Today's News from BenefitsLink

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The BenefitsLink Newsletter -
Welfare Plans Edition

April 9, 2001

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White House Plans to Revise New Medical Privacy Rules
Excerpt: "The Bush administration has concluded that federal standards to protect the privacy of medical records, adopted with much fanfare by President Bill Clinton in his last month in office, are unworkable and must be revised, administration officials say." (New York Times; free registration required)

Fla. Court Denies Partnership Case
Excerpt: "The state Supreme Court declined to hear arguments on a domestic partnership law allowing unmarried partners to receive some of the same benefits as married couples. A conservative legal foundation had asked the court to declare the Broward County ordinance in violation of the state's Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits legal recognition of same-sex relationships." (Associated Press, via Excite News)

Same-sex Partners Get Benefits In California City
Excerpt: "With a unanimous approval that generated zero public comment Tuesday night, the city became the first in Contra Costa County to offer same-sex domestic partner benefits to its employees. A decade ago, the city's residents won notoriety around the Bay Area for denying gays and lesbians protection against discrimination." (Contra Costa Times, via Yahoo!)

Michigan University Extends Domestic Partner Benefits to Staff Employees
Excerpt: "Central Michigan University is extending same-sex partner benefits to its administrators and other nonunion employees. Professors won the coverage in a contract last year." (Detroit Free Press)

Five Rules for Announcing Layoffs
Excerpt: "If you find yourself having to lay off a worker, know this: how you give employees their pink slips will have an impact on whether or not you have a stronger company at the end of the process." (MSNBC.com)

Cell Phone Fatal Distractions
Excerpt: "To date, the Smith Barney case stands as the only high-profile example of an employer shelling out big bucks due to an employee's careless cell phone use behind the wheel. However, the role of cell phones as a key business tool has evolved quickly." (HR Executive)

Employee Outings Stay Popular Despite Economic Slowdown
Excerpt: "... Silicon Valley companies continue to encourage team spirit and employee satisfaction. In part, some companies do so because they are not significantly hurt by the economics of the high-technology industry. Other companies see the need to foster employee good will as too important to cut back on." (Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal)

Pennsylvania Lawmaker Wants Health Insurance Companies to Pay for Toupees
Excerpt: "A Pittsburgh-area state lawmaker says he wants insurance companies to pay for toupees. The state representative says his bill would require insurance companies to pay for hairpieces if a medical condition caused hair loss." (MSNBC.com)

Fibromyalgia: Hurting All Over
Excerpt: "Fibromyalgia is a mysterious illness with a long name and a bad reputation. For years, patients who went to their doctors complaining of inexplicable pain, stiffness and fatigue were told that they were depressed or stressed out and their symptoms were psychosomatic ... [but] Fibromyalgia is a real medical syndrome that is being taken more seriously these days, thanks to a study out of the University of Alabama that has found what may be the underlying causes ..." (Time.com)

With Costs Up, HMOs to Monitor Patients
Excerpt: "Joining a growing number of health plans nationwide, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Tufts Health Plan have hired national companies with sophisticated computer software to search patients' insurance claims and pharmacy records for those who are not receiving, or may not be obeying, the best medical treatment for their condition." (Boston Globe)

(Following items also appear in Retirement Plans Edition)

Ex-Spouse But Not Ex-Beneficiary
Excerpt: "Now the Supreme Court, in a ruling that employers applaud but that could have considerable impact among divorced people, has ruled that when employee benefits are concerned, these state laws are preempted by federal law.... Thus, the beneficiary specified by the employee still gets the benefits even though the couple had divorced." (Washington Post)

Graef Crystal: Steinway's Performance Isn't Graphed in Dollars
Excerpt: "My most treasured possession is a nine-foot Steinway concert grand ... The other day, my interest was piqued when I saw that Steinway Musical Instruments Inc. had just released its proxy statement. Naturally, I wanted to see how the company had performed and how much the CEO had been paid.... If the company hasn't done very well financially, its CEO, Dana Messina, has at least had the grace not to take out very much money.'" (Graef Crystal, on Bloomberg.com)

Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings ( Post Yours! )

Managing Actuary

for New York Life Benefit Services LLC
in MA

Benefits Specialist

for Administaff
in TX

Leave/Disability/Life Supervisor

for Administaff
in TX

Retirement Plan Specialist

for Administaff
in TX

Benefits Specialist

for Charles W. Cammack Associates, Inc.
in NY

Pension Service Specialist

for Principal Financial Group
in TX

Benefits Specialist

for CSI Employer Services, Inc.
in TX

Benefits Specialist

for Gulf States Paper Corporation
in AL

Newly Posted Conferences ( Post Yours! )

Continuing Education Day

in CA on April 17, 2001
presented by the Employee Benefit Planning Association of Southern California