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

UnitedHealth Group to Support National Program Rewarding Physicians Who Promote Care Consistent with Evidence-Based Best Practices 
EXCERPT: "UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) today announced it has entered into an agreement with Bridges to Excellence TM to implement its program that recognizes and rewards quality physician care. Bridges to Excellence is an initiative led by an employer coalition of eight large national companies. The model uses the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) widely accepted evidence-based measures of quality and its associated administrative services to evaluate the consistency of clinical care against best practice standards."
Full Article
July 14, 2004—UnitedHealth Group 

IRS Guidance on HSAs
The Treasury Department and the IRS have issued comprehensive guidance in a question and answer format on Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). The guidance answers questions on a wide range of issues that the public has brought to the Treasury Department since the creation of HSAs. This is the version that was revised as of 8/9/04 to clarify what type of insurance company may serve as an HSA trustee or custodian. 
Full Article
August 9, 2004—Internal Revenue Service, Dept. of the Treasury

How to Achieve an R.O.I. on Your Health Care Dollars 
EXCERPT: "It is anticipated that healthcare costs will once again increase at double digit rates over the coming years. Although there are many ways to manage these costs, medical self-care represents one of the lowest cost, yet most effective ways to do so. Employees/members like it because they save time and money and feel empowered. Organizations like it because they are able to provide a low cost benefit and save a great deal of money simultaneously. Thus medical self-care produces the proverbial "win win" situation. It is a program that every union and corporation should strongly consider."
Full Article
August 2004—Coalition America 

Watson Wyatt Sees Renewed Interest in Employee Portals
EXCERPT: "With economic conditions continuing to improve, companies are once again investing in employee portals and corporate intranets in an effort to make them more functional and easier to use, according to Watson Wyatt, a leading human capital consulting firm."
Full Article
June 1, 2004—Watson Wyatt Worldwide 

Medicare Prescription Benefit Has No Apparent Impact on Commercial Drug Prices: Analysis

EXCERPT: "Medicare's new prescription drug benefit does not appear to be adversely impacting commercial group prescription drug price trends, according to an analysis commissioned by The Benefit Services Group, Inc. (BSG^®). During the first six months of this year, the cost of prescription drugs purchased by commercial groups increased at approximately the same rate as it did in the first six months of 2003, prior to passage of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act. 

Recent news articles have suggested that pharmaceutical companies may have increased their rates significantly in the first quarter of 2004 because of the new Medicare benefit. The articles cited a June 2004 study conducted by the American Association of Retired People, which indicated that drug prices for brand-name, prescription drugs widely used by older Americans increased 3.4% in the first three months of 2004."
Full Article

By providing links to other sites, The Benefit Services Group, Inc. does not guarantee, approve or endorse the information or products available at these sites, nor does a link indicate any association with or endorsement by the linked site to The Benefit Services Group, Inc.

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/PADirect/index.htm. 

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Copyright 2004 The Benefit Services Group, Inc. BSG® is a registered trademark of The Benefit Services Group, Inc.

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