Jerry Geisel (mailto:jgeisel@BusinessInsurance.com)
WASHINGTON?Medicare legislation unanimously approved by the Senate on Tuesday would allow federal regulators to craft reporting requirements for employers and health plan administrators to ensure that group plans?not Medicare?pay bills of older employees who continue to work after they become...
WASHINGTON?The Bush administration has approved an innovative Indiana program that will extend state-subsidized health insurance coverage with consumer-driven features to low-income uninsured residents. The plan, which is funded in part by an increase in the state?s cigarette tax, is set to begin...
WASHINGTON?The Senate Friday confirmed President Bush?s nomination of Charles E.F. Millard to be the next director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. Mr. Millard, who has been serving as interim PBGC director, most recently was a managing director at Broadway Partners L.L.C., a New York...
WASHINGTON?Congress should seriously consider changing retirement savings plan law to eliminate waiting periods so employees can enroll immediately in 401(k) and other defined contribution plans, two lawmakers said Tuesday. ?Long-waiting periods don?t make any sense,? said Rep. Rob Andrews,...
BOSTON?The overwhelming majority of employers with at least 11 employees in Massachusetts will offer health insurance coverage that meets state requirements rather than pay an assessment mandated under the state?s health care reform law, according to state officials. Under a provision in...
WASHINGTON?Jet engine manufacturer United Technologies Corp. is asking the Labor Department for permission to fund benefit risks through its Vermont captive. Hartford-based United Technologies wants to use its 12-year-old Vermont captive, United Technologies Insurance (Vermont) Inc., to reinsure...
BOSTON?Massachusetts continues to reduce the number of state residents who lack health insurance as the deadline for residents to obtain coverage?or face financial penalties?draws closer. As of Nov. 1, nearly 133,000 people out of 160,000 eligible were enrolled in Commonwealth Care, a program...
WASHINGTON?Two major captive insurer trade associations have formed a coalition to battle a proposed Internal Revenue Service regulation that would strip away a key tax advantage for hundreds of captives. The Coalition for Fairness to Captive Insurers will represent the Captive Insurance Cos....
WASHINGTON?Legislation passed by the Senate on a 64-30 vote to expand the State Children?s Health Insurance Program, a government health insurance program for children in low-income families, would allow states to provide premium subsidies to families to offset the cost of group health insurance...
WASHINGTON?The tougher pension funding rules laid down by last year?s sweeping pension reform law set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2008, would be delayed one year under legislation introduced Wednesday. Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., who introduced the bill, H.R. 3868, along with Rep. Eric Cantor,...
