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The BenefitsLink Newsletter -
Welfare Plans Edition
This issue is sponsored by iBenefits
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July 25, 2000
Interim Regulations on Cafeteria Plan for Federal Employees
Excerpt: "The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued Interim Regulations that enable federal employees who participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program to pay their health insurance premiums, for the first time, with pre-tax dollars under a cafeteria plan." (EBIA Weekly)
New Legislation Creates Protected Status Under Certain State Insurance Laws for Church Welfare Plans
Church Plan Parity and Entanglement Prevention Act of 1999. Excerpt: "Congress has acted to protect church welfare plans from being treated as insurance companies under state insurance law. Furthermore, under the Act, a church welfare plan will be deemed to be sponsored by a single employer rather than by a multiple employer arrangement." (EBIA Weekly)
9th Cir: Administrator Failed to Apply Plan's Definition of "Disability" in Claim for Benefits
Excerpt: "This case amplifies the need to read a plan's definitions (such as 'disability') carefully and to apply the correct definition in denying benefits. In addition, DOL regulations require that claim and appeal denial letters must cite the plan provisions on which any denial is based." (EBIA Weekly)
Death Caused by Intoxicated Driving Was Not Covered by AD&D Plan
Excerpt: "The issue in this case was whether the insurer for an employer-sponsored accidental death and disability (AD&D) plan was required to pay benefits to the beneficiary of a participant who was killed in a one-car accident. At the time of the accident, the participant had a blood alcohol level four times the legal limit." (EBIA Weekly)
Daryl Cagle's Collection of Editorial Cartoons on Health Care
(Daryl Cagle, Cartoonist)
Life on the Hill for Healthcare Lobbyists, Including Karen Ignagni of the AAHP
June 2000 cover story. Excerpt: "Washington doesn't merely represent a regulatory and legislative challenge. The government is also, of course, healthcare's biggest customer--spending hundreds of billions of dollars annually through Medicare, Medicaid and various other health entitlement programs. Set against this backdrop are the healthcare folks on the frontlines, the men and women who advocate for their corner of the healthcare universe--the healthcare lobbyists." (HealthcareBusiness)
New Virginia Commission Handles HMO Complaints from Insureds
Excerpt: "The program, which has not yet handled its first case, offers an alternative to consumers who tangle with their managed care company over whether a medical procedure is necessary or covered. Although many insurers will review denials of coverage at the consumer's request, the company's word is final, even if a doctor says the procedure should be covered." (Knight-Ridder / Tribune Business News)
(Following also appears in Retirement Plans Edition)
HR-XML Consortium Works to Standardize Payroll Transactions
Excerpt: "Payroll Providers Invited to Participate in Standardization Effort" (HR-XML.org)
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
This issue is sponsored by iBenefits
(click on banner for more information)
July 25, 2000
Interim Regulations on Cafeteria Plan for Federal Employees
Excerpt: "The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued Interim Regulations that enable federal employees who participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program to pay their health insurance premiums, for the first time, with pre-tax dollars under a cafeteria plan." (EBIA Weekly)
New Legislation Creates Protected Status Under Certain State Insurance Laws for Church Welfare Plans
Church Plan Parity and Entanglement Prevention Act of 1999. Excerpt: "Congress has acted to protect church welfare plans from being treated as insurance companies under state insurance law. Furthermore, under the Act, a church welfare plan will be deemed to be sponsored by a single employer rather than by a multiple employer arrangement." (EBIA Weekly)
9th Cir: Administrator Failed to Apply Plan's Definition of "Disability" in Claim for Benefits
Excerpt: "This case amplifies the need to read a plan's definitions (such as 'disability') carefully and to apply the correct definition in denying benefits. In addition, DOL regulations require that claim and appeal denial letters must cite the plan provisions on which any denial is based." (EBIA Weekly)
Death Caused by Intoxicated Driving Was Not Covered by AD&D Plan
Excerpt: "The issue in this case was whether the insurer for an employer-sponsored accidental death and disability (AD&D) plan was required to pay benefits to the beneficiary of a participant who was killed in a one-car accident. At the time of the accident, the participant had a blood alcohol level four times the legal limit." (EBIA Weekly)
Daryl Cagle's Collection of Editorial Cartoons on Health Care
(Daryl Cagle, Cartoonist)
Life on the Hill for Healthcare Lobbyists, Including Karen Ignagni of the AAHP
June 2000 cover story. Excerpt: "Washington doesn't merely represent a regulatory and legislative challenge. The government is also, of course, healthcare's biggest customer--spending hundreds of billions of dollars annually through Medicare, Medicaid and various other health entitlement programs. Set against this backdrop are the healthcare folks on the frontlines, the men and women who advocate for their corner of the healthcare universe--the healthcare lobbyists." (HealthcareBusiness)
New Virginia Commission Handles HMO Complaints from Insureds
Excerpt: "The program, which has not yet handled its first case, offers an alternative to consumers who tangle with their managed care company over whether a medical procedure is necessary or covered. Although many insurers will review denials of coverage at the consumer's request, the company's word is final, even if a doctor says the procedure should be covered." (Knight-Ridder / Tribune Business News)
(Following also appears in Retirement Plans Edition)
HR-XML Consortium Works to Standardize Payroll Transactions
Excerpt: "Payroll Providers Invited to Participate in Standardization Effort" (HR-XML.org)
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.