PlanAhead Direct - February 2002

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A free monthly newsletter for plan sponsors and employee benefits professionals published by The Benefit Services Group, Inc.	February 2002 Volume 1, Number 1

SPD Revisions Loom on Calendar Human resource and benefit managers need to mind the calendar, because come January 2003 they need to have their group health and retirement plan summary plan descriptions (SPDs) updated and in compliance with Labor Department regulations. Full Article... January 2002—Employee Benefit News BLS Finds Few Workers Covered by Both Pension, DC Plans “In 1999, some 48% of employees in private establishments were offered a retirement plan by their employers, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals. However, according to the new National Compensation Survey, of these just over 20% were covered by a defined benefit plan, 36% were offered a defined contribution plan, and a little under 10% of the sample were enrolled in both types of plans” Full Article... 01/02/02—PLANSPONSOR.com (free registration required) HIAA Press Release: Supreme Court Case Could Lead to Erosion "What the Court must decide in this case is whether the Illinois state law regarding external review is pre-empted by the 1974 federal ERISA law. How the Court will rule is difficult to predict, but what's clear is this: If states are permitted to regulate health-plan administration, we could see an erosion of employer-provided health benefits in the United States. Full Article... 01/17/02—Insurance Association of America Long-term Evaluation Documents Wellness Program Savings A four-year study of Johnson & Johnson’s corporate wellness program has yielded the first-ever long-term evaluation of the financial and health impact of such initiatives, and the results are promising. Full Article... 1/30/02—Benefitnews Connect and Adviser IRS News Release IR-2002-9 The Internal Revenue Service reminds employers and plan administrators to amend their employees' retirement plans by the February 28, 2002, deadline. They must amend these plans to accommodate extensive changes contained in recent legislation affecting employee plans. This deadline affects qualified retirement plans, which include 401(k) plans, defined benefit pension plans, profit-sharing plans, ESOPs and Keogh plans. Full Article... 1/30/02—BenefitsLink Mental Health Parity Act Extended to December 31, 2002 On January 10, 2002, President Bush signed H.R. 3061 (Pub. L. 107-116, 115 Stat. 2177), the 2002 Appropriations Act for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. This legislation includes a provision that extends the original sunset date under the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 (MHPA). Full Article... 1/30/02—U.S. Department of Labor

	Wellness Trivia What is the single greatest cause of disease and premature death in America today? Click here for the answer. Healthy Bytes While some addictions are relatively harmless, others can seriously impair an employee's work, health and personal life. Here are some online sources of information to help you learn more about addictions. Prevline - The cost of drug abuse can be quite alarming. This site includes a drug calculator that can add up the costs of addictive drugs (cigarettes included) per year. Alcoholics Anonymous Is AA for you? What are the 12 steps to becoming sober? These questions and more are answered on this national organization's Web site. Caffeine and Neuroscience Created by the University of Washington, this site is full of basic information about caffeine and its effects on the body. Take a poll to see where you fit in as a caffeine addict. Quit Smoking Learn to quit smoking through this Web site and get closer to better health. Quitting tools and a Quit Date Wizard make quitting a little easier. Related Sites Addiction FAQs Eating, Gambling, Drugs Keep America Drug Free The wellness information in this newsletter is not intended to take the place of your regular doctor or healthcare provider. Please see your doctor for regular check ups or if you are experiencing medical problems.

The preceding is not intended to be and is not offered as legal advice. We are prohibited from the practice of law. Compliance is the responsibility of the employer or Plan sponsor and affected employees, who should seek their own legal counsel regarding questions about information presented in this newsletter. PlanAhead Direct is a monthly newsletter provided free of charge to select BSG® client representatives and associates. View and search back issues at www.bsg.com/news/paindex.htm. If you would like to change your subscription address, or request a plain text version, please e-mail your request to tessr@bsg.com. Copyright 2002 The Benefit Services Group, Inc. BSG® is a registered trademark of The Benefit Services Group, Inc.	W226, N887 Eastmound Dr., Suite F Waukesha, WI 53186 tel 262-521-5700 fax 262-521-5710 www.bsg.com