Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter |
|
|
| December 2, 2009 \ Compliance \ Costs \ Administration \ Design \ Policy | ||
DataPath, Inc. (Advert.)
DataPath Reaches Out to Banks in Need of HSA Services with HSAToday® As a leader in benefit administration systems for over 25 years, DataPath, Inc. was the first to offer a comprehensive platform for the administration of Health Savings Accounts with the standard-setting HSAToday® platform. Through tumultuous industry changes, DataPath has remained autonomous, building long-standing relationships by focusing on what they do best, creating solutions for the administration of benefit plans such as HSAs, FSAs, HRAs and COBRA. For information on how DataPath can quickly and seamlessly assume your business, go to www.dpath.com or contact sales at 800-633-3841. |
[Guidance Overview]
EBSA Answers Questions on Year-End Issues Affecting COBRA Subsidies
Excerpt: "If an employee is involuntarily terminated no later than December 31, 2009, but the qualified beneficiary is not eligible for COBRA until on or after January 1, 2010, is the qualified beneficiary eligible for ARRA premium assistance? No. . . . My plan has told me that ARRA expires or stops on December 31, 2009. If I am an assistance eligible individual who was involuntarily terminated no later than December 31, 2009 and became eligible for COBRA no later than December 31, 2009, can I still receive the full 9 months of ARRA premium assistance? Yes. . . ." (Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor)
[Guidance Overview]
Private Health Insurance Provisions of S. 1796, America's Healthy Future Act of 2009
35 pages; originally published November 16, 2009. Excerpt: "This report summarizes key provisions affecting private health insurance in S. 1796, America's Healthy Future Act of 2009, as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Finance on October 19, 2009. Title I of the bill imposes new requirements on individuals, employers, and health plans; restructures the private health insurance market; sets minimum standards for health benefits; and provides financial assistance to certain individuals and, in some cases, small employers." (Congressional Research Service via OpenCRS.com)
Healthcare Reform Advances; Application to Public Sector Raises Issues
Excerpt: "This 'Special Edition' of the NCTR Federal e-News provides an overview of the House and Senate bills; a listing of some of the provisions of special interest for employees and retirees, as well as plan sponsors and administrators; a more detailed discussion of several provisions of particular interest to the public sector and the various questions that they raise; an in-depth discussion of the Senate's proposed excise tax on so-called 'Cadillac' plans; and a brief discussion of what may lie ahead as Congress approaches an historic decision on the future of the American healthcare system." (National Council on Teacher Retirement)
Text of Nov. 30 Congressional Budget Office Report on Effect of Senate Healthcare Bill on Health Insurance Premiums (PDF)
29 pages. Excerpt: "The attachment to this letter responds to your request -- and the interest expressed by many other Members -- for an analysis of how proposals being considered by the Congress to change the health care and health insurance systems would affect premiums paid for health insurance in various markets. Specifically, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation have analyzed how health insurance premiums might be affected by enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as proposed by Senator Reid on November 18, 2009." (U.S. Congressional Budget Office; Joint Committee on Taxation)
[Opinion]
Expiration of COBRA Subsidy: Millions of Unemployed Workers and Their Dependents Are at Risk; Many Will Lose Their Subsidy as of December 1, 2009 (PDF)
Provides state-specific data on what will happen to family COBRA premiums when the subsidy ends, and it argues for extending the COBRA assistance. (Families USA)
EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com (Advert.)
EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com is where the best employers find the best candidates!
|
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Using Company Stock to Motivate EmployeesExcerpt: "A recent survey finds that seven in 10 employers are using stock to motivate their employees -- and about half of them are issuing such equity to workers at the manager level. Potential problems with the practice, however, include possible dilution of the stock as well as the challenge of employee education" (Human Resource Executive Online)
Administrator Charged with Embezzling Tens of Millions from Union Benefit Plans
Excerpt: "[T]he announcement said, between 2002 and 2008, King caused at least $42.6 million to be transferred, in the form of checks, from the bank accounts of the Local 147 Funds into a bank account controlled by King Care, including the following approximate amounts per year . . . ." (PLANSPONSOR)
Weighing Whether to Give Part-Time Workers a Piece of the Benefits Pie
Excerpt: "With the current unemployment rate verging on 10%, and employers cutting costs as much as possible, part-time employment is being explored by individuals and companies alike." (Employee Benefit News)
Webcasts and Conferences
Understanding Your Responsibilities Under ERISA - Basics and More! Workshopin Georgia on February 3, 2010
presented by U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
“The New World of 403(b): Audits, Filing and Regulatory Compliance” Webinar
Nationwide on December 16, 2009
presented by Cammack LaRhette Consulting
(Click to post your webcast or conference)
Press Releases
Employers Plan to Increase Use of Self-Service Decision-Making Technology For Open Enrollment, Watson Wyatt Survey FindsWatson Wyatt
DataPath Reaches Out to Banks in Need of HSA Services with HSAToday®
DataPath, Inc.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Charges Former Administrator Of Construction Workers Union Employee Benefit Plans With Embezzling Tens of Millions Of Dollars
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
US Department of Labor Announces $2.4 Million Grant to Provide Maryland, Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina Workers with Health Insurance Payments
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
Federal Court Holds Gulfport, Miss., Defendant Liable for More than $300,000 in Pension Assets Following Investigation by US Department of Labor
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
Winding Down a Hard-Frozen Defined Benefit Plan
Principal Financial Group
ftwilliam.com Releases a Spanish Language Version of the Summary Plan Description
ftwilliam.com
(Click to post your press release)
Employee Benefits Jobs
Senior Pension Sales Consultantfor Executive Benefits Design Group
in ANY STATE, AK, AL, AR, DC, DE, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, MT, ND, NE, NM, OH, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WV, WY
401(k)/DC Plan Administrator
for Hessel & Associates, LLC
in IL
Account Service Representative
for Pension Specialists, Inc.
in CA
Territory Sales Manager - Dallas
for Milliman
in TX
Pension Benefits Generalist
for City of Lakeland
in FL
Regional Compliance Manager - San Diego vicinity (work from home)
for OneAmerica Financial Partners, Inc.
in CA, WA
Implementation / Marketing & Sales Support Specialist
for Nova 401(k) Associates
in TX
TPA Firm Opening
for Sheffler & Martin, Inc.
in CA
(Click to post your job opening | View all jobs |
RSS feed of all jobs )
EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com (Sponsor)
(Click on banner to learn more.)
| Where the best employers find the best candidates! |
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 email has been published by:
BenefitsLink.com, Inc.
1298 Minnesota Avenue, Suite H
Winter Park FL 32789
(407) 644-4146
Fax: (407) 644-2151
Jeanette Hull, News Editor
jeanette.hull@benefitslink.com
David Rhett Baker, J.D., Editor and Publisher
david.baker@benefitslink.com
Copyright 2009 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: