Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter October 15, 2010 |
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Join the nation's top retirement services marketing, sales, administration and record keeping professionals at the SPARK Forum. Gain insights into the latest industry trends. Attend sessions designed specifically for TPAs, Advisors and RIAs. Participate in interactive sessions on marketing, operations, investments and distribution issues, and network with peers from national banks, insurance companies, mutual fund complexes, investment firms, third party administrators, benefit consulting organizations and financial advisory firms.
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[Guidance Overview]
Health Care Reform Year-End Review and Action Items (PDF)
4 pages. Excerpt: "[Grandfathered] or not, all group health plans will need to implement year-end plan changes and certain amendments, as well as issue new notices to participants and beneficiaries."
(Kelly, Hannaford & Battles P.A.)
Restructuring Tiers of Coverage or Making Changes to Wellness Incentives May Impact Grandfathered Plan Status
Excerpt: "If you have restructured tiers of coverage or changed wellness benefits for the upcoming plan year, your grandfathered plan status may be in jeopardy."
(Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.)
Influencing the Development of the New Health Care Reform Law
Excerpt: "[L]ike most complex pieces of legislation, the law left open many unanswered questions that must now be answered through the regulatory process. As a result, employers and insurance companies now have an ideal opportunity to influence the regulation writing process in a manner most favorable to their interests."
(Miller & Chevalier Chartered)
NYC Council Speaker Scuttles Effort to Require All Employers in City to Provide Workers with Paid Sick Leave
Excerpt: "The speaker promised to reevaluate the measure if the economy improves. But a person familiar with the matter said Ms. Quinn's decision effectively kills the bill for the foreseeable future because she won't schedule it for a vote."
(The Wall Street Journal)
Federal Judge in Florida Allows Challenge to Health Coverage Mandate .
Excerpt: "'The power that the individual mandate seeks to harness is simply without prior precedent,' wrote Judge Roger Vinson of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida."
(The Wall Street Journal)
Kodak Retirees Hear About Potential Problems
Excerpt: "The retirees' concerns come after the company in 2008 announced it would greatly scale back its spending on retiree health care. Through 2018, the company is phasing out payments for dependents' medical coverage as it also shifts more premium costs to retirees."
(Rochester Democrat & Chronicle)
Implementing Health Reform (PDF)
4 pages. Excerpt: "This issue brief describes how federal and state government implementation efforts will mesh, and some key tasks to be performed by each. It describes the tools available to federal agencies in implementing the law, such as rulemaking. It notes the discretion states have in carrying out the law, such as decisions involving pre-existing condition insurance plans and health insurance exchanges. Includes a simplified guide to informal rulemaking."
(Alliance for Health Reform)
Federal Judge in Florida Allows Part of Suit Against Health Law to Proceed
Excerpt: "The judge said 'two of those six counts can proceed. Aside from the count targeting the individual insurance requirement, [the judge] said a constitutional challenge to the law's Medicaid expansion -- which critics consider an unfunded mandate for states -- can also move forward."
(Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
[Opinion]
Health Insurers Shocked, Shocked We Want Them to Spend Money on Health Care
Excerpt: "The National Association of Insurance Commissioners is writing the first draft of rules for how insurers calculate their spending on health care, and they're just a week away from finalizing them after more than five months of debate. But yesterday, on a last-minute call that seemed to be arranged specifically to give insurers a platform to make their case, the industry made out as if they'd been ambushed."
(Consumer Watchdog)
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Benefits in General; Executive Compensation
[Guidance Overview]
Section 409A Compliance: Transition Relief Permitting 'Free' Correction of Documentary Failures Will Expire December 31, 2010 (PDF)
4 pages. Excerpt: "Even companies that previously submitted their plans for detailed review should consider a secondary review now."
(Alston & Bird LLP)
Webcasts and Conferences
NY CLE Program: How HR Can Add Value on Cross Border Deals
in New York on November 16, 2010
presented by
WEB (Worldwide Employee Benefits Network ), New York Chapter
Press Releases
Final DOL Regulations Represent Reasoned Approach to Retirement Plan Fees
American Benefits Council
2011 Steven H. Sandell Grant Program
Center for Retirement Research at Boston College
Public Employee Health Coverage Dips as Local Governments Address Shortfalls
Cobalt Community Research
New Study Predicts Dire Outcomes for Pension Systems in Major U.S. Cities and Counties
Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
How Your Job Can Help You Save Money
ASPIRA Association
A Little-Known Employee Benefit Can Go The Extra Mile
Empire BlueCross BlueShield
Newly Posted Employee Benefits Jobs
Account Manager - Client Services
for
ExpertPlan, Inc.
in NJ
Experienced, Partner-level Employee Benefits Attorney
for
Varnum LLP
in MI
Data Analyst
for
Transamerica
in CA
Daily Retirement Plan Administrator
for
CMC Interactive, LLC
in NY
Advisor, Health & Welfare
for
ConocoPhillips
in OK
Consulting Manager/Director - Health Benefit Plans
for
Wellspring+Stockamp, Huron Healthcare
in ANY STATE
Director, UC Student Health Insurance Plan
for
UC Office of the President
in CA
Partnership Consultant
for
Transamerica Retirement Services
in CA
401k Sales Hunter!!!!
for
ADP Retirement Services
in AZ, CA, LA, MN, NV, TN
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