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May 15, 2003 - 8,202 subscribers
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Strong Opposition To Deregulation of Association Health Plans
Excerpt: "Lawmakers are proceeding with legislation deregulating association health plans despite a chorus of voices warning that the move would do more harm than good.... 38 state attorneys general have joined the ranks of those opposing bills in the House and Senate that would amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act to include AHPs among insurers that are exempt from state laws." (American Medical News)
Business Groups in Ohio Support State-Based Association Health Plans Bill
Excerpt: "Six of the state's largest business associations are preparing to roll out health insurance reform legislation that includes easing restrictions on health-care purchasing groups in Ohio." (Columbus [Oh.] Business First)
Opinion: Insuring the Uninsured through Association Health Plans
Excerpt: "Part of the solution to insuring the uninsured is the creation of Association Health Plans (AHPs). These are plans created for individuals and groups who belong to associations that are related to jobs, careers, or hobbies and interests. The potential for growth of this type of insurance is quite large-- given a favorable regulatory climate." ( Donald L. Westerfield, Ph.D., published by the National Center for Policy Analysis)
Opinion: Flexible Spending Accounts-- the Case for Reform
Excerpt: "Congress can help control health care costs, reduce the number of uninsured and promote quality medical care by making an existing health benefit-- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)-- more flexible, portable and widely available. Doing so would give millions of Americans more control over their medical care and make them more cost-conscious patients." (National Center for Policy Analysis)
Group Pushes for Domestic Partner Benefits for Government Employees in Charlotte
Excerpt: "Members of the Mecklenburg Gay and Lesbian Political Action Committee continued their quest for health benefits for domestic partners of gay employees Wednesday, offering legal reasons why they believe the city has authority to give the benefits." (Charlotte Observer)
CalPERS Announces New Healthcare Purchasing Criteria
Excerpt: "Saying that the managed health care model is broken, the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) today approved an 11-point strategic plan aimed at rewriting the book on health benefit purchasing for its 1.2 million enrollees." (California Public Employees' Retirement System)
Kerry Touts Narrower, Less-Expensive Healthcare Plan
Excerpt: "Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry outlined a health care plan Tuesday to cover the nation's uninsured that is less expensive but less comprehensive than some of his rivals' proposals, joining a debate that is defining the Democratic presidential contest." (USA Today)
Consumer Group Announces New Website Geared to Developing Consensus on Universal Health Care
Press release. Excerpt: "[On May 14, 2003] the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (FTCR) launched a new interactive website designed to encourage consumers, employers, hospital administrators and health care providers to come to consensus on universal health care. The website is sponsored by the FTCR's California Health Consensus Project (Project)-- a coalition of health care stakeholders working together to identify common problems and solutions in health care ..." (The Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Now Online: ERISA Controversy Report, May 2003 Issue (PDF)
Excerpt: "Clear communication-- documented communication-- is one of the best ways to avoid being sued. In this article, we discuss an ERISA litigation matter we recently handled, and how we were able to extract our client from a messy situation by pointing the court in the right direction from the very beginning." (Reish, Luftman, McDaniel & Reicher)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Manager, Compliance
for Means & Associates, LLC
in CA
Defined Benefit Implementation Analysts
for Constantin Control Associates
in NJ
Product Manager
for Paychex, Inc.
in NY, PA
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer of Statewide, Multiple-Employer Retirement System for Public Employees
for South Dakota Retirement System
in SD
Employee Benefits Consultant/Administrator
for Oxford Associates, LLP
in NY
Defined Benefit Plan Administrator
for Boyce & Associates, Inc.
in AZ
Newly Posted Conferences
( Post Yours! )
16th Annual Cincinnati Employee Benefits Conference
in OH
June 19, 2003
Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of Labor, Cincinnati Bar Association Employee Benefits Committee
Newly Posted Press Releases
( Post Yours! )
Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Applauds Passage of Retirement Security Bill
(U.S. Department of Labor)
House-Passed Pension Bill Contains Investment Advice Legislation
(American Council of Life Insurers)
Victory for DailyAccess Products
(DailyAccess.com)
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