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BenefitsLink Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter
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[Guidance Overview]
Medicare Part D Notice Deadline for Employer Plans: October 15
"In prior years, the annual notice deadline was November 15. However, changes in the law require that these notices now be issued before October 15. This Client Advisory will explain the steps employers should take to meet these new requirements."
(Sherman & Howard L.L.C.)
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American Health Care Congress and Exhibition [Advert.]
Bringing together the health care community to discuss strategies aimed at more efficient and effective operation of our health system post-reform. December 5-6, 2011, Anaheim, CA.
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Safe Workplace Successes Can Lead to Well Workplace
"Mid-market employers that successfully drive down workers compensation premiums through safety programs can be just as successful in lowering health care costs through wellness programs, although the payback likely will take more time, experts say."
(Business Insurance)
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Employee Health Risks May Be Identified by Predictive Modeling
"Predictive modeling techniques used by health researchers to measure the likelihood of certain diseases or the effectiveness of wellness interventions eventually could be adapted to create an 'H-mod' for group health insurance similar to the 'ex-mod' that workers compensation insurers use to calculate workers compensation premiums."
(Business Insurance)
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Federal Preemption Cases on Upcoming Supreme Court Docket
"The high court also agreed last week to determine the amount of weekly disability benefits employers are liable for under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. Under the federal law, compensation for disabled maritime workers is capped at twice the fiscal year's national average weekly wage as determined by the U.S. Secretary of Labor."
(Business Insurance)
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Vermont Edges toward Single Payer Health Care
"Proposed by the governor and passed by the Democratic-controlled legislature, the new program will replace the traditional insurance plans currently used in the state and the traditional fee-for-service reimbursements, giving the state a system different from its 49 counterparts and more like its neighbor to the north, (Can.ada)."
(The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
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The Money Flow from Households to Health Care Providers
"[A chart] illustrates that the flow of money through health care in the United States is complicated, with many detours on the way from households, which ultimately pay for all of the nation's health care, to providers. Along the way are a number of pumping stations, employers among them."
(The New York Times; free registration required)
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U.S. Health Benefits Coverage Recommendations Coming October 7
"The Institute of Medicine, one of the national academies of science that advises U.S. policymakers, was tasked with recommending how U.S. health regulators should determine the basic health benefits for millions of Americans who will qualify for coverage sold through state-based insurance exchanges beginning in 2014."
(Reuters via Business Insurance)
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Reward and Risk: A Targeted Approach to Incentives for Health Management Programs
"Why don't employees participate in their employer's health and wellness programs, despite the widespread availability? What is the ideal incentive that will target members with precision and motivate them to choose better health? This white paper will discuss a proven approach to incentive programs which helps employers achieve high engagement in health management programs and significantly cut healthcare costs."
(Carewise Health, Inc.; Free registration required to download white paper)
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Pregnancy, Employers and the Law
"Most working women will become pregnant one or more times during their career. California's Fair Employment and Housing Act includes Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) of up to four months unpaid leave and job protection for employees who are disabled due to pregnancy-related conditions. This includes time off needed for prenatal care, severe morning sickness, doctor-ordered bed rest, childbirth, recovery from childbirth or any pregnancy-related medical condition. The provisions apply to employers with five or more employees."
(The Monterey County Herald)
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Benefits in General; Executive Compensation
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[Guidance Overview]
Ricoh Hit with Class Action Suit over Unpaid Worker Expenses
"[A former executive] alleges Ricoh violated numerous provisions of California's labor code by failing to pay for expenses incurred on the job over a course of at least four years, including the cost of using personal vehicles for company business, parking expenses, and the use of personal mobile phones for business purposes . . . ."
(PLANSPONSOR.COM)
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Documents for Company Plans that May Be Subject to ERISA Should Have Claims Procedures
"In Quigley v. Citigroup Supplemental Plan, 51 EBC 1065 (S.D.N.Y. 2011), the court held that 47 former employees must exhaust their administrative remedies before they can pursue their action/litigation alleging that their employer had short-paid their benefits under a supplemental executive retirement plan."
(Michael S. Melbinger via Winston & Strawn LLP)
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Accounting for the Cost of a Public Sector Worker in New Jersey (PDF)
"Much of the debate over the growing size of pensions relative to budgets has focused on whether public sector compensation costs are fair either in comparison to other municipalities or to the private sector. But this fairness debate, while important, obscures a more technical and far more fundamental question: why does the bill for public employee benefits appear to be a surprise to governments, beneficiaries, and taxpayers?"
(Mercatus Center, George Mason University)
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Press Releases
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