(If this message looks garbled to you or if the headlines in this message don't connect you to Web pages when you click on them, please request the "plain text" version of this newsletter (Welfare Plans Edition) by emailing your request to publisher Dave Baker at davebaker@benefitslink.com
)
The BenefitsLink Newsletter -
Welfare Plans Edition
Today's sponsor is EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com
( Would your company like to sponsor an issue? )
June 16, 2000
This HMO Triumph Could Be Short-Lived
Excerpt: "At first blush, it looks like a slam dunk for the managed-care industry. On June 12, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that consumers can't use federal law already on the books to challenge the treatment decisions of HMO physicians. The ruling led to rejoicing on the part of managed-care companies that have had precious little to cheer about of late." (Business Week)
10th Cir: Insurer's Denial Of Coverage For High-Dose Chemotherapy Was Arbitrary And Capricious
Excerpt: "The Tenth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled that a health insurance company's denial of coverage for the high-dose chemotherapy portion of high-dose chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow transplant (HDC/ABMT) was arbitrary and capricious. The ruling came in Pitman v. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma." (Spencernet)
6th Cir: Retiree Health Benefits Vested Under Terms of Collective Bargaining Agreements
Excerpt: "An employer violated ERISA and the Labor-Management Relations Act (LMRA) when it unilaterally modified retiree health care benefits because those benefits had vested under the terms of collective bargaining agreements. This was the decision of the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Maurer, et al. v. Joy Technologies, Inc." (Spencernet)
Gateway Embraces Black-Scholes Model for Executive Stock Options -- Sort Of
Excerpt: "In 1993, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the rule-making body for American accounting, proposed that every company charge its earnings with the estimated present value of stock option grants, measured using the Black-Scholes model or one of its linear descendants. While most every company in the land was unhappy with this proposal, the high-tech folks were apoplectic." (Graef Crystal, on Bloomberg.com)
What's a KEYSOP? Do They Work?
Learn more about this new executive compensation program by following the online discussion among practitioners. (BenefitsBoards.net)
Gays Praise Automobile Manufacturers' Actions
Excerpt: "Some, including Michigan State University Trustees who voted to give university employees domestic partner benefits in 1997, think the move could ripple throughout the business world." (U-WIRE)
Insur Agents' Assoc Supports Medical Privacy But Urges Changes to Protect Employer-Sponsored Plans
Excerpt: " ... independent insurance agents often act on behalf of their clients--including small businesses that do not have human resources departments--when shopping for the best policy among many insurance companies ... companies require access to personally identifiable health information to quote rates." (PR Newswire)
Subscribe to the Retirement Plans Edition, too (click)
Copyright 2000 BenefitsLink.com, Inc.
Feel free to forward this email to friends, colleagues or clients, if no fee is paid to you and the email is forwarded in its entirety. Thanks!
BenefitsLink is a trademark of BenefitsLink.com, Inc., published by Dave Baker with much help from Mary Hall and lots of friends.
To subscribe (free): visit https://benefitslink.com/newsletter - or the person desiring to subscribe can send an email to listmanager@postmastergeneral.com, with this as the subject of the email: subscribe BLwelfare
We have an online archive of prior issues at
http://www.postmastergeneral.com/cgi-bin/archive.pl?list=BLwelfare
Welfare Plans Edition
Today's sponsor is EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com
( Would your company like to sponsor an issue? )
June 16, 2000
This HMO Triumph Could Be Short-Lived
Excerpt: "At first blush, it looks like a slam dunk for the managed-care industry. On June 12, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that consumers can't use federal law already on the books to challenge the treatment decisions of HMO physicians. The ruling led to rejoicing on the part of managed-care companies that have had precious little to cheer about of late." (Business Week)
10th Cir: Insurer's Denial Of Coverage For High-Dose Chemotherapy Was Arbitrary And Capricious
Excerpt: "The Tenth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled that a health insurance company's denial of coverage for the high-dose chemotherapy portion of high-dose chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow transplant (HDC/ABMT) was arbitrary and capricious. The ruling came in Pitman v. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma." (Spencernet)
6th Cir: Retiree Health Benefits Vested Under Terms of Collective Bargaining Agreements
Excerpt: "An employer violated ERISA and the Labor-Management Relations Act (LMRA) when it unilaterally modified retiree health care benefits because those benefits had vested under the terms of collective bargaining agreements. This was the decision of the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Maurer, et al. v. Joy Technologies, Inc." (Spencernet)
Gateway Embraces Black-Scholes Model for Executive Stock Options -- Sort Of
Excerpt: "In 1993, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the rule-making body for American accounting, proposed that every company charge its earnings with the estimated present value of stock option grants, measured using the Black-Scholes model or one of its linear descendants. While most every company in the land was unhappy with this proposal, the high-tech folks were apoplectic." (Graef Crystal, on Bloomberg.com)
What's a KEYSOP? Do They Work?
Learn more about this new executive compensation program by following the online discussion among practitioners. (BenefitsBoards.net)
Gays Praise Automobile Manufacturers' Actions
Excerpt: "Some, including Michigan State University Trustees who voted to give university employees domestic partner benefits in 1997, think the move could ripple throughout the business world." (U-WIRE)
Insur Agents' Assoc Supports Medical Privacy But Urges Changes to Protect Employer-Sponsored Plans
Excerpt: " ... independent insurance agents often act on behalf of their clients--including small businesses that do not have human resources departments--when shopping for the best policy among many insurance companies ... companies require access to personally identifiable health information to quote rates." (PR Newswire)
Subscribe to the Retirement Plans Edition, too (click)
Copyright 2000 BenefitsLink.com, Inc.
Feel free to forward this email to friends, colleagues or clients, if no fee is paid to you and the email is forwarded in its entirety. Thanks!
BenefitsLink is a trademark of BenefitsLink.com, Inc., published by Dave Baker with much help from Mary Hall and lots of friends.
To subscribe (free): visit https://benefitslink.com/newsletter - or the person desiring to subscribe can send an email to listmanager@postmastergeneral.com, with this as the subject of the email: subscribe BLwelfare
We have an online archive of prior issues at
http://www.postmastergeneral.com/cgi-bin/archive.pl?list=BLwelfare
DEPARTMENTS
BENEFITS SPEAKERS
Looking for a speaker for your benefits group? Want to throw your hat into the ring? Free.
BENEFITS CANDIDATES
Need personnel? It's like fishing in a barrel here.
BENEFITS JOBS
Need a benefits job? Sort the openings by their distance away from you.
BENEFITSBOARDS.NET
Exchange questions and tips with colleagues. Co-sponsored by us and several employee benefits organizations.
PROGRESSIONS
Promotions and new personnel in the employee benefits community.
Q&A COLUMNS
Experts field questions online, submitted by readers via email.
CONFERENCES
View by location, by sponsoring organization, or by date.
SOFTWARE
Largest listing of benefits software on the net: descriptions, downloads.
ADVERTISE
Ads are our sole source of support. No subscription fees!
CONTACT US
Questions?
Comments?
Suggestions?
Copyright 2000 BenefitsLink.com, Inc. All rights reserved. BenefitsLink is a trademark of BenefitsLink.com, Inc.
Looking for a speaker for your benefits group? Want to throw your hat into the ring? Free.
BENEFITS CANDIDATES
Need personnel? It's like fishing in a barrel here.
BENEFITS JOBS
Need a benefits job? Sort the openings by their distance away from you.
BENEFITSBOARDS.NET
Exchange questions and tips with colleagues. Co-sponsored by us and several employee benefits organizations.
PROGRESSIONS
Promotions and new personnel in the employee benefits community.
Q&A COLUMNS
Experts field questions online, submitted by readers via email.
CONFERENCES
View by location, by sponsoring organization, or by date.
SOFTWARE
Largest listing of benefits software on the net: descriptions, downloads.
ADVERTISE
Ads are our sole source of support. No subscription fees!
CONTACT US
Questions?
Comments?
Suggestions?
Copyright 2000 BenefitsLink.com, Inc. All rights reserved. BenefitsLink is a trademark of BenefitsLink.com, Inc.