Two concerns that underlie preoccupation with health care costs are that society may not be getting a "reasonable return" from increased expenditures and that the quantity of services per expenditure could be provided more cheaply. Concern arises because the "market" for health care deviates significantly from other "free…

In terms of benefit plan coverage and protection, or "Benefit Environment", higher education is the most advanced of professional or employment groups. Between 1959 and 1969, the percentage of 4-year institutions of higher education in the U.S. having faculty retirement plans grew from 85% to 95%. About 50% of these institutions have some form of…

This study describes the present status of benefit planning in the junior colleges, discusses the principles governing benefit plans, and raises questions regarding the development of sound benefit plans in light of the needs of individual faculty and staff as well as of the goals of the institution. The base of the study was a questionnaire…

This speech concentrates on a discussion of the increasing difficulty that school districts are experiencing in obtaining insurance coverage. The speaker offers school administrators some suggestions to assist them in securing the necessary coverage and suggests that when an insurance market is open and competitive, purchasing through bidding is…

Strategic benefit planning is a management process that establishes overall objectives that form the basis for decision making on all elements of indirect compensation. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 and implications to tax-sheltered annuities are discussed. An example of a statement of university policy on employee benefits is appended. (MLW)

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)

Harvard University has found that insuring its retiring faculty for long-term health care was too expensive, blocking implementation of its planned benefits program and potentially affecting the planning of many colleges. (MSE)

This fringe benefit plan saves money for both employers and employees, provides a better fit for employees' actual benefit needs, and allows employees to choose options from a menu of benefits. One option is a flexible spending plan. Employees place a portion of their before-tax income into a special account from which allowable expenses are paid…

Describes a 9-district, 750 employee self-insurance cooperative in northeast Missouri that achieved a $90,000 balance over claims in just 9 months of operation. Explains mechanics of plan operation including level of benefits, premiums, financial integrity, and results. (NEC)

The changing social milieu has removed the charity patient but not the need for a teaching population. The University Hospital's program is described, in which patients prepaid a fixed, single fee for all obstetrics-related care through the third post partum day. (LBH)

This paper discusses the background and character of changes introduced by the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), examining post enactment responses by Congress, the states, and the courts. It explores the impact of the law on benefit use among immigrants, highlighting changes in usage among different…

Eleven federal agencies have established a multi-agency effort to increase enrollment of uninsured children in Medicaid and the state Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Noting that the cooperative efforts of agencies with jurisdiction over children's programs within the Department of Health and Human Services offer new opportunities for Head…

Dental disease is one of the most prevalent illnesses facing children in the United States today. Eighty percent of untreated dental disease in permanent teeth is found in roughly 25 percent of 5- to 17-year old children, most of whom come from low-income and other vulnerable populations. The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)…

This report assesses hardship among children of immigrants nationwide and in states with large immigrant populations (California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington). Data from the 1999 National Survey of America's Families show that hardship is greater for children of immigrants than for the children of…