An online, clickable version of this newsletter is available at: http://benefitslink.com/2004/2004_08_26_welfare.html
=========================================================== BenefitsLink Welfare Plans Newsletter (Plain Text Format) August 25-26, 2004 (combined issue) =========================================================== We thank and invite your attention to today's sponsor: Alexander Hamilton Institute =========================================================== Live Audio Conference. Get your HSA questions answered by our benefits expert.</b> (Advert.) <URL:http://benefitslink.com/cgi/a_d.cgi?a_d=2004_08_26_welfare> http://benefitslink.com/cgi/a_d.cgi?a_d=2004_08_26_welfare (Click on above address, or copy and paste it into your web browser, to learn more.) HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS: ARE THEY RIGHT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION? September 15, 2004 1:00-2:30 PM Eastern Time REGISTER TODAY Learn all about Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), how they work, and whether they can reduce your organization's health care costs. Visit our website to read the course outline, register, or to order a conference recording if you are unable to participate in the live event. (Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor) ---------------------------------------------------------- Valuing and Taxing Employment-Based Medical Benefits Provided to Domestic Partners <URL:http://www.mintz.com/publications/detail/294/Benefits_Advisory_Valuing_and_Taxing_Employment_Based_Medical_Benefits_Provided_to_Domestic_Partners_and_SameSex_Spouses/> http://www.mintz.com/publications/detail/294/Benefits_Advisory_Valuing_and_Taxing_Employment_Based_Medical_Benefits_Provided_to_Domestic_Partners_and_SameSex_Spouses/ Excerpt: "This advisory reviews the tax rules that apply to benefits provided to domestic partners and same-sex partners." (Mintz Levin) ---------------------------------------------------------- Employers, Employees Get Creative in Use of Paid Time Off <URL:http://www.investors.com/editorial/managing.asp?v=8/24> http://www.investors.com/editorial/managing.asp?v=8/24 Excerpt: "At Stanford Medical Center, when a nurse falls seriously ill or needs time off to care for an ailing parent, her colleagues can do more than just send flowers. They can donate some of their own vacation days." (Investor's Business Daily) ---------------------------------------------------------- Health Insurers Face Same Issues Employer Clients Do When Providing Benefits to Staff <URL:http://www.aispub.com/Bnow/082504b.html> http://www.aispub.com/Bnow/082504b.html Excerpt: "Managed care plans may be experts in designing and administering health insurance products - but when it comes to providing company-sponsored health benefits to their own staff members, insurers face many of the same issues that employer clients struggle with." (Managed Care Week via AISHealth.com) ---------------------------------------------------------- Wegesin Provides Comments on Welfare Plans' 5500 Filings <URL:http://www.aspa.org/archivepages/gac/2004/2004-08-03-5500comments.htm> http://www.aspa.org/archivepages/gac/2004/2004-08-03-5500comments.htm By Janice M. Wegesin. Excerpt: "Form 5500 filing requirements for a welfare benefit plan hinge on two things: (1) the number of covered employees and beneficiaries and (2) whether the plan is considered funded or unfunded, insured, or a combination of unfunded and insured. Three reporting patterns arise for filers of Form 5500 for large welfare benefit plans (more than 100 participants as of the first day of the plan year): ..." (ASPA) ---------------------------------------------------------- Which Medical Conditions Account For the Rise In Health Care Spending? <URL:http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/hlthaff.w4.437> http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/hlthaff.w4.437 Excerpt: "We calculate the level and growth in health care spending attributable to the fifteen most expensive medical conditions in 1987 and 2000." (Health Affairs) ---------------------------------------------------------- Obesity Raises Risk for 9 Cancer Types <URL:http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/health/AP-FIT-Obesity-Cancer.html> http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/health/AP-FIT-Obesity-Cancer.html Excerpt: "Being overweight can make it harder to spot tumors early, catch recurrences, determine the best chemotherapy dose, even fit into radiation machines. That in turn hurts chances of survival. One major study last year estimated that excess weight may account for 14 percent to 20 percent of all cancer deaths -- 90,000 a year." (AP via New York Times; one-time registration required) ---------------------------------------------------------- Tackling the High Cost of Health Benefits <URL:http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/26/business/26sbiz.html> http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/26/business/26sbiz.html Excerpt: "Dave Ratner, the owner of a small retail chain in western Massachusetts called Dave's Soda and Pet City, took a gamble with his firm's health insurance this year. To avert a 20 percent increase in his premium, or $8,000 in all, Mr. Ratner raised the deductible that his 17 covered employees must pay for hospital stays to $1,000 from $500." (The New York Times; one-time registration required) ---------------------------------------------------------- Opinion: Kerry vs. Bush-- the Future of Health Care Reform? (PDF) <URL:http://www.cahi.org/cahi_contents/resources/pdf/BushvsKerry.pdf> http://www.cahi.org/cahi_contents/resources/pdf/BushvsKerry.pdf Excerpt: "It's a presidential election year again, and you know what that means: health care reform is back on the political agenda. Learn about Sen. Kerry and President Bush's proposals on health care." (Council for Affordable Health Insurance) ---------------------------------------------------------- Opinion: How to Heal Health Care (Bill Frist and Hillary Clinton) <URL:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30277-2004Aug24.html?nav=headlines> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30277-2004Aug24.html?nav=headlines Excerpt: "At a time when much of our public discussion is riddled with disagreement, there is an emerging bipartisan consensus in one vitally important area: that the challenges facing U.S. health care require major, transformative change." (The Washington Post; one-time registration required) ========================================================== Links To Items on Executive Comp, Benefits In General ---------------------------------------------------------- Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide as of August 24, 2004 <URL:http://was4.hewitt.com/hewitt/resource/legislative_updates/united_states/qg_index.htm> http://was4.hewitt.com/hewitt/resource/legislative_updates/united_states/qg_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) ---------------------------------------------------------- Overview: New DOL Fairplay Rules Change FLSA Overtime Exemption Tests <URL:http://www.haygroup.com/library/viewpoints/flsa_rules-overtime.asp> http://www.haygroup.com/library/viewpoints/flsa_rules-overtime.asp Excerpt: "In April, 2004, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued new regulations for determining when 'white collar' employees may be treated as 'exempt' from the minimum wage and overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA). The FLSA requires employers to pay employees, other than exempt employees, at least the minimum wage and overtime pay at 1.5 times their regular pay rate, for each hour worked over 40 hours in a workweek." (Hay Group) ---------------------------------------------------------- Opinion: There's a Better Way to Handle Stock Options <URL:http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000039&refer=columnist_crystal&sid=aF.vVi_5jTFc> http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000039&refer=columnist_crystal&sid=aF.vVi_5jTFc By Graef Crystal. Excerpt: "It's time for U.S. companies to consider a better alternative to using free shares of stock or stock options as their long-term incentive plan: a combination of in-the-money and out-of-the-money stock options." (Bloomberg News) ========================================================== Newly Posted Events Consumer Health Care Breakthroughs -- Employees Can Save You Money Nationwide on August 27, 2004 presented by WorldatWork <URL:http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38665> http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38665 Mutual Fund Trading Rules in California on September 23, 2004 presented by Western Pension & Benefits Conference - Orange County Chapter <URL:http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38663> http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38663 QDROs - Bringing Clarity to Confrontation Nationwide on September 14, 2004 presented by SunGard Corbel <URL:http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38661> http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38661 The Monsanto Decision: What Does It Mean For Pension Plan Sponsors and Members? Nationwide on September 10, 2004 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans <URL:http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38662> http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38662 Washington Update in Illinois on September 7, 2004 presented by ASPA Benefits Council of Chicago <URL:http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38664> http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38664 What World Class Companies Spend on HR Nationwide on September 15, 2004 presented by WorkWorlds / HRTrainingCenter.com <URL:http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38666> http://benefitslink.com/events/detail.php?id=38666 Post yours! http://benefitslink.com/events/eventmaint.php ========================================================== Newly Posted Press Releases Arizona Company Honors Segal Co. with Supplier of the Year Award (The Segal Company) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=38252 Lip Service: Big Government Republicans On Free Market Health Care Reform (Americans for Free Choice in Medicine (AFCM)) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=38253 Plan Sponsors Gain Advantage with New CPI Offering (CPI Qualified Plan Consultants, Inc.) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=38251 Grassley Urges Rewrite of Rule Costing Employees Health Savings (Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman, Finance Committee) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=38250 The CPA's Guide to Retirement Plans for Small Businesses (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)) http://benefitslink.com/pr/detail.php?id=38254 Post yours! http://benefitslink.com/pr/maint.php ========================================================== Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings 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 Inside Sales Representative for ExpertPlan, Inc. in NJ http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40345 Senior Advisor, Pension Design for NRECA in VA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40347 Field Sales Coordinator for Transamerica in MA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40349 Vice President - Relationship Management for BISYS Retirement Services in PA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40350 Relationship Manager for BISYS Retirement Services in PA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40351 401(k) Specialist - Client Service and Compliance Skills for ADP TotalSource in GA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40352 Retirement Plans Sales Specialist for Waddell & Reed Financial in KS, MO http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40353 Pension Consultant/Administrator for TPA in San Diego, California in CA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40356 Plan Administrator for Susquehanna Bank in PA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40357 Receptionist for Leggette Actuaries, Inc. in TX http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40358 Senior 401(k) Plan Specialist for CitiStreet - A State Street and Citigroup company in MA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40359 Pension Administrator for Qualified Plan Consultants, LLC in IA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40363 Inside Sales Representative for BISYS Retirement Services in PA http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40364 Director of Marketing Communications for AIG Workplace Solutions in TX http://benefitslink.com/modperl/show_a_job.cgi?database_id=H40366 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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