The pros and cons of state laws mandating mental health insurance are discussed in this report. The history of a 1985 Supreme Court case which held that states could mandate mental health benefits introduces the report. In an overview of the issue, the long-standing argument between the insurance industry and the mental health establishment is…

This information memorandum describes the selected laws, rules, and state-level activities in Wisconsin related to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and tests for antibodies to the virus (HIV) that causes AIDS. A section on current state laws on AIDS and HIV antibody testing describes laws related to informed consent for testing,…

The provision, known as Section 89 of the Internal Revenue Code, that requires employers to make sure that their health and insurance benefits do not discriminate against low-paid employees, is discussed. The process of comparing employee benefits and a lack of federal guidance has complicated matters. (MLW)

There is disagreement about who is to be the primary payer when dual coverage exists under Medicare and a employer-sponsored group health plan for federal, state, and local government employees after the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986. Medicare administrators of the Health Care Financing Administration interpret the Act as applying to…

As life expectancy increases, more people continue working later in life. Some retirement plans offer incentives, others disincentives to retire. Health, life, and disability insurance plans often have different provisions for older workers. (SK)

Used multidisciplinary disability management model to assist Social Security Disability Insurance beneficiaries to return to work. The model, which emphasized multidisciplinary disability management, marketing and public relations, work incentives training, networking, and job-seeking skills training, facilitated 27 job placements out of the 107…

This article outlines the main features of the present pension insurance scheme in the Federal Republic of Germany, the proposals of the Commission of Experts to Study the Social Security Status of Women and Survivors, the prospects for their implementation, and the essential aspects of the reform. (CT)

Presents case of man who died suddenly on morning of his fifty-sixth birthday and whose death was ruled to be from natural causes. Describes wife's handling of situation, victim's past medical history, and allegations and facts concerning his business and financial affairs. Comments are included from Timothy Michaels, MD, and Robert Litman, MD.…

This fact sheet on state laws governing the independent practice and reimbursement of services for clinical social workers contains information from questionnaires sent to the state agencies responsible for health insurance regulations and Medicaid and licensing activities. Information on Ohio, the only state which did not respond, is not…

Statewide efforts by the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs to secure third-party payments for nonhospital alcoholism services gradually dissolved due to changes in political administration and overall priorities. San Mateo County, however, served as a demonstration county for the effort and has continued to explore third-party…

This manual focuses on the promotion of good risk management practices. The first of four sections presents an overview of risk management in terms of risk management concepts and avoiding, transferring, controlling, and financing risk. Second, the manual present methods for identifying and assessing risk. The third section discusses different…

At the request of Senator John Heinz and Representative John Edward Porter, the General Accounting Office (GAO) assessed the nature of increases in the costs of medical malpractice insurance over the years, how various states have tried to deal with medical malpractice problems, and what federal and state actions may be warranted. This report…

Causes and implications of the crisis in liability insurance availability and affordability are discussed in this report. The working group concluded that tort law is a major issue in the insurance crisis and that the federal government can address that issue. The group also concluded that the federal government can do little to remedy other…

This document presents a statistical study of hospital use by children in the United States and Canada designed to determine why the hospital discharge rate of children in the United States is lower than many other Western industrialized nations, although the discharge rate for the general U.S. population is higher. Several reasons for the lower…

This article identifies various dimensions of the AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)-related issues emerging in corporations nationwide, including confidentiality, the right of patients to work, benefits and insurance, HTLV-III (Human T-Lymphotropic Type III) screening, fears of contagion among workers, needs of companies to avoid…