New BLS Data on Reproductive Health Benefits
"Sixty percent of participants had coverage for gynecological exams and services; for almost all of the remaining 40 percent of participants, plan documents did not mention these services." (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Maternity Care Benefits Among Medical Plan Participants, 2009
"The vast majority of workers with coverage were in plans that imposed some type of limitation (58 percent out of the 66 percent with coverage). Maternity care was most likely to be subject to either plan limits or both separate limits and plan limits." (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Michigan Bill Would Add 1% Tax on Paid Health Care Claims
"The tax, applied on claims incurred on or after Jan. 1, 2012, would be paid by insurers offering fully insured plans and by third-party claims administrators in the case of self-funded plans. The tax, which would be used to help fund the state's Medicaid program, would be paid quarterly starting April 15, 2012." (Crain Communications, Inc.)

Early Retiree Reinsurance Program Subsidy Has Little Impact on Retiree Medical Strategies
"According to the study report, 60% of respondents said the ERRP subsidy has little impact on their retiree medical strategy. Of the companies for which the ERRP subsidy plays into their retiree medical strategy, most indicate that the subsidy buys them time to make changes to the retiree medical strategy." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)

Legislation Would Extend Tax Exclusion to Domestic Partners, Other Health Plan Beneficiaries
"The Tax Parity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act . . . would extend tax preferences for employer-provided health benefits to all those eligible for the employer's health plans." (Towers Watson)

Lack of Federal Policy on Paid Sick Days Further Erodes Family Economic Security
"Lack of paid sick time means that an illness can potentially cost a family thousands of dollars in income and jeopardize their ability to afford food, rent, health insurance, and many of the other basic goods that are essential to well-being. Just three and a half days of missed work because of illness is equivalent to an entire month's groceries for the average family." (Economic Policy Institute)

Trends & Tradeoffs in Employee Medical Benefits Survey
"The rising tide of employee benefits costs is forcing employers to make tough decisions, often reducing disposable income for employees in order to maintain benefit levels." (Corporate Synergies; free registration required to download PDF)

ERISA Section 502(a)(3) Claims Remanded for Reconsideration after Amara Opinion
"The part of the 11th Circuit opinion that I find interesting is that the Court felt a reconsideration of the district court's denial of 29 U.S.C. § 1132(a)(3) claims should be undertaken in view of the Supreme Court decision in CIGNA Corp. v. Amara . . . ." (Roy Harmon III via Health Plan Law)

Ninth Circuit Holds that Third Party Insurers May Be Sued under ERISA
"The Ninth Circuit's decision expands the scope of potential liability in benefits claims under ERISA. Accordingly, companies that have authority to accept or reject benefits claims, regardless of whether they are identified as the plan administrator, should ensure that all decisions comply with ERISA's requirements." (Ford & Harrison LLP)

IRS Raises Standard Mileage Rate for Second Half of 2011
"In response to rising gasoline prices, the IRS has raised the standard mileage rate for business use of an automobile from 51 cents per mile to 55½ cents per mile, effective July 1 . . . . The medical and moving standard mileage rate is increasing to 23½ cents per mile, also on July 1." (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants)

International Employee Assistance Programs: The Forgotten Benefit
"Expatriates need a lifeline, and employers who arrange for this, are often more successful in helping their expatriates carry out the job. So how can you accomplish this? The easiest way is to set up an international Employee Assistance Program . . . ." (William Gallagher Associates Insurance Brokers, Inc.)

Legal Same-S.ex Marriage in New York State Leads Companies to Cut Partner Benefits
"At least two major employers — Raytheon Co. and International Business Machines Corp. — say New York employees in same-s.ex relationships now will have to get married if they want to qualify for the benefits. The companies appear to be the exceptions among big corporate employers." (The Wall Street Journal)

ESOP Sponsors: Be Careful What You Say in Your Summary Plan Description
In his latest 'Observations on Employee Ownership' column, NCEO founder Corey Rosen discusses the implications of the Supreme Court's recent CIGNA v. Amara decision. (The National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO))

PBGC Helps Preserve Pensions for 7,400 People at Tronox in Oklahoma City
(Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC))

fi360 Announces Five New Hires
(Fiduciary360 (fi360))

Surging Employee Benefits Costs Force Employers to Make Difficult Trade-Offs to Maintain Benefit Levels, New Survey Shows
(Corporate Synergies)

IASB Introduces Improvements to the Accounting for Post-employment Benefits
(International Accounting Standards Board (IASB))

World Congress

Regional Retirement Plan Consultant, West Region - San Francisco, CA
for RBC Wealth Management in CA

401(k) Plan Administrator
for ABG Carolinas, Inc., a subsidiary of Pentegra Services, Inc. in NC

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