Pension & Benefits Reporter Index-Summary

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT (HHS)

– CMS

See CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS)

HEALTH CARE

– Costs

– Diabetes management through employer health plans called “business imperative,” 32
– Information technology, bipartisan draft released by House panel, 1227
– Medicare

See MEDICARE

– Outlook 2008, 324
– Trends

– – Consumers seek more information on provider choices, 193
– – Contribution by employer, survey finds most Americans support, 194
– – Incentives offered by employers to improve healthy behavior and productivity, 413; public favors promotion of healthy lifestyles, 860
– – Obesity, employers addressing, 1225
– – Smaller share of workers receiving insurance through employers, 974

– Unpaid health claims, successor firm president liable (S.D. Ohio), 1418

HEALTH CARE COSTS

– Billing system, UnitedHealth database uses faulty information, N.Y. Atty. Gen. charges, 415
– Biologic follow-on products, savings predicted, 464
– Brand-name makers paying generic makers to delay drugs, FTC says, 1218
– Cancer and diabetes affect drug costs, 1404
– Combining universal health and other federal policies could produce savings, study says, 31
– Comparative effectiveness institute, health information technology, and value-based reimbursement proposed, 1218
– Comparative effectiveness institute proposed, 859
– Effect on wages, In Brief, 409
– End of employer financing proposed by New America Foundation, 1074
– Family medical expenses reported for 2007-2008, 1123
– Geographic variations, GAO says efficiency could cut, 464
– Medicare Advantage costs subject of House hearing, 619
– Medicare Part D

See MEDICARE PART D

– Planning for health care expenses in retirement called complicated process, 1286
– Pricewaterhouse predicts medical cost increase in 2009, 1491
– Quality initiatives not enough to cut spending, Senate panel told, 1285
– Strategy offered by former GAO chief, 858
– Take home pay hurt, 1491
– Technology not likely to result in significant savings without other reforms, 1221
– Transparency in pricing

– – CRS reports on cutting costs, 1080
– – Effect on cost growth questioned, 1402

– Transparency in pricing could cut costs, CRS reports, 1080
– Trends

– – CPI, inflation rate reported for 2007, 183; Jan. 2008 numbers reported, 455; Feb. 2008 numbers reported, 608; inflation slowed in first quarter, 890; Apr. 2008 numbers reported, 1114; May 2008 numbers reported, 1396
– – Doubling of spending by 2017 predicted, 514
– – Family coverage costs increasing, 1024
– – Flat incomes blamed for financial burden, 119
– – Half of cost growth due to technology, CBO reports, 297
– – Involvement of employers in employee health care surveyed, 772
– – Kaiser reports increase in employer costs per worker, 615
– – Managing drug benefits, employer approaches slowing increases, survey finds, 723
– – Most employers expected to continue coverage, 1074
– – On-site health centers promote wellness, 716
– – Unscheduled absenteeism effect productivity and profits, tracking urged, 1079
– – Voluntary and mandatory employer benefits spending reported for 2006, 182

– Uninsured persons

See UNINSURED PERSONS

– Waste in system analyzed, 858
– Wellness programs may keep costs down, 1228

HEALTH CARE REFORM, FEDERAL

– Affordable coverage urged at House hearing, 237
– AFL-CIO pushes presidential candidates on health reform, 718
– BCBS reform proposal includes tax credits, health information technology, independent national research institution, 235
– Bipartisan agreement possible, former HHS chiefs testify, 1075
– Boomers' aging, system overhaul urged, 902
– “Chartered value exchanges,” 14 reform groups get HHS designation., 359
– Clinton reform effort veterans push reform as priority for new president, 236
– Combining private and public options suggested, 1127
– Coordination of care called crucial to redesign of system, 356
– ERISA preemption may impede, issue brief asserts, 351
– Federal Reserve chair comments, 1492
– Former Senate majority leaders plan recommendations, 906
– Health coverage tax credit, Baucus (D-Mont) supports expanding, 301
– Individual mandate

– – Business group supports over employer mandate, 294
– – Essential to universal coverage, study says, 294

– Long-term care, restructuring proposal offered by three organizations, 189
– Mayo Clinic president pushes value and care coordination, 721
– National health insurance connector proposed by Commonwealth Fund, 1128
– Perceived harm to public may spur action, 1124
– Physician performance, insurers and providers endorse principles to measure, 773
– Pools

– – Large insurance pools urged at House hearing, 1401
– – Legislation

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 6210, S 2795

– Priorities, health reform may trump tax reform, conference told, 1494
– Ryan (R-Wis) wants tax credits for insurance, 1201; mentioned at conference, 1202
– State of the Union, Congress unlikely to adopt, White House ideas analysts say, 299
– Tax code revisions likely part of reform, 669
– Universal health combined with other federal policies could produce savings, study says, 31
– U.S. Chamber of Commerce favors employer-based system, 1493
– Wyden (D-Ore) bill

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 334

– Yearly drug licenses for consumers suggested, 237

HEALTH CARE REFORM, STATE

– California

– – Ballot question planned, 79
– – Cost issues raised, 196
– – Omnibus health care reform approved by Assembly, would impose pay to play system, 33; analysis says cost will exceed revenues, 238; labor unions divided, 239; Senate rejects, governor vows to pursue reform, 302
– – S.F., employer insurance contribution mandate

– – – Enrollment numbers reported, 1081
– – – Most employers following law, 623
– – – Preempted by ERISA (N.D. Cal.), 48; stay sought, 96; stayed (9th Cir.), 123; business wants stay vacated (U.S.), 123; granted (9th Cir.), 201; restaurant association will not seek en banc review, 259; business wants stay vacated (U.S.), 421; business request denied (U.S.), 478

– House panel hears governors on reforms and small businesses, 516
– Me. health program funding package raises beverage taxes and revises insurance assessments, 909
– Massachusetts

– – Cost overruns and lack of controls cited by consumer advocates, 80; cost containment a primary problem, 1220
– – Expanding aid to working poor considered, 1132
– – Subsidized plan costs estimated, 414; numbers reported, 1290
– – Tax penalties announced for noncompliance with insurance mandate, 80; 2.5 percent of filers pay penalty, 1290

– N.H. small businesses mandate approved, 1132
– Non-ERISA plans face difficulties under new state laws, 1220
– S.C. small business purchasing pools, House approves, 303
– Tax credits for health insurance

See STATE AND LOCAL TAXES

HEALTH INSURANCE

– Assignment of benefits barred by plan (WD Mich.), 377
– Bank of America to restructure benefits, 907
– Building and shelter industry health trust can seek refund of surplus from insurer (M.D. Pa.), 803
– Cancer treatment approval delayed, injunctive relief denied (N.D. Cal.), 723
– Claims processing criticized in AMA report card, 1497
– Collaboratives, federal initiative to share quality and cost information described by HHS secretary, 723
– Colo., health benefit payments, bill would increase penalties for unreasonable delays or denials, 1032
– Colorado

– – Health benefit payments, bill would increase penalties for unreasonable delays or denials; signed, 1499

– Continuation coverage

– – COBRA

See COBRA

– – Comments sought by IRS, In Brief, 765

– Control, consumers want greater connection and access to providers, survey reports, 463
– CRS reports on proposals, In Brief, 360
– Excess skin removal after gastric bypass, coverage denial upheld (S.D. Ohio), 741
– Extra prosthetic arm coverage denial upheld (8th Cir.), 734
– Incentives for consumers, guide issued for employers, 195
– Individual insurance, many eligible fail to buy, 358
– Job security and benefits more important than wages, survey finds, 122
– Labor Dep't to sponsor health law seminar, In Brief, 34
– Laid-off worker who failed to make premium payments denied benefits (D.N.J.), 1251
– Mandated benefit review, N.J. Assembly approves, 621
– Orthotics and prosthetics, N.J. coverage mandate signed, 241
– St. Luke's Hosp. entitled to full amount of charges, administrator did not make proper notice of claim denial, discount forfeited (S.D. Tex.), 628
– Special education benefits improperly denied based on billing codes for psychiatric treatment (D. Colo.), 319
– Stop-loss insurance carrier certification, Md. bill signed, 981
– Sustainability of employer coverage questioned, 293
– Unlicensed driver, coverage denial for car accident improper (W.D. Tenn.), 746

HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HIPAA)

– EBSA to sponsor health law seminar, In Brief, 724; 725
– Heart transplant coverage denial not discrimination (E.D.N.Y.), 869
– Labor Dep't to sponsor health law seminar, In Brief, 34
– Privacy rule relies on voluntary compliance, 720
– Supplemental insurance safe harbor offered by IRS, 461
– Wellness programs, sponsors urged to determine applicability, 118

HEALTH REIMBURSEMENT ARRANGEMENTS (HRAs)

– Standards, In Brief, 34

HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS (HSAs)

– Ed. Note: HSAs were created by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act.
– Community banks, In Brief, 466
– Contribution and notice final rules issued by IRS, 902; guidance offered by IRS, 1283
– Form 5498-SA, HSA, Archer MSA, or Medicare Advantage MSA Information, In Brief, 1490
– GAO study, In Brief, 1082
– Inflation adjustment, IRS issues revenue procedure, 1123
– IRA distributions to HSAs, IRS issues notice, 1284
– Labor Dep't to sponsor health law seminar, In Brief, 34
– Reduction in care feared, 1125

HEDGE FUNDS

– ERISA, offshore hedge fund not fiduciary (S.D. Fla.), 782
– Increased investment by plans, GAO reports, 506
– Oversight

– – GAO reports on risk-constraining, 504
– – Scrutiny from SEC increased, 1275

– Voluntary rules for hedge fund managers and investors announced by government and industry leaders, 885

HIPAA

See HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HIPAA)

HMOs (HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS)

See MANAGED CARE

HOTELS

– L.A. living wage ordinance upheld (Cal.), 874