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Newsletter
June 14, 2007
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Big US Employers Propose Health Benefits Overhaul
Excerpt: "Some of the biggest U.S. employers said [yesterday] health care coverage and retirement plans for American workers should be delivered by competing third-party benefit administrators such as banks, investment companies and insurers." (Reuters via Medscape)
Disability Claims Related to Obesity Could Rise
Excerpt: "The EEOC says only morbid obesity, defined as weighing 100 pounds or more over ideal weight, can be an impairment shielded from bias. Under the act, a disability is defined as any physical or mental impairment that 'substantially limits' a major life activity. To be protected, the person also must be qualified for the job." (USA TODAY)
Employee Is 'Participant' in ERISA Plan Even Though Never Enrolled
Excerpt: "This decision illustrates once again the importance of 'participant' status when ERISA preemption defenses are at issue. The employee was never enrolled in her employer's group health plan. In fact, that was the gravamen of her claim. Her claims were nonetheless sufficiently related to the plan that they were preempted by ERISA." (Health Plan Law blog by Attorney Roy F. Harmon III)
GAO Testimony: Human Capital - Greater Focus on Results in Telework Programs Needed
14 pages. Testimony by Bernice Steinhardt, Director, Strategic Issues, before the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on June 12, 2007. Highlights are at http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d071002thigh.pdf. (U.S. Government Accountability Office)
NFL Launches Retiree Health Care Plan Amidst Groundswell of Criticism
Excerpt: "[F]rom Spencer's Benefits Reports: At its recently concluded Nashville meeting, National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell announced a coordinated campaign to provide health care for retired players who are in serious need of medical attention." (Wolters Kluwer Law & Business)
In Health Care, Cost Isn't Proof of High Quality
Excerpt: "Stark evidence that high medical payments do not necessarily buy high-quality patient care is presented in a hospital study set for release today." (The New York Times; free registration required)
California Small-Group Premiums Rise Sharply While Actuarial Values for Individual Coverage Plummet
Excerpt: "Using multiple databases, this paper examines recent trends in the affordability and comprehensiveness of small-group and individual health insurance markets in California. Both became less affordable over the study period." (Health Affairs)
Opinion: National Health Insurance Makes Sense for Work Force
Excerpt: "In the mid 1970s, the then-largest insurance company in the world, Prudential, added auto and homeowners insurance to its product offerings. The reason given for this move was, are you ready? ...because there was about to be a national health program in the United States that would end the need for health insurance!" (Springfield News-Leader via Physicians for a National Health Program)
Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide Updated June 12, 2007, for Health and Welfare Plans (PDF)
19 pages. This Federal Legislation Quick Guide provides short updates on federal legislation that is currently under active consideration by Congress or has recently been enacted into law regarding health and welfare benefit plans. (Hewitt Associates)
Health Care and the 2008 Presidential Election
Excerpt: "With Americans pegging health care reform as the top domestic priority, the candidates are unveiling their plans. Some are better than others, but none include the changes necessary to take on the twin scourges of the health care system: insurance providers and Big Pharma." (Mother Jones)
Overview: IRS Proposed Regs Provide Means of Complying with HSA Comparability Rules
Excerpt: "The IRS has issued proposed regulations detailing how employers can comply with the comparable contribution requirements for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), for situations in which an employee has not established an HSA by December 31st or an employee has not notified the employer that he or she has established an HSA." (Wolters Kluwer Law & Business)
Larger 2007 HSA Balances Reported by Plan Administrators
Excerpt: "Several large financial firms tell ICDC that their health savings account (HSA) balances have been increasing steadily this year. But they agree that it's probably too early to tie those larger balances to recent changes in the HSA rules that allow larger contributions and rollovers from other types of accounts." (INSIDE CONSUMER-DIRECTED CARE via AISHealth.com)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation: 2007 Strategic Planning for IRC Section 409A (PDF)
14 pages. Excerpt: "[Aon Consulting has focused on planning for] the practical next steps for employers to consider in addressing their obligations under the final regulations. [W]e will also suggest practical solutions to address the Section 409A requirements in ways that minimize both disruption to the employer and the impact on internal administration and the participating executives. Finally, we have set forth the documentary requirements which must be complied with by the end of calendar year 2007." (Aon Consulting)
DOL Enforcement Litigation Year to Date
Excerpt: "[On the target page] are listed ERISA enforcement actions initiated by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2007 as reported by the Employee Benefit Security Administration. The actions are divided into criminal and civil categories." (Health Plan Law blog by Attorney Roy F. Harmon III)
U.S. Carmakers to Seek Labor Cost Cuts
Excerpt: "Industry analysts say that survival of the three U.S. companies is at stake. The three automakers based near Detroit generally pay about 30 percent more per hour in wage, pension and health care costs than Japanese automakers." (AP via The New York Times; free registration required)
Growing Older in America: The Health & Retirement Study
Excerpt: "Published in 2007, this colorful data book describes the HRS's development and features and offers a snapshot of research findings based on analyses of the Study's data. Sections of the report look at older adults' health, work and retirement, income and wealth, and family characteristics and intergenerational transfers." (National Institute on Aging)
Coalition of Large Employers Puts Forth Proposal for National System of Health, Pension Benefits
Excerpt: "The New Benefit Platform recognizes that a secure retirement must include health care coverage and provides an opportunity for post employment coverage. It proposes a new structure for providing benefits through independent Benefit Administrators who would compete with each other based on quality, use of information technology, plan design and cost. Each Benefit Administrator would be required to offer plans for a core set of 'lifetime security' benefits-- health, retirement and short-term savings." (ERISA Industry Committee)
Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide for June 12, 2007, on Human Resources & Employment Law (PDF)
11 pages. This Federal Legislation Quick Guide provides short updates on federal legislation that is currently under active consideration by Congress or has recently been enacted into law regarding human resources and employment law. (Hewitt Associates)
Newly Posted Events
Adjusting to 100% Risk Adjustment
in California on June 27, 2007
presented by Healthcare Web Summit
Newly Posted Press Releases
Major Grant to Pension Rights Center Highlights Importance of Retirement Security
Pension Rights Center
MCOL Training, Reference and Learning CD-ROMs
MCOL
Prudential Sponsors The 60 Summits Project in Promoting the Adoption of a New Paradigm Aimed at Preventing Needless Work Disability
Prudential Financial, Inc.
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
( Post a Job | View All Jobs )
Defined Benefit Client Account Manager
for New York Life Retirement Plan Services
in MA
Service Manager - Employer Market
for Security Benefit
in KS
Administrator
for Benetech, Inc.
in CA, GA
Pension Manager
for Southern California UFCW Unions and Drug Employers Trust Funds
in CA
Assistant Pension Administrator (Defined Benefits)
for Qualified Benefits, a BenefitStreet company
in CA
Request for Proposal Consultant
for Diversified Investment Advisors
in NY
Administrator
for CMC Retirement and Employee Benefits Specialists, Inc.
in CA
Implementation Project Manager - LCM Product Rollout
for Fidelity Investments
in NC
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article)
- Employee Benefits Library
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