Health plan admin - misc (BenefitsLink.com)Headlines re Health plan admin - misc, gathered by BenefitsLink.comHealth Plan Study Shows Performance Varies Region to Region- (Found June 19, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Employers hope that a health insurer managing regional plans across the country will deliver consistent services to all members. New research by J.D. Power and Associates shows that may not always be the case." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required)http://ebn.benefitnews.com/asset/article/581441/staying-current/health-plan-study-shows-pe... Opinion The Trouble With Estoppel in ERISA Cases- (Found June 19, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Every now and then an estoppel case pops up under ERISA, and the law is twisted and mangled to make it fit." (BNA Pension & Benefits Blog)http://bnablog.bna.com/penben/2008/05/the-trouble-wit.html Opinion BCBSA Commends Administration and Congress on Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act- (Found June 19, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies do not deny coverage to members based on their confidential genetic profiles, and we support protections on the use of such data. We are very pleased GINA encourages patients to obtain appropriate genetic testing to take advantage of prevention and effective treatment - rather than delay potentially life-saving care." (Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association)http://www.bcbs.com/news/bcbsa/bcbsa-commends-administration-on-gina.html Guidance Overview President Bush Signs the New Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act into Law (PDF)- (Found June 19, 2008 ) Excerpt: "In terms of a practical response to GINA, employers need to make adjustments to their policies and practices. Employers should . . . " (Dechert)http://www.dechert.com/library/Labor_EB_05-08_President_Bush_Signs_the_New_Genetic_Informa... Guidance Overview Case Summers v. Touchpoint Health Plan, Inc. Decision- (Found June 19, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Where a termination of benefits under an ERISA-governed plan was arbitrary and capricious, benefits must be reinstated." (Wisconsin Law Journal)http://wislawjournal.com/article.cfm/2008/06/02/2005AP2643-Summers-v-Touchpoint-Health-Pla... Report Ranks Aetna, Cigna Most Efficient, Accurate Among Health Insurers in Reimbursements to Physicians- (Found June 19, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Aetna ranked first among 130 large health insurers in efficiency and accuracy in reimbursements to physicians, and Cigna ranked second, according to a report scheduled for release on Thursday by Athenahealth, the Wall Street Journal reports." (Kaiser Family Foundation)http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=52416 Holding Your Third Party Administrator Accountable- (Found June 19, 2008 ) Excerpt: "A good place to start is asking a TPA for their SAS 70 audit, which should highlight significant and relevant characteristics of their internal controls for ensuring an acceptable ERISA compliance plan is in place." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required)http://ebn.benefitnews.com/asset/article/585431/compliance/ask-auditor-holding-your-tpa-ac... Guidance Overview Employee Benefits Review, May 2008 (PDF)- (Found June 19, 2008 ) 8 pages. The newsletter covers select compliance deadlines and developments in retirement and health and welfare plans. (Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c.)http://www.reinhartlaw.com/WebAdmin/publications/473.pdf Naming a Defendant in an ERISA Action- (Found June 19, 2008 ) Excerpt: "This article argues that courts should permit suit against any entity that played a role in denying the claim. This approach (1) is consistent with the plain language of ERISA, (2) is consistent with the legislative intent behind ERISA which was to protect employees from underfunded plans and from erroneous benefit denials, (3) is consistent with Supreme Court precedent permitting fiduciaries to be sued under ERISA, and (4) creates an incentive for entities making benefits...http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1109059 Obtaining Quality Employee Benefit Plan Audit ServicesThe Request for Proposal- (Found June 19, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Employee benefit plan sponsors and administrators can save time selecting an audit firm and evaluating the quality of its services by writing a thorough Request for Proposal (RFP)." (The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants)http://www.aicpa.org/pubs/jofa/may2008/checklist.htm |