|
Federal Court Strikes Down Boundary Between Physical And Mental Illness
EXCERPT: The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has opened a breach in the artificial wall that has long separated coverage of physical and mental illnesses in insurance policies.
In Fitts v. Federal National Mortgage Association (Civil Action 98-00617), Judge Harold H. Kennedy ruled on February 26, 2002 that Fannie Mae and Unum Life Insurance Company of America (Unum) improperly classified an employee's bipolar disorder (manic depression) as a mental rather than physical illness, which subjected her to a 24-month limit in benefits.
Full Article...
2/28/02—National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002 Extends Code's Mental Health Parity Provisions
EXCERPT:
The Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA) prohibits a group health plan from applying a lower annual or aggregate lifetime dollar limit to mental health benefits than it applies to medical/surgical benefits. On January 10, 2002, President Bush signed into law an extension of the MHPA to December 31, 2002, retroactive to the September 30, 2001 expiration date. On March 9, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002 (the 2002 Tax Act). The 2002 Tax Act makes two changes to the MHPA extension.
Full
Article...
3/14/02—Employee Benefits Institute of America
Council Releases Updated Health Legislation Chart
EXCERPT:
The Council has released an updated chart summarizing the key pending health legislation. The chart covers topics such as mental health parity, genetic nondiscrimination and the patient's bill of rights, among others.
Full
Article... (Adobe Acrobat format)
3/18/02—American Benefits Council
Employers Explore Health-Care Options
EXCERPT:
While authorities ponder health care reform, employers are scrambling to keep health costs from putting them into financial intensive care. Premiums are increasing as much as 11 percent to 20 percent this year. Health care spending in the country is predicted to double within a decade to $2.6 trillion in 2010 from $1.3 trillion in 2000, according to the Kaiser Foundation. Experts say company leaders must think strategically and take swift measures to head off trouble.
Full
Article...
3/26/02—Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News via International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
New EBRI Research: Value Of Employee Benefits Constant In A Changing World
EXCERPT:
Despite the economic downturn and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks last year, American workers' preferences for various employee benefits changed little between 1999 and 2001, according to new research by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). Health insurance remained the top-rated benefit.
Full Article...
3/28/02—Employee Benefit Research Institute
Top-Selling Drugs Push Drug Spending Up 17.1% in 2001
EXCERPT:
Spending on outpatient prescription drugs dispensed through U.S. retail stores and pharmacies grew 17.1% from 2000 to 2001, finds a new study from the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation. 2001 was the fourth year in a row that spending on prescription medicines escalated 17% or more.
Full Article...
3/29/02—National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation
The Bottom Line on Vision Benefits
EXCERPT:
Every classroom has a teacher's pet - a student who always has the right answer, finishes all of her assignments on time and never raises the ire of the teacher. And in the generally rowdy benefits classroom, nothing pleases a benefits manager more than an easy to administer, cost-effective benefit that employees value and rarely complain about. Indeed, benefits has its teacher's pet - vision care.
Full Article...
4/1/02—Employee Benefit News
|
|
National
Health Observances
Health observances are days, weeks, or months devoted to promoting particular health concerns. Use these special times to sponsor health promotion events, stimulate awareness of health risks, or focus on disease prevention in your company. Information is available from sponsoring organizations and ranges from a single flyer to packets of promotional materials. The National Health Information Center Website features a
calendar of 2002 topics. Some of the April observances are listed here.
Alcohol Awareness Month
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.
national@ncadd.org
www.ncadd.org
Cancer Control Month
American Cancer Society
www.cancer.org
Counseling Awareness Month
American Counseling Association
aca@counseling.org
www.counseling.org
Contact: Christie Lunn
National Youth Sports Safety Month
National Youth Sports Safety Foundation
nyssf@aol.com
www.nyssf.org
Contact: Rita Glassman
Women’s Eye Health Safety Month
Prevent Blindness America
info@preventblindness.org
www.preventblindness.org
April 7-13
International Building Safety Week
National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards, Inc.
www.ncsbcs.org
April 14-20
National Infants Immunization Week
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: National Immunization Program
www.cdc.gov/nip
Source: 2002 National Health Observances, National Health Information Center, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC.
Calendar of 2002
National Health Observances Topics
|
|
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
|
