Text of EBSA Technical Release No. 2011–02: Guidance on External Review for Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Issuers Offering Group and Individual Health Coverage, and Guidance for States on State External Review Processes
"Consistent with this technical guidance and the contemporaneous amendment to the July 2010 regulations, the Departments are also issuing a revised model notice of adverse benefit determination, a revised model notice of final internal adverse benefit determination, and a revised model notice of final external adverse benefit determination. These notices are included in the Appendix to this T.R. 2011–02." (U.S. Employee Benefits Security Administration)

Executive Forum on Outcomes-Driven Benefit Design   [Advert.]

State Health Care Reform Update, June 24, 2011
"With the passage of federal health care reform, states will have increasing responsibilities in regard to employer-provided health insurance benefits." (Wolters Kluwer Law & Business)

Study Finds Insurance Company Service Improvements Could Help Employers
"For example, the survey found that processing claims accurately and effectively, providing customized cost management solutions and ensuring that the insurance carrier representative understands the employer's specific needs, were found to have a particularly strong effect on raising employer satisfaction with health plans." (Employee Benefits News; free registration required)

Senate Committee Hearing: Health Care Entitlements: The Road Forward
This page on the hearing held on June 23, 2011, includes links to member statements and witness testimonies and a video of the hearing. (United States Senate Committee on Finance)

Urgent Care Coverage Notification Requirement to Stay at 72 Hours
"Last year, federal regulators said enrollees would have to be notified of an urgent care coverage decision within 24 hours of receipt of a claim." (Benefits Management)

Supreme Court Rules for Pharma.ceutical Industry in Two Decisions
"Justices rule that generic drug makers cannot be sued by injured patients in most cases and that drug manufacturers have a 1st Amendment right to buy private prescription records to use for marketing purposes." (Los Angeles Times)

GM Faces another Retiree Benefits Suit
"A group of 45 General Motors Co. salaried retirees have filed a lawsuit claiming the auto giant and Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. breached its contract when it slashed life insurance benefits." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)

2011 State Health Insurance Reform Enacted Laws Related to the Affordable Care Act
"So far at least 29 states have enacted and signed laws specific to ACA health insurance implementation." (National Conference of State Legislatures)

Health Care Reform Update, June 21, 2011 (PDF)
Read this week's update on health care reform legislation, regulations, and initiatives. (ML Strategies, LLC)

Federal Tax Expenditures and the PPACA Stealth Income
"According to gpoaccess.gov, federal tax expenditures on employer-sponsored healthcare plans are expected to be approximately $185 bil.lion in federal fiscal year (FFY) 2012." (Healthcare Town Hall)

Should You Self-Fund Your Employee Health Benefits?
"In deciding whether or not to self-fund, the potential for a lower monthly health care bill is weighed against the financial risk of covering employee health care costs — and the possibility of getting hit by a catastrophic bill if an employee gets in an accident or comes down with an illness." (Inc.)

GAO Testimony: Medicare Secondary Payer: Process for Situations Involving Non-Group Health Plans
"The MSP process for situations that involve NGHPs generally includes five basic components. The process details, and CMS's administrative tasks, can vary based on when in the process CMS is notified, the type of insurance involved, and the type of resolution reached." (U.S. Government Accountability Office)

How to Clean Up Public Employees' 'Accrued Leave Benefit'
"As with many private firms, many public employers force forfeiture of unused vacation and comp time at the end of the year, but practices vary widely on the limits and the rationale for those limits." (Governing)

Discussions of Issues on Multiple Employer Plans
"[At a recent meeting with DOL staff, t]he question arose as to whether a non-association MEP would qualify as a single plan under ERISA, so to enable a single Form 5500, single audit, and a host of other things. DOL staff's reaction was that they believed that a non-benefit related commonality is needed, but they also expressed a willingness to discuss the idea. We explored several different points." (Business of Benefits published by Robert Toth, Jr.)

IRS Adjusts Business Mileage Rate for Final Six Months of 2011
"The rate will increase to 55.5 cents a mile for all business miles driven from July 1, 2011, through December 31, 2011." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)

Details of the Changes to New Jersey Public Workers' Health Insurance and Pensions
"Affected: All state employees and most local government workers, about a half-mil.lion in all, as well as about 260,000 retirees." (The New York Times; free registration required)

New Jersey Lawmakers Approve Benefits Rollback for Work Force
"The legislation will sharply increase what state and local workers must contribute for their health insurance and pensions, suspend cost-of-living increases to retirees' pension checks, raise retirement ages and curb the unions' contract bargaining rights." (The New York Times; free registration required)

Perks: What Companies Offer and What Employees Want
"As companies simultaneously try to shake off the recession, keep costs low, retain valued employees and recruit talented new ones, they need to understand what perks are and what perks are meant to do — from their own perspective as well as that of their employees." (Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania)

Council Commends Reexamination of PPACA Claims & Appeals, External Review Regulations
(American Benefits Council)

As Employers Deal With Pension Risk, Mercer Globe Provides A Centralized, 24/7 Source To Aid Governance And Compliance
(Mercer)

Goldleaf Partners Receives IRS Approval As Enrolled Retirement Plan Agent [ERPA] CPE Provider
(Goldleaf Partners)

DALBAR Announces "Registered Fiduciary" Advisor Designation
(DALBAR)

Portico Wealth Releases Tool to Help Plan Sponsors Tackle New 408(b)2 Rules
(Portico Wealth Advisors)

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"The New Form 8955-SSA: Who, What, When, and How" - A Second Encore Presentation
Nationwide on July 14, 2011 presented by SunGard Relius

Health Benefits Law - Compliance Assistance Seminar
in Montana on July 19, 2011 presented by U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)

National Fiduciary Conference
in Texas on October 24, 2011 presented by Investment Fiduciary Leadership Council (IFLC)

Spotting Securities and Pension Fraud Workshop
in Montana on July 19, 2011 presented by U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)

Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program Workshop
in Nevada on July 27, 2011 presented by U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)