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U.S. Master Pension Guide, 2012 Edition
Part of CCH's Master Series of professional guidebooks. The book provides a comprehensive explanatory overview of qualified retirement plans and other retirement arrangements, reflecting up-to-date law changes and regulations. Benefit COLAs, calendars, and tables reflect the year 2012 figures.

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CCH® PENSION — 7/31/07

New Benefits Bills In Senate

From Spencer's Benefits Reports: Between June 12 and July 23, the following benefits-related bills were introduced in the Senate. Included is a Senate bill to to improve the health coverage tax credit (S. 1739).

• S. 1588: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act, ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code to require that group and individual health insurance coverage and group health plans provide coverage for treatment of a minor child’s congenital or developmental deformity or disorder due to trauma, infection, tumor, or disease. Sponsor: Mary L. Landrieu (La.). Cosponsors (10). Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
• S. 1636: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code to permanently allow penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans for individuals called to active duty for at least 179 days. Sponsor: Elizabeth Dole (N.C.). Cosponsors (1).Referred to the Committee on Finance.
• S. 1647: A bill to amend Title II of the Social Security Act to repeal the windfall elimination provision and protect the retirement of public servants. Sponsor: Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas). Cosponsors (None). Referred to the Committee on Finance.
• S. 1714: A bill to establish a multiagency nationwide campaign to educate small business concerns about health insurance options available to children. Sponsor: John F.Kerry (Mass.). Cosponsors (2). Referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
• S. 1715: A bill to amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate discriminatory copayment rates for outpatient psychiatric services under Medicare. Sponsor: Olympia J. Snowe (Maine). Cosponsors (6). Referred to the Committee on Finance.
• S. 1725: A bill to amend ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, and Title 5 of the United States Code to improve the protection of pension benefits, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Tom Harkin (Iowa). Cosponsors (None). Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
• S. 1736: A bill to amend Title II of the Social Security Act to provide that the eligibility requirement for disability insurance benefits under which an individual must have 20 quarters of Social Security coverage in the 40 quarters preceding a disability must not be applicable in the case of a disabled individual suffering from a covered terminal disease. Sponsor: Christopher J. Dodd (Conn.). Cosponsors (None). Referred to the Committee on Finance.
• S. 1739: A bill to amend IRC Sec. 35 to improve the health coverage tax credit, and for other purposes. Sponsor: John D. Rockefeller IV (W. Va.). Cosponsors (2). Referred to the Committee on Finance.
• S. 1753: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code to provide a tax credit to employers for the costs of implementing wellness programs, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Tom Harkin (Iowa). Cosponsors (1). Referred to the Committee on Finance.
• S. 1754: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a workplace wellness education campaign and an evaluation of employer-based wellness programs, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Tom Harkin (Iowa). Cosponsors (1). Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
• S. 1767: A bill to amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide an exception to the 60-day limit on Medicare reciprocal billing arrangements between two physicians during the period in which one of the physicians is ordered to active duty as a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces. Sponsor: Ron Wyden (Ore.). Cosponsors (2). Referred to the Committee on Finance.
• S. 1783: A bill to provide ten steps to transform health care in America. Sponsor: Michael B. Enzi (Wy.). Cosponsors (None). Referred to the Committee on Finance.
• S. 1814: A bill to provide individuals with access to health information of which they are a subject, ensure personal privacy with respect to health-related information, promote the use of nonidentifiable information for health research, impose criminal and civil penalties for unauthorized use of protected health information, to provide for the strong enforcement of these rights, and to protect states’ rights. Sponsor: Patrick J.Leahy (Vt.). Cosponsors (1). Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
• S. 1824: A bill to amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a Hospital Quality Report Card Initiative under the Medicare program to assess and report on health care quality in hospitals. Sponsor: Barack Obama (Ill.). Cosponsors (None). Referred to the Committee on Finance.

For more information on this and related topics, consult the CCH Pension Plan Guide, CCH Employee Benefits Management, and Spencer's Benefits Reports.

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