[Guidance Overview]
Notice 2011-28 Provides Transition Relief and More on W-2 Reporting of Health Care Costs
"For employers that will have to report the value of health coverage for 2012 Forms W-2 the Notice contains helpful information on a number of points: . . . ." (Christine P. Roberts, Esq.)

The World Congress Prevention and Wellness 2.0 Congress. (advert.)

May 17 - 18, 2011 | Los Angeles, CA
Health Reform | Culture | Incentives | Innovation | Behavior Change | Economics

[Guidance Overview]
Health Care Reform One Year Later: The Status of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Implementation
"The following is an updated summary and timeline of key provisions of the PPACA, reflecting the regulations and guidance issued to date." (Littler)

Claims Denial Rates Not Higher in Self-Funded Health Plans, Says HHS
"The report noted that self-funded employers have an incentive to approve claims. Self-funded employers 'may be more willing than insurance companies to cover medical costs for members, because of their greater financial stake in the health and well-being of their employees,' according to the report." (Business Insurance)

House Committee OKs Bill Restricting FSA, HSA Abortion Reimbursements
"Employees no longer could receive tax-free reimbursement from their flexible spending accounts or health savings accounts for out-of-pocket expenses related to most abortions under a bill the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee approved Thursday." (Business Insurance)

Obama Administration Delaying Some Rules for Appealing Health Insurance Denials
"One aspect of the new appeals rules that is not affected by the latest government announcement is the timeframe given to consumers to file an appeal. Under most plans, beneficiaries have 180 days after receiving a denial notice to request a review. The announcement also does not affect the right to appeal when coverage is canceled or denied because the treatment was not medically necessary . . . ." (Los Angeles Times)

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Change in Minnesota State Tax Treatment of Coverage of Adult Children
"On March 21, Governor Dayton signed into law legislation that adopts most federal tax changes made for the 2010 tax year, including the exclusion from income of employer-provided health benefits to non-tax dependent adult children through age 26." (Faegre & Benson)

Success Factors in Five High-Quality, Low-Cost Health Plans
"Because employers are primarily responsible for arranging the health insurance coverage for their employees, there is market pressure for health plans to work with broader networks than they would otherwise want, which in turn interferes with the factors that lead to high performance." (The Commonwealth Fund)

Report of State Legislation and Actions Challenging Certain Health Reforms, As of March 29, 2011
"[M]any of the measures, in 2010 and 2011 . . . [c]ontradict, some would say challenge, some policy features contained in the new federal law." (National Conference of State Legislatures)

An Employer's Guide to Cancer Treatment & Prevention: 'Quick Reference Guide and Assessment' (PDF)
10 pages. 'This resource is intended to help benefits managers during the 2012 benefits cycle by providing a checklist of key benefits that can be compared to the current benefit set, for example, general medical and pharmacy benefits." (National Business Group on Health)

[Opinion]
Paid Sick Days: Measuring the small costs for Connecticut businesses
"This paper provides concrete economic data (based on the U.S. Census Bureau's Economic Census) to help policymakers better understand the potential costs incurred through implementation of paid sick days legislation." (Economic Policy Institute)

SEC Proposes Rules for Compensation Committees on the Use of Compensation Consultants and Other Advisers, and Conflicts of Interest
"From the descriptions and discussion at the open meeting, it does not appear that the proposed rules add much to the terms of the statute. . . . Apparently, however, the proposed rules do include an instruction clarifying the meaning of 'retained or obtained' [regarding the disclosure requirement of new Section 10C]." (Winston & Strawn LLP)

Underfunded State Pension Plans Create Credit Risk
"[S]tates that continue to fail to meet required annual pension obligations could very well be penalized by the credit-rating services, negatively affecting their ability to borrow . . . ." (Business Insider)

Employee Ownership Update for March 31, 2011
Corey Rosen discusses the following topics and more: ESOP-owned Web Industries has developed an innovative new radiation measurement product that fits on a small card. Directed trustees have very limited fiduciary responsibility but may do a lot of work. The taxation of employee stock purchase plans is sufficiently complex that even people who know the field sometimes get confused. The NCEO's annual conference is coming up, as is the Great Game of Business conference. (National Center for Employee Ownership)

PBGC Sells Interest in Delphi Automotive LLP
(Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC))

US Labor Department Publishes Amended Class Exemption Expanding Transactions Involving Assets Managed By In-House Asset Managers
(U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA))

TIAA-CREF to Offers Third-Party Fiduciary Service
(TIAA-CREF)

ASPPA Responds to DOL Regulatory Burden Request
(American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA))

Midwest Business Group on Health Convenes 31st Annual Conference; Megatrends in Health Care, Health Benefits and Health Improvement
(Midwest Business Group on Health)

Fifteen Kansas City Employers Redesign Range of Benefits to Improve Health
(Mid-America Coalition on Health Care)

International Foundation

Pension Administrator in CA for Jordan & Associates

Qualified Plan Administrator in CO for Trust Company of America

Request For Proposal (RFP) Specialist in CA, GA, IA, NJ, PA for Transamerica Retirement Services Corporation

Benefits Specialist (Financial Plans) in CA for CareFusion

Benefits Manager in CA for CareFusion

Client Service Manager in PA for Ascensus

Account Manager in MA for Financial Engines

Employee Benefits Representative # 2299 in TN for EASTMAN CHEMICAL CO.

Retirement Products and Services Officer in IN for First Merchants Bank

Senior Associate - Retirement in TX for Employee Benefit Solutions, Inc.

Executive Director in CA for The International Longshore & Warehouse Union - Pacific Maritime Association Benefit Plans

Assistant General Counsel in TX for Insperity

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Health Insurance Exchanges: MA, UT & CA Models
in California on May 4, 2011 presented by MCOL

Whose Patient is it? Patient Attribution in ACOs
in California on May 11, 2011 presented by MCOL