 5, 2007
presented by AFS Financial Group
Automatic Enrollment: QDIA, EACA, QACA Web Seminar
Nationwide on December 3, 2007
presented by SunGard Relius
DOL Online Seminar for Employers and Fiduciaries: Know Your Fiduciary Responsibilities (Registration Required)
in Arizona on December 13, 2007
presented by U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
Unequal Taxes on Equal Benefits: The Taxation of Domestic Partner Benefits
in District of Columbia on December 3, 2007
presented by Center for American Progress
Newly Posted Press Releases
AARP Supports CMS' Move Toward Pay-for-Performance
AARP
AARP Survey Reveals About Half of People 50-Plus Still Skipping Flu Shots
AARP
U.S. Labor Department Settlement Resolves Lawsuit Over Payment For Administrative Services By New Jersey Union Health Plan
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
IRS Announces 2008 Standard Mileage Rates; Rate for Business Miles Set at 50.5 Cents per Mile
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Standard Register Selects Financial Engines to Provide Managed Accounts
Financial Engines, Inc.
Stephens Funds Added to CPI Retirement Platform
CPI Qualified Plan Consultants, Inc.
Buck Consultants Survey: Health Care Costs Projected to Increase at Double-Digit Levels
Buck Consultants, an ACS Company
Legal Advantage, LLC Releases Latest Customer Service Web Portal to Further Solidify Position as Premier Provider of Legal Support and Patent Illustration Services
Legal Advantage, LLC
The Wilshire Group Launches New BENeLERT(tm) Process to Automate Health Insurance Policy Renewals and Ensure Clients Receive the Best Rates
Wilshire Group
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
(Post a Job | View All Jobs |
RSS Feed )
Labor Relations Sr. Manager
for 1199 Benefit and Pension Funds
in NY
Human Resource Assistant Director
for 1199 Benefit & Pension Funds
in NY
Director Third Party Administrator Business Development
for MassMutual Financial Group
in MA
Sales Professional - Group Benefits
for Standard Insurance Company
in TX
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article)
- Employee Benefits Library
Subscribe to the BenefitsLink Retirement Plans Newsletter, Too!
Sign-up form is at https://benefitslink.com/newsletter (free).
This newsletter is sent to you each workday except federal holidays.
This email has been published by:
BenefitsLink.com, Inc.
1298 Minnesota Avenue, Suite H
Winter Park FL 32789
(407) 644-4146
Fax: (407) 644-2151
David Rhett Baker, J.D., Editor
Copyright 2007 BenefitsLink.com, Inc.; except that you can forward this email in full (including this boilerplate part) or otherwise reprint this email in full (including this boilerplate part) without obtaining our permission.
Anyone can receive these emails; just have them sign up at this web page: https://benefitslink.com/newsletter/
Other useful links: