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BenefitsLink Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter
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Cost-Effectiveness of Potential FEHBP Reforms Questioned
"The Office of Personnel Management has attributed the smaller [premium] increase in part to its ability to leverage the program's nearly 8 mil.lion participants and is seeking to take that a step further with changes to FEHBP's prescription drug options. But some observers question whether that buying power brings federal workers the best value — or even the best benefits."
(Government Executive)
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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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More Firms Using Incentives to Prod Employees to Fitness
"In the past two years, many employers already have adopted financial incentives to encourage people to lose weight, join a fitness program or get a physical exam, according to a survey last month by the National Business Group on Health."
(USA TODAY)
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Electronic Medical Records Transition Moves Ahead
"The aim is to ensure that all of the nation's medical records are computerized by 2014. There seems to be a broad consensus that increased use of electronic data will improve the quality of health care in the country and ultimately lower costs . . . ."
(The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
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The Most Tax-Savvy Use of a Health Savings Account
"You can choose to use the money in your HSA to cover [recent bills], or you can pay the [bills] out-of-pocket and let the HSA money accumulate. To the extent you don't use the money in the HSA to pay for medical expenses while you're working, or you use your healthcare dollars wisely so you have money left over at the end of the year, you have it saved up for retirement."
(Forbes.com LLC)
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Health Care Case Brings Fight over Which Supreme Court Justices Should Decide It
"Federal law requires judges, including those on the Supreme Court, to disqualify themselves when their 'impartiality might be reasonably questioned,' as well as for specific reasons such as a financial interest or the involvement of a family member in the litigation."
(The Washington Post; free registration required)
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Lobbying Push to Focus on Health Law's Day at the Supreme Court
"Corporations, unions, trade groups and advocates are expected to spend millions of dollars over the next few months trying to shape the court's thinking on whether the law's individual mandate is constitutional."
(The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
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2011 Form 8889 and Instructions for HSA Reporting
"Form 8889 is used by HSA holders as an attachment to Form 1040, but we think employers and advisors working with HSAs should have a basic understanding of its scope. We note that the 2011 instructions do not highlight one likely source of confusion arising from something health care reform did not change about the HSA rules."
(Thomson Reuters/EBIA)
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[Opinion]
A Grim Diagnosis for Our Ailing Health Care System
"Even had it succeeded, the supercommittee would have failed. Ultimately, the only way to control federal spending and deficits is to suppress the upward spiral of health costs. These are already the budget's largest single expense (27 percent in 2010 . . . ."
(The Washington Post; free registration required)
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[Opinion]
Good and Bad News on Health Costs
"There is good news and there is bad news in the latest Mercer L.L.C. analysis of group health care plan costs. The bad news: Even in a down economy, group health care costs continue to rise, climbing by an average of 6.1% in 2011. For the first time, costs per employee surpassed $10,000."
(Business Insurance)
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Benefits in General; Executive Compensation
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Hollywood Labor Fight Looms as Money for Benefits Wanes
"After three relatively peaceful years, the entertainment industry is bracing for a showdown next spring. At issue is an enormous projected shortfall in financing for some of the most jealously guarded perks in show business, the heavily gilded health and pension plans."
(The New York Times; free registration required)
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Main Streer Says to Congress: No More Privilege, Perks, Pensions
"[The group surveyed indicated] that they are also fed up to the hilt with Congress, particularly in the realm of the 'culture of privilege' that goes with the tendency of many to spend their entire careers in Washington. The group strongly favored term limits — 2 terms for Senators (for a total of 12 years) and 4 terms for Congressmen (for a total of 8 years)."
(Clarity Digital Group LLC d/b/a Examiner.com)
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Press Releases
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