Some newer cost-containment ideas

Article Abstract:

Costs can be contained in traditional indemnity health insurance plans by requiring prenatal care, preapproving visits to specialists and limiting mental health and substance abuse coverage. Employers should analyze their health claims for the frequency of these types of claims before using these techniques. Frequent mental health and substance abuse benefits claims can be coordinated by a managed-care plan while preapproval is only necessary when employees bypass primary care in favor of specialists or the emergency room. Required prenatal care is only useful with a young, female workforce.

Management, Health insurance, Medical care, Cost of, Health care costs

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Looking beyond changes for opportunities

Article Abstract:

The extensive pension law changes for employee benefit plans through legislation and litigation concern many benefit planners. However, each change can be considered a new opportunity if addressed in the right manner. Examples of opportunities created include the Patterson v. Shumate case which protects pension plans from creditors in bankruptcy and the law allowing rollover into individual retirement accounts if the plan includes distributions. Other changes have also created opportunities for the employee benefit planner.

Interpretation and construction, Bankruptcy law, Qualified benefit plans, Rollovers (Finance)

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Whose pension is it anyway?

Article Abstract:

The Retirement Equity Act of 1984 established the rights of spouses to the husband's or wife's pension benefits in case of divorce. The law permits a plan trustee to distribute the assets of the pension trust under a court order that amounts to a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO). State law dictates the way in which the trust is distributed. A cash settlement is one option, while a QDRO defers payments until the plan comes to fruition. QDROs do not apply to individual IRAs.

Analysis, Defined benefit plans, Separation (Law), Marital separation, Equitable distribution of marital property, Divorce property distribution

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