HHS Revision of Annual Limit Waiver Program
"This guidance accelerates the closing of the controversial waiver program and brings some welcome clarifications. In particular, it appears that HHS has now officially dropped the prior rule that applications must be submitted more than 30 days before the beginning of a plan or policy year." (Thomson Reuters / EBIA)

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

Annual Limit Waiver Process Ending; Plans May Apply for Extensions of Existing Waivers
"On June 17, 2011, the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) . . . announced that the annual limit waiver program under the Affordable Care Act, which began in 2010, would cease accepting applications for waivers on September 22, 2011." (The Segal Group, Inc.)

Florida Passes Public Worker Severance Pay Law
"The law provides that effective July 1, 2011, a unit of government that enters into a contract or employment agreement, or renewal or renegotiation of an existing contract or employment agreement, that contains a provision for severance pay with an officer, agent, employee, or contractor must include a requirement that severance pay provided may not exceed an amount greater than 20 weeks of compensation." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)

Urgent Care Coverage Notification Requirement to Stay at 72 Hours
"[T]he 72-hour time frame remains only an outside limit and that, in cases where a decision must be made more quickly based on the medical exigencies involved, the requirement remains that the decision should be made sooner than 72 hours after the receipt of the claim,' the agencies said in the rules." (Workforce Management; free registration required)

Connecticut First State to Require Employer Funded Paid Sick Leave for 'Service Workers'
"Connecticut employers of 50 or more must now provide paid sick leave to 'service workers' under controversial new legislation . . . ." (Nixon Peabody LLP)

$10 Mil.lion Available for Workplace Health Programs
"[June 23, 2011], it was announced that $10 mil.lion is available to certain organizations through HHS to establish and evaluate workplace programs that address physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco use in the workplace. The application deadline is August 8, 2011 . . . ." (McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP)

Total Absence Management: A Well-Rounded Approach (PDF)
"To take the approach to total absence management a step further and advance productivity, loyalty and long-term cost savings objectives, employers may aim to mitigate absences in the first place through wellness and financial wellness approaches . . . ." (International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists)

Health Savings Accounts Lucrative for Insurers, Costly for Consumers
"America's Health Insurance Plans . . . warned in a recent report that the rapid growth of HSAs will be hurt unless Congress exempts them from the 80 percent requirement — or abolishes the threshold altogether. HSAs are available only to people enrolled in high-deductible plans. They are also exceedingly profitable for insurers." (TucsonSentinel.com)

A 'Meaningful' User of an Electronic Health Record System Describes Its Clinical and Financial Benefits
"One of the first physicians in the country to be certified as a 'meaningful' user of health information technology says the electronic health record system she implemented has significantly improved her performance on measures of clinical quality by providing immediate feedback on her adherence to evidence-based standards of care. The system has also reduced the administrative burden on physicians and staff, resulting in increased productivity and income for the practice." (The Commonwealth Fund)

Connecticut Sick Pay Law Presents More Questions Than Answers
"Here's what I wonder: Does the law apply to occupational and non-occupational events alike? Is there a loss of time benefit conflict?" (WGA InsureBlog)

Text of IRS Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Certain Employee Remuneration in Excess of $1,000,000 Under IRC Section 162(m); Treatment of Stock Compensation (PDF)
"The proposed regulations clarify that qualified performance-based compensation attributable to stock options and stock appreciation rights must specify the maximum number of shares with respect to which options or rights may be granted to each individual employee." (U.S. Internal Revenue Service)

IRS Issues Proposed Rule Relating to Stock Compensation
"The proposed regulations clarify that qualified performance-based compensation attributable to stock options and stock appreciation rights must specify the maximum number of shares with respect to which options or rights may be granted to each individual employee. They also clarify the application of the transition rule for taxpayers that are not publicly held corporations and then become publicly held corporations." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)

Stock Options Offer Valid in Marsh Noncompete Dispute Says Court
"According to the decision in Marsh USA Inc. and Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc. vs. Rex Cook, in 2005 Mr. Cook . . . signed an agreement under which he would exercise stock options in exchange for signing a nonsolicitation agreement." (Business Insurance)

IRS Standard Mileage Rate Is Increased
"Employers whose employees use their personal vehicles for the employers' business will have to pay them more in the second half of 2011 to reimburse them." (Thompson Publishing Group)

Legislation Introduced on the CEO Pay Ratio Requirement
"On Wednesday, June 22, the House Financial Services Committee voted to recommend H.R. 1062, the 'Burdensome Data Collection Relief Act,' a bill that would eliminate the requirement in Dodd-Frank Act Section 953, that public companies calculate and disclose the ratio of the median of the annual total compensation of all employees of the company, except the CEO . . . to the annual total compensation of the company's CEO." (Michael S. Melbinger via Winston & Strawn LLP)

US Department Of Labor And North Carolina Department Of Insurance To Offer Free Health Law Seminar June 28 And 29
(U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA))

US Labor Department Sues Dowe And Wagner of Richmond, Ill., To Restore More Than $31,000 To Company’s 401(k) Plan For Employees
(U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA))

Great-West Enhances Its Retirement Planning And Distribution Outreach
(Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company)

$10 Million in Affordable Care Act Funds to Help Create Workplace Health Programs
(U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)

McGraw Wentworth Earns Communications Awards for Health Care Reform Newsletters and Employee Benefits Guide
(McGraw Wentworth)

Flexible Schedule is Key to Keeping Working Moms on the Job
(Baylor University)

Plan Administrator for Retirement Plan & ERISA Specialists
for Dana Consulting Group, Ltd. in IL

Client Relations & Implementations Consultant (Corporate Benefit Funding Group)
for MetLife Insurance in NY

Senior Health Management Advisor
for ConocoPhillips in OK

Coordinator
for UC Office of the President in CA

Attorney
for Sullivan, Ward, Asher & Patton, P.C. in MI

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The Basics – Fiduciary Education, DOL & IRS Correction Programs and the Affordable Care Act Workshop
in Georgia on August 3, 2011 presented by U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)