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=========================================================== BenefitsLink Welfare Plans Newsletter (Plain Text Format) August 19, 2004 =========================================================== We thank and invite your attention to today's sponsor: World Congress =========================================================== The 2nd Annual WORLD HEALTH CARE CONGRESS (Advert.) <URL:http://benefitslink.com/cgi/a_d.cgi?a_d=2004_08_19_welfare> http://benefitslink.com/cgi/a_d.cgi?a_d=2004_08_19_welfare (Click on above address, or copy and paste it into your web browser, to learn more.) January 30 � February 1, 2005 ~ Washington DC ~ Marriott Wardman Park Hotel The 2nd Annual 2005 World Health Care Congress is the most progressive forum to achieve an affordable, accountable U.S. health care system. Co-sponsored by the Wall Street Journal and CNBC, the 2004 executive conference initiated a dialog of national significance. The 2005 conference achieves significant strides in implementing actionable solutions as it will convene all stakeholders - over 1500 CEOs, senior executives and government officials from the nation�s largest employers, hospitals, health systems, health plans, pharmaceutical and leading government officials. (Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor) ---------------------------------------------------------- Rising Cost of Health Benefits Cited as Factor in Slump of Jobs <URL:http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/19/business/19care.html> http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/19/business/19care.html Excerpt: "Government data, industry surveys and interviews with employers big and small indicate that many businesses remain reluctant to hire full-time employees because health insurance, which now costs the nation's employers an average of about $3,000 a year for each worker, has become one of the fastest-growing costs for companies." (New York Times; one-time registration required) ---------------------------------------------------------- $3.2 Billion Overpaid In Social Security Benefits <URL:http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040818-111301-5110r.htm> http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040818-111301-5110r.htm Excerpt: "A federal audit estimates that the Social Security Administration overpaid nearly $3.2 billion in disability benefits since 1996 to people who were working and that it failed to detect almost $1.4 billion of the amount overpaid. The purpose of the yearlong audit by the inspector general's office for SSA was to determine how effective Social Security was in tracking work activity of recipients of Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance ..." (Washington Times) ---------------------------------------------------------- National Small Business Poll: Family and Medical Leave (PDF) <URL:http://www.nfib.com/attach/3918> http://www.nfib.com/attach/3918 27 pages. Excerpt: "The survey on which this report is based is structured to initially inquire about small employer policies toward family and medical leave." (National Federation of Independent Business) ---------------------------------------------------------- Insurer Highmark Attempts To Reduce Costs by Restricting Coverage for MRI, PET, CT Scans <URL:http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=25339> http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=25339 Excerpt: "The Wall Street Journal on Thursday profiled Pittsburgh-based not-for-profit health insurer Highmark, which is one of the first health insurers 'to impose ... a strict program on an imaging market already brimming with machines and runaway costs.' According to the Journal, in western Pennsylvania, 'an older-than-average population and an unrestrained imaging market' have contributed to the increase in Highmark's outpatient imaging expenses ..." (KaiserNetwork.org) ---------------------------------------------------------- Health Plans Resorting to Utilization Management <URL:http://www.benefitnews.com/health/detail.cfm?id=6363> http://www.benefitnews.com/health/detail.cfm?id=6363 Excerpt: "Benefit advisers might be surprised to note that some health plans are returning to once-unpopular cost control measures, according to a new study in the journal Health Affairs." (The ADVISER, BenefitNews.com) ---------------------------------------------------------- Employer Choices of Family Premium Sharing (PDF) <URL:http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/vistnesmorriseyjensen.pdf> http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/vistnesmorriseyjensen.pdf 40 pages. Paper-in-Progress from the EBSA Research Conference. Excerpt: "The increasing labor force participation of two-earner families together with the increase in unmarried households suggests that the way in which employer-sponsored health insurance is obtained by many workers and their preferences for different types of coverage has changed." (U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration) ---------------------------------------------------------- Mcdonald's Fights Try For Paid Health Insurance <URL:http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0408190332aug19,1,5638087.story?coll=chi-business-hed> http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0408190332aug19,1,5638087.story?coll=chi-business-hed Excerpt: "A battle is gearing up in California to determine if companies will be forced to pay for workers' health insurance." (Chicago Tribune; one-time registration required) ---------------------------------------------------------- Overview: Supreme Court Rules That ERISA Preempts State Patients' Rights Laws <URL:http://www.watsonwyatt.com/us/pubs/insider/showarticle.asp?ArticleID=13402&Component=The+Insider> http://www.watsonwyatt.com/us/pubs/insider/showarticle.asp?ArticleID=13402&Component=The+Insider Excerpt: "The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that ERISA preempts state laws that allow health plan participants to sue their health plans for denying coverage." (Watson Wyatt Worldwide) ========================================================== Links To Items on Executive Comp, Benefits In General ---------------------------------------------------------- FASB: Options Are Equity <URL:http://www.plansponsor.com/pi_type10/?RECORD_ID=26461> http://www.plansponsor.com/pi_type10/?RECORD_ID=26461 Excerpt: "The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has reaffirmed its basis that stock option awards should be treated as equity and not a liability. With the decision, the Norwalk, Connecticut-based accounting standards board has effectively ruled out the possibility that companies would be allowed to adjust options expense to reflect how much employees actually get." (PLANSPONSOR.com; one-time registration required) ---------------------------------------------------------- Overview: Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Legislation Has Broad Implications <URL:http://www.watsonwyatt.com/us/pubs/insider/showarticle.asp?ArticleID=13405&Component=The+Insider> http://www.watsonwyatt.com/us/pubs/insider/showarticle.asp?ArticleID=13405&Component=The+Insider Excerpt: "On June 17, the House approved the American Jobs Creation Act (H.R. 4520) which would make several significant changes to the rules on nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC)." (Watson Wyatt Worldwide) ---------------------------------------------------------- Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide [updated on August 17, 2004] <URL:http://was4.hewitt.com/hewitt/resource/legislative_updates/index.htm> http://was4.hewitt.com/hewitt/resource/legislative_updates/index.htm Excerpt: "Hewitt's 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, retirement plans, and human resources and employment law." (Hewitt) ========================================================== Newly Posted Events Pathfinder Demo - for Advisors Nationwide on August 31, 2004 presented by PLANSPONSOR <URL:http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38647> http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38647 SPARK Accredited Retirement Plan Consultant (ARPC) Training and Designation Program in Pennsylvania on September 21, 2004 presented by Society of Professional Administrators and Recordkeepers (SPARK) <URL:http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38649> http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38649 SPARK Accredited Retirement Plan Specialist (ARPS) Training and Designation Program in Pennsylvania on September 22, 2004 presented by Society of Professional Administrators and Recordkeepers (SPARK) <URL:http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38648> http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38648 Post yours! http://benefitslink.com/events/eventmaint.php ========================================================== Newly Posted Press Releases Health Insurance Coverage Dropped for Workers at Large Firms in 1987-2002 Period (Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI)) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=38236 Invesmart Urges Department of Labor to Mandate Fee Transparency in Retirement Plans (Invesmart, Inc.) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=38237 Effective Claim Denials Management (Health Resources Online) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=38239 Treasury Issues Guidance On Funding Requirements For Employers Who Elected Funding Relief (U.S. Department of Treasury) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=38240 Large Financial Institutions Widely Use Supplemental Retirement Plans (Todd Organization) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=38238 UnitedHealth Group Reports Marked Increase In HSA Activity Among Both Employer Groups and Individuals (UnitedHealth Group) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=38241 Post yours! http://benefitslink.com/pr/maint.php ========================================================== Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings Senior Pension/ 401 (k) Administrator - Takeover for Polycomp Administrative Services, Inc. in http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H39482 Senior Compensation & Benefits Analyst for Providence Health System in WA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40286 System Benefits Manager for Providence Health System in WA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40287 Institutional Investment Group Sales/Client Sales Support RFP for PNC Advisors in PA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40289 TPA Specialist - Western Region for Transamerica in CA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40290 Retirement Plan Actuary/Consultant for Charles Schwab in OH http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40291 Retirement Services Implementation Specialist (So.California) Bi-lingual / Spanish for ADP Retirement Services in CA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40292 Retirement Services Implementation Manager - Baltimore / Atlanta area for ADP Retirement Services in GA, MD http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40293 Benefits Delivery Project Manager for Hewitt Associates in TX http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40294 Health & Group Benefits Manager for Hewitt Associates in FL http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40295 Communications Manager for BISYS Retirement Services in MN http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40298 Benefits Administrator for Employee Benefits Firm for Ganim Group, Inc. in CT http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40300 Financial Services Specialist for Nationwide Insurance in OH http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40302 Post yours! http://benefitslink.com/jobs/post_help_wanted.html =========================================================== Subscribe to the BenefitsLink Retirement Plans Newsletter, Too Sign-up form is at: <URL:http://benefitslink.com/newsletter/> http://benefitslink.com/newsletter =========================================================== Copyright 2004 BenefitsLink.com, Inc.; except that you can forward this email in full (if you also include this boilerplate part) or otherwise reprint this email in full (if you include this boilerplate part) without obtaining our permission. 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