BenefitsLink Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter
Employee Benefits Jobs
Pension Consultants/Administrators
for Northern NJ Mid-Size Pension Consulting Firm in NJ
Relationship Manager
for New York Life Retirement Plan Services in MA
401(k) / Defined Contribution Plan Administrator
for R.J.L. Pension Services, Inc. in FL
Senior Relationship Manager
for MassMutual Financial Group in WA
Training Consultant - Retirement Services
for MassMutual Financial Group in MA
Account Manager
for MidAmerica Administrative & Retirement Solutions, Inc. in FL
Plan Administrator
for Nationwide in OH
Enrolled Actuary
for EisnerAmper Actuarial Services LLC in NY
Retirement Services Manager
for D.C. Retirement Board in DC
Post Your Job on EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com
We also publish the BenefitsLink Retirement Plans Newsletter (free): Subscribe
EBSA Web Page: Focus on Health Care Fraud: MEWAs
A collection of information starting with the fact sheet, How To Protect Your Employees When Purchasing Health Insurance
. Tips employers can use when comparing benefits and costs of multiple insurance products. (U.S. Employee Benefits Security Administration)
Looking for high quality software for your Welfare Plan Documents? [Advert.]
At ftwilliam.com our Welfare plan document software is easy to learn, easy to use and affordable! The software includes SPDs, corporate resolutions, participant forms, updates, amendments, error correction and more.
"Unless U.S. Congress acts before the end of 2011, the monthly tax exclusion for employer-provided transit pass and vanpool benefits will shrink to $125 in 2012, from the current $230. This reduction could mean the loss of hundreds of dollars of annual tax savings for employees who use these benefits. Meanwhile, the monthly tax exclusion for employer-provided parking benefits is scheduled to increase by $10 to $240 for 2012." (McDermott)
"The effective date of the final and interim final rules is January 1, 2012. HHS also requested comments in the final rule on certain issues, including how rebates are provided to group health plans and providing notice to enrollees. Comments are due no later than January 6, 2012." (Practical Law Company)
"The DOL's authority to issue cease and desist orders under the proposed regulations is not limited to MEWAs that are ERISA-covered employee welfare benefit plans. Instead, the authority reaches any arrangements that control the assets or management of ERISA-covered plans established and maintained by others." (Practical Law Company)
"Although some earlier decisions have allowed application of equitable considerations in subrogation/reimbursement disputes, this appears to be the first appellate decision to do so based on the express language of ERISA § 502(a)(3)." (Thomson Reuters/EBIA)
Obese People Use More Medications, According to Study
"Medications to treat high blood pressure and high cholesterol topped the list. Roughly a third of obese adults over the age of 20 used at least one drug to lower blood pressure and one in five used a cholesterol-lowering drug. That compares to about 17% of normal-weight adults on blood pressure meds and one-in-10 on cholesterol drugs." (Reuters via Employee Benefit News)
Health Savings Accounts and Account-Based Health Plans
"This report outlines research findings and statistics about HSAs in the following areas: enrollment, age and income distribution, health status, premiums, preventive care, and account information." (AHIP Coverage)
Survey Finds Physicians Unhappy with Health Insurance Companies
"Doctors believe plans make unjustifiable denials of claims and have needless preauthorization demands." (The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
"The market today is dominated by 'defined-benefit' plans, under which companies determine a set of health-insurance benefits that are provided for employees. These will gradually be replaced by defined-contribution plans, under which companies pay a fixed amount, and employees use the money to buy or help pay for insurance they choose themselves." (Bloomberg L.P.)
Benefits in General; Executive Compensation
"Governmental pension plans are exempt from the reporting, participation, vesting, and fiduciary standards of ERISA, and similarly governmental welfare plans are generally exempt from the ERISA rules that privately sponsored welfare plans must satisfy. Thus, a plan's status as ''governmental'' is critically important to defining the obligations of the plan sponsor, and the rights of participants and beneficiaries." (Groom Law Group)
Survey Finds Employees Can Expect More Perks in the Workplace this Holiday Season
"According to the survey, 40% of employers plan to give their employees holiday bonuses this year, up from 33% in 2010. Among this group, 73% are planning to give the same amount as last year. Fourteen percent plan to provide a greater bonus than last year, while 13% plan to provide a smaller bonus." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)
Employees Want Cash and Benefits Gifts for the Holidays
"Nearly three-quarters (72%) of employees responding to a survey . . . said a cash bonus would be among their top choices for employer-gifted holiday perks this year, followed by a salary raise (62%), and paid time off (32%)." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)
Employee Financial Wellness a Growing Global Concern
"MetLife's 9th Annual Study of Employee Benefits Trends also found 78% of respondents said concerns over financial problems while at work can have a negative impact on employee productivity. In conjunction with the study, MetLife also released a white paper in coordination with the Boston College Center for Work & Family, titled The MetLife Study of Financial Wellness Across the Globe." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)
Press Releases
New Success Story of Viking Range Corporation Shows How Firm Saved $1.1 Million on Health Benefits through Engagement Technology (Healthcare Performance Management Institute)
Mayo Clinic Study Confirms Smoke-Free Workplaces Reduce Heart Attacks (Mayo Clinic)
OCI Unveils Multiple Versions of Leave Management System (OCI)
BenefitsLink.com, Inc.
1298 Minnesota Avenue, Suite H
Winter Park, Florida 32789
Phone (407) 644-4146
Fax (407) 644-2151
Jeanette Hull, News Editor
David Rhett Baker, J.D., Editor and Publisher
Lois Baker, J.D., President
Holly Horton, Business Manager
Copyright © 2011 BenefitsLink.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
All materials contained in this newsletter are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of BenefitsLink.com, Inc., or in the case of third party materials, the owner of that content. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.
Links to Web sites other than those owned by BenefitsLink.com, Inc. are offered as a service to readers. The editorial staff of BenefitsLink.com, Inc. was not involved in their production and is not responsible for their content.
More useful links: