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For all of our collective benefits know-how, a type of health care plan has us EBNers stumped. We got word last week of an HRA-esque arrangement called a PFA, or participating funding arrangement. And then we looked at each other and asked, 'What is a PFA?'
October 6
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With all their money, houses, cars and jewels, I never imagined that professional athletes needed financial counseling. I just thought that since they could wallpaper their bathroom with $100 bills, they had it all figured out. It was only folks like me who needed help learning how to budget, plan, save and invest properly. Turns out, not so.
October 1 -
About six weeks ago, when I talked to Evelyn Ireland, executive director of the National Association of Dental Plans and Jeff Album, vice president of public and government affairs for Delta Dental of Calif., N.Y., Pa., and affiliates, they both were definitely concerned about aspects of H.R. 3200, the House’s health care reform bill.
October 1 -
For the people who looked at the headline and said, “What pension?” this post is not for you. However, there are some of you pros out there whose companies still maintain defined benefit plans, and new stats from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans show that 73% of multiemployer pension plans report they are less than 80% funded.
September 30 -
Since I know you’re all wondering, I wanted to let you know what happened to the protesters who yesterday staged a sit-in at a NYC Aetna office to advocate for a single-payer health care system. The 19 participants, wearing T-shirts with slogans that read “Medicare for All” and chanting “Patients, not profits!” linked arms and sat down in the lobby of the Aetna building, prompting Aetna employees to step around them on their way into their
September 30 -
Breaking news from Capitol Hill this morning is that Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has canceled the planned October recess (scheduled to coincide with Columbus Day weekend) so that the chamber may bring health care reform legislation to the floor. According to an online report about 90 minutes ago from the Congress-watchers at The Hill, Reid had previously threatened to cancel the break, but followed through today, saying on the Senate floor, “The Columbus Day
September 30 -
News outlets began reporting about an hour ago that the Senate Finance Committee has rejected the public option that was part of chairman Max Baucus' (D-Mont.) health care reform bill by a vote of 15-8. According to CNN, Baucus admitted that the public option would 'hold back meaningful reform this year.'
September 29 -
I have a feeling NYC jails might be more crowded today than usual. A group of protesters advocating a single-payer health care system planned a sit-in at an Aetna office in New York City this morning, with several other similar civil disobedience protests planned at insurer offices in Chicago, Los Angeles and other cities throughout October. According to a press release I received this morning, the protesters were expected to assemble and walk into Aetna
September 29 -
From now on, whenever I drink a German beer, see a person on a Segway or hear Coldplay’s “Yellow,” I’ll think of Robert Whiddon and wish he was still here. I know that Robert affected many of your lives and you have your own list of moments and circumstances that will trigger memories of him. And while we all have in our own ways paid tribute to him and his legacy, one of his contacts in
September 29 -
I hope that in my old age, I am as happy, active and engaged as Jack Borden, a 101-year-old attorney who still works 40 hours a week at his office in Weatherford, Texas. After working for more than 70 years, Borden recently was named America's Outstanding Oldest Worker — a title annually presented to a worker over age 100 by Experience Works, a nonprofit that helps older workers gain new job skills.
September 28