Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter |
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| October 1, 2009 \ Compliance \ Costs \ Administration \ Design \ Policy | ||
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (Advert.)
Get compliant with International Foundation e-learning classes. The DOL’s new FMLA regulations make major changes in the way you have to administer FMLA leave. Are you compliant? Avoid the penalties, legal action and headaches of noncompliance with the International Foundation’s FMLA e-learning course. Take the 2-hour course in one sitting, or a few minutes at a time—whatever is more convenient for you. |
Health Savings Account Balances Kept Growing in 1st Quarter of 2009
Excerpt: "[T]he average individual HSA account holder for the first quarter of 2009 was 42 years old and contributed $116 monthly, up slightly from an average monthly contribution of $111 for the fourth quarter of 2008. For that same time period, the average monthly employer contribution increased from $69 to $113 for individual HSA account holders. The average family HSA account holder for the first quarter of this year was 45 years old and contributed an average of $239 monthly, up from an average monthly contribution of $206 for the previous quarter." (AISHealth.com)
2009 Health and OPEB Funding Study Available Now
Excerpt: "According to a new survey partially funded by NCPERS, approximately 49 percent of the nations' cities, counties and townships expect less revenue in 2010, 21 percent expect fewer employees, and about 26 expect increased consolidation of local services. With shrinking budgets and fewer staff, local officials are taking several approaches to contain long-term costs associated with employee and retiree health care." (National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems)
Massachusetts Health Reform: Employer Coverage From Employees' Perspective
Excerpt: "The national health reform debate continues to draw on Massachusetts' 2006 reform initiative, with a focus on sustaining employer-sponsored insurance. This study provides an update on employers' responses under health reform in fall 2008 . . . ." (Health Affairs)
Senate Finance Gives OK to Raise Limits on Employee Healthy Behavior Rewards
Excerpt: "An amendment permitting health plans to reward healthy behaviors -- one of the few bipartisan amendments introduced during the Senate Finance Committee hearings on healthcare reform -- passed during late evening hours on Wednesday." (healthleadersmedia.com)
Cadillac Health Plans May Be Target of Tax, But Few Agree on a Definition
Excerpt: "In the scramble to find money to overhaul the health-care system, Senate Democrats have been eyeing the most generous insurance packages -- what some call the 'Cadillac' plans -- as a lucrative target to tax." (Washington Post; free registration required)
When HR Asks About Your Health
Employers want you to answer some personal questions. Should you? (CNNMoney.com)
Opal Events (Advert.)
The Future of Medicare Advantage under the New Administration Opal Events brings together the best and brightest of the Medicare Advantage community to discuss the problems and solutions facing the managed care industry today. Topics to be covered include: logistics of transitioning members from PFFS to a network; MIPPA interpretations; risk-adjusted reimbursement issues; compliance specific to Part D; and HR6331. |
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
[Official Guidance]Text of Rev. Proc. 2009-47: Per Diem Substantiation of Expenses While Traveling Away From Home (PDF)
31 pages. Provides rules for employees who are reimbursed for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses, or meals and incidental expenses only, while traveling away from home, to substantiate the expenses by per diem allowance in lieu of actual expenses. The revenue procedure also provides an optional method for employees and self-employed individuals who are not reimbursed to use in computing the deductible costs they pay or incur for business meal and incidental expenses, or for incidental expenses only if they pay or incur no meal expenses, while traveling away from home. Use of a method described in this revenue procedure is not mandatory, and a taxpayer may use actual allowable expenses if the taxpayer maintains adequate records or other sufficient evidence for proper substantiation. (Internal Revenue Service)
Small Employers Get a Reprieve on Huge Penalties Over Pension, Health Plans
Excerpt: "Hundreds of small employers caught a break last week when the Internal Revenue Service agreed to extend its moratorium on collecting penalties from them. During the past four years, the IRS has increased its auditing of small employers with pension and health and welfare plans to make sure they comply with a 2004 tax code change that requires these companies to notify the agency that they have plans that act as tax shelters. The fines for failing to do so are $200,000 per business per year the plan has been in place and $100,000 per individual." (Workforce Management)
Employee Ownership Update for October 1, 2009
NCEO Executive Director Corey Rosen discusses: 5 of the 15 winners of the Wall Street Journal and Winning Workplaces Best Small Workplaces Award are employee ownership companies; the Department of Labor's Phyllis Borzi says ESOPs are a priority; there is a new directory of professionals to help employees deal with stock option and other equity grants; a new definition of efficient markets; the NCEO has started a search for a new executive director; and personal notes on his change of roles. (National Center for Employee Ownership)
Webcasts and Conferences
"2009 Required Minimum Distributions: Now We Know" Web SeminarNationwide on October 13, 2009
presented by SunGard Relius
"EFAST2: The Future of Form 5500" in Orange County, CA (Irvine)
in California on October 27, 2009
presented by SunGard Relius
"EFAST2: The Future of Form 5500" in Sacramento
in California on December 1, 2009
presented by SunGard Relius
"EFAST2: The Future of Form 5500" in San Francisco
in California on November 5, 2009
presented by SunGard Relius
"Plan Forms, Notices, and Amendments: Streamlined, Effective, Timely" in Orange County, CA (Irvine)
in California on October 27, 2009
presented by SunGard Relius
"Plan Forms, Notices, and Amendments: Streamlined, Effective, Timely" in Sacramento
in California on December 1, 2009
presented by SunGard Relius
1099-R Series and Form 5498 2-Part Series
Nationwide on December 3, 2009
presented by McKay Hochman Co.
IRA and HSA Webinars
Nationwide on October 1, 2009
presented by Collin W. Fritz & Associates, Ltd.
New Roth Conversion and Portability
Nationwide on November 11, 2009
presented by McKay Hochman Co.
(Click to post your webcast or conference)
Press Releases
PSCA Announces the 2009 Signature Awards WinnersProfit Sharing/401(k) Council of America (PSCA)
U.S. Labor Department Sues Fiduciary of ERISA-Covered Plan Sponsored by Twinsburg, Ohio, Company
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
U.S. Labor Department Sues Former CEO of Defunct Centerbrook, Connecticut, Company to Recover Misused Assets of Employee 401(k) Plan
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
U.S. Department of Labor Obtains Consent Judgment with Fiduciary of Defunct Atlanta-based Mortgage Loan Company
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
ERIC Urges Congress to Approve Pension Funding Relief; Protect SunAmerica Investment Advice Arrangement
ERIC (ERISA Industry Committee)
Defined Benefit Pension Plan Relief Critically Needed, Advice Legislation Should Protect Existing Arrangements
American Benefits Council
Pension Rights Center Asks House Ways and Means Committee to Provide Funding Relief for Companies that Continue Workers’ Pensions
Pension Rights Center
Newkirk Offers Roth Conversion Materials Booklet, Online Analyzer, and Online Education Seminar Address New 2010 Roth Conversion Rules
Newkirk Products, Inc.
The Retirement Advantage, INC. Announces Results of Financial Advisor Satisfaction Survey
The Retirement Advantage (TRA)
Guardian Expands National Sales Team for Retirement Solutions Business
Guardian
McGraw-Hill's Financial Communications Rolls Out New Retirement Enrollment Kit
McGraw-Hill Companies
(Click to post your press release)
Employee Benefits Jobs
Employee Benefits Program Managerfor Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
in NC
(Click to post your job opening | View all jobs |
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EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com (Sponsor)
(Click on banner to learn more.)
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Handy Links:
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