Pension & Benefits Reporter Index-Summary

MADOFF SCANDAL

MAINE

– Autism coverage mandate, 992
– Lifetime health insurance caps ban signed, 839

MALTA

– U.S. pension treaty, 2583

MANAGED CARE

– Coventry, overcharging accusation (W.D. Mo.), 2102; copayment limits, 2592
– Fiduciary breach, HMO liable (7th Cir.), 1541; brief filed (W.D. Wis.), 2701
– Pa. bad faith insurance practice law, HMOs exempt (Pa. Super. Ct.), 375
– Trends, employers eliminating HMOs, 2633
– Va. HMO bill, 474

MANDATORY RETIREMENT

– Vt. state police mandatory retirement age (Vt.), 1643

MARYLAND

– Garnishment of unpaid contributions (D. Md.), 2148
– Out-of-network provider law, 1209
– State and local government plans

– – Proposed benefit cuts, 206
– – Same-sex marriage benefits, 1211

MASSACHUSETTS

– Cost of health care, significant variations, 317
– Health insurance

– – Autism mandate, 1728
– – Employer coverage rate, 317
– – Postpartum depression screening, 1931

– Health reform

– – Coverage statistics, 2772
– – Effect of federal plan, 1473
– – Penalties for non-coverage, 2773
– – Premiums for state health insurance program (Mass.), 1004

– Small businesses, limited plans and purchasing pools, 1827
– Small group rate hikes, 783

– – Filing rejected, 783; challenge (Mass. Super. Ct.), 939
– – Notice rules, 362

MEDICAID

– Disclosure

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, S 2249

MEDICARE

– Annuities, Medicare tax opposed, 469
– BNA fact sheet, 1861
– Fraud crackdown, 1559
– FY2011 budget, 319
– Health care reform

– – Accounting, retiree drug subsidy, 1153
– – Effect on Medicare, 1147; CRS report, 1293
– – Productivity adjustments, 1721
– – Timeline from CRS, 2496

– Higher-income beneficiaries premiums, 2695
– Insurer payments, reporting deadline, 410
– Low performing plans, 1866
– Medicare commission and health costs, 827
– Mexico, U.S. retirees, 1144
– Public trustees, 2381
– Revamp, CMS seeks insurers help, 2091
– SHIPs funding, 840

MEDICARE ADVANTAGE (MA)

– Benefit offerings for 2010, analysis, 318
– Cuts, Heritage Foundation report, 2090
– Enrollment, 1474; cuts, GOP concerns, 1594
– ERISA, SNF sues insurer (E.D. Wis.), 2557
– Health reform, CMS rules, 2495
– Maximum out-of-pocket liability, CMS rules, 836
– Premiums and healthy enrollees, 1292
– Rate freeze, 836

MEDICARE PART D

– Catastrophic coverage threshold, GAO report, 570
– Deductibility of drug subsidies, 622
– Discounts

– – Access to discount prices, 836
– – Effect on costs, HHS IG reports, 2590
– – Gap coverage and discount contracts, 1148; concerns raised, 1288; drug makers sign agreements, 2182
– – Manufacturers' agreement from CMS, 1725

– Excluded generics, 1288
– Generic drugs, CBO report, 2089
– Issues outlined by MedPAC, 2496
– Less-than-effective drugs, IG report, 1929
– Negotiated prices, lawmakers push, 516
– Offerings, CMS changes, 1929; CRS reports, 2498
– Premiums for 2011, 1869; higher for some, 2772
– Reassessing options, BNA Insights, 2209
– Simplifying benefits, 2283
– Specialty drugs, GAO report, 625
– Taxation, subsidy funding, 54

MENTAL HEALTH PARITY

– Challenge to HHS rule (D.D.C.), 800; rule upheld, 1484
– Comments for IRS, 512
– Employee assistance plans, 2389
– FAQ from Labor Dep't, 1537
– FOIA releases by Treasury, 1277
– Release of regs, 259; guidance offered, 517; discussed at conference, 571; implementation, analysis, 921; clarification sought, 1101; change sought, 1105; lawmakers comment, 1534
– Residential treatment exclusion (10th Cir.), 2451

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

– Bank of America purchase of Merrill Lynch, shareholder suit (S.D.N.Y.), 1988
– Chicago Cubs buyer seeks exemption, 1966
– United-Continental merger, pension issues, 1424

MEWAs

See MULTIPLE EMPLOYER WELFARE ARRANGEMENTS (MEWAs)

MEXICO

– Medicare, U.S. retirees, 1144
– Social Security pact with U.S., 312

MICHIGAN

– Health care reform implementation, executive order, 784
– PPACA challenged (E.D. Mich.), 2284; correction, 2339; appealed (6th Cir.), 2792

MILITARY PERSONNEL

See ARMED SERVICES

MINNESOTA

– Corrections Dep't, ADEA violations (D. Minn.), 929
– Health Reform Initiative, Commonwealth Fund report, 923
– State and local government plans

– – COLA cuts, retirees challenge (Minn. Dist. Ct.), 1226
– – Overpayment recovery (Minn. Dist. Ct.), 1225
– – Public employees reform bill, 1094; signed, 1197

MISSOURI

– Health care reform, voters reject mandate, 1723

MONTANA

– Discretionary clauses ban upheld (U.S., rev den), 1214
– ERISA premium limits preempted (D. Mont.), 1882

MULTIEMPLOYER PLANS

– Accounting, FASB disclosure project, 612; plans draft, 899; update of standard, 1967; attorney comments, 2123; deferred, 2481; project continues, 2534
– Amortization of liabilities, IRS guidance, 2675
– Asset decline, 1141
– Coordinated oversight, improved reporting, GAO report, 2533
– Credit ratings at risk, 2754
– Death benefits denial (S.D.N.Y.), 2147
– Expenses reporting, 1554
– Financial reports, EBSA rule, 446
– Funding

– – Decline in funded status, 255; improvement, survey, 1089
– – Insolvency, PBGC funding, 257; PBGC databook, 1857
– – PLRs from IRS, 402; 611; 823; 910; 1034; 1093; 1197; 1423; 1588; 1716; 2017; 2381; 2621

– Health reform, effect, 1722
– Notice and reporting requirement from PBGC, 2533
– Nurses arbitration award (S.D.N.Y.), 2645
– Obama administration concerns, 1093
– Reforms, BNA Insights, 2564
– Suspension of benefits (2nd Cir.), 2793
– Update for PBGC program, Senate hearing, 1270
– Withdrawal liability, calculating, 1619; disclosure, 1849

MULTIPLE EMPLOYER WELFARE ARRANGEMENTS (MEWAs)

– Annual report, 8
– Enforcement expanded, 2228
– ERISA, Allstate agent's state law claim over insurance purchase (M.D. Fla.), 227

MUTUAL FUNDS

– Assets reported, 1030
– Distribution fees, sales charge caps, disclosure, 1614; proposed rules published, 1717; industry opposition, 2482
– Fiduciary duty, investment advisor fees (U.S., vac), 847
– Janus Capital Mgmt. market timing (U.S., brief filed), 2509