[Guidance Overview]
Court Win for Same-S.ex Couples Seeking Benefits – "In a victory for g.ay rights advocates, a federal judge has ruled that state employees in California can sue for discrimination over the federal government's exclusion of their same-s.ex spouses from a long-term health care program." (San Francisco Chronicle)

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[Guidance Overview]
Departments Expand Guidance and Request Information on Preventive Care Benefits to be Provided (PDF) – "Recently, the Departments issued two publications clarifying that the use of value-based insurance design (VBID) is permitted with regard to preventive care benefits and indicating more guidance on VBID will be forthcoming." (The Segal Group, Inc.)

[Guidance Overview]
ERISA Plan Subrogation Provisions Eliminate Attorneys' Fee Claim – "The defendant and his lawyer argued that attorneys' fees and costs incurred in obtaining the settlement -- amounting to $14,467.44 -- must be deducted from the settlement proceeds before the funds are subject to the Plan's reimbursement claim. In a short unpublished opinion, the Court disagreed . . . ." (Roy Harmon III via Health Plan Law)

[Guidance Overview]
Nondiscrimination Testing for Group Health Plans (PDF) – "This article addresses the concepts and details of the existing nondiscrimination tests for self-insured plans." (Lewis & Ellis, Inc.)

State Health Care Reform Update, January 21, 2011 – The article details recent actions in regard to health care coverage and employer-provided health insurance benefits. (Wolters Kluwer)

House Republicans Plan Their Own Health Bills – "By a vote of 253 to 175, the House on Thursday directed four committees to draft legislation that would replace the health care law. The directive sets forth 13 objectives." (The New York Times; one-time registration required)

Health Care Reform Challenge Plaintiffs' List Now at 26 States – "The court asserted that allowing the six new plaintiffs would not hurt the government's defense of the law - particularly since [the judge] said he will not require government lawyers to file a new response to the amended lawsuit listing the new plaintiffs." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)

2011 Global Medical Trends Survey Report – "The average gross medical cost trend for 2009 was 10.2% (6.9% net of general inflation), and is expected to average 10.5% in 2011. The largest average medical trends for 2011 are projected by respondents in Latin America (13.7%) and North America (11.6%)." (Towers Watson)

Small Business Tax Credits under the Affordable Care Act (PDF) – "The health care reform law will assist small businesses by offering 'credit for health coverage targeted to small businesses with fewer than 25 employees, or those with enough part-time workers to constitute fewer than 25 'full-time equivalents.''" (Health Affairs)

Sam's Club's New Preventive-Care Plan for Members Could Enable Smaller Companies to Offer a Useful Benefit – "This month the members-only retailer launched its new Prevention Plan, a personalized online health-management program. Available only to Sam's Club's members for $99 per year, the program provides an online health assessment . . . ." (CFO.com)

[Opinion]
Affordable Health Plans an Endangered Species – "For example, the minimum benefit package required by the ACA will cost about $4,750 for individuals and $12,250 for families (in 2014)." (National Center for Policy Analysis)

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[Guidance Overview]
Severance Benefits Receive a Regulatory Facelift – "It is imperative to review employment agreements, offer letters and individual severance agreements to ensure compliance with both the Sections 409A and 105(h)." (Employee Benefit News; one-time free registration required)

IRS Issues Withholding Tables for 2011 – "The IRS has issued Notice 1036, Early Release Copies of the 2011 Percentage Method Tables for Income Tax Withholding and Publication 15, (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide, which contain the Federal percentage method and wage-bracket method withholding tables." (Wolters Kluwer)

SPARK Proposes Update to Info Sharing Best Practices SPARK Institute

DC Plan Statistical Supplement Released By The Center For Due Diligence Center for Due Diligence

HP Consolidates Retirement Plans With Fidelity Fidelity Investments

Pulse Logic Completes The First Study In Its 2011 Plan Advisor Experience Series: Wholesaling, The Advisors’ Perspective Pulse Logic

Benefit Outsourcing Solutions Appoints Jennifer Jones as Chief Operating Officer Benefit Outsourcing Solutions, Inc.

LGBT Employees at Credit Suisse Benefit from Enhanced Offerings Credit Suisse AG

Maryland Supplemental Retirement Plans Adds Parnassus Equity Income Fund Parnassus Investments

The Standard

Senior Financial Planner
for Plante & Moran, PLLC in MI

Superstar Employee Benefit Sales Producers - New England
for USI Holdings in MA, NH

Retirement Plan Service Specialist
for Retirement Alliance, Inc in NH

Retirement Benefit Distribution Specialist
for Charles Schwab in TX

Risk Analyst, Trust & Estates- Schwab Advisor Services
for Charles Schwab in FL

Compliance Manager, Compliance Testing and Analysis
for Vanguard in PA