August 19

HHS Provides Florida with $1 Million to Regulate Health Insurance -- U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced this week that Florida insurance regulators will receive $1 million from the federal government to better help the state regulate health insurance premiums. According to a summary of the grant application, $644,416 will be spent on salaries and benefits for six employees, including an economist, project coordinator, and actuary. Another $270,000 will go to computer contractors to help build a more consumer-friendly website.

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation will seek approval during the 2011 legislative session to review and approve large group health insurance premiums and out-of-state policies. Florida does not have review authority over either currently.

New Federal Regulation Prohibits Employees Under 18 from Operating Lifts -- The Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has declared that the operation of power-driven hoisting apparatus is particularly hazardous for minors under the age of 18. As a result of the designation, employees under the age of 18 are prohibited from "operating, tending . . . working from, repairing, servicing or disassembling an elevator, crane, derrick, hoist or high-lift truck." The WHD has confirmed that mechanical lifts used for lifting and transferring the elderly fall within the prohibition. Additionally, the regulation prohibits employees under the age of 18 from tending the equipment which includes assisting in the hoisting tasks being performed by the equipment. Prior to July 19, 16 and 17-year-olds were permitted to operate devices in this category if they weighed one ton or less. The full text of the rule is available by clicking here.

Please forward any comments to Carol Berkowitz at cberkowitz@fahsa.org. Thank you.

Premiums for Medicare Prescription Drug Plans to Remain Low in 2011 -- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that average 2011 Medicare prescription drug plan premiums will remain similar to rates beneficiaries are currently paying this year. This, coupled with new discounts for brand-name drugs through the Affordable Care Act, will help make medications more affordable for Medicare beneficiaries in 2011 and beyond.

The Effect of the Economy on the Nonprofit Sector -- A recent survey, "The Effect of the Economy on the Nonprofit Sector", conducted by Guidestar, measures the impact of economic times on the nonprofit sector. Among respondents, nearly half were CEOs, executive directors, or presidents in the nonprofit industry. The results indicate:

Some 40 percent of participants reported that contributions to their organizations dropped between January 1 and May 31, 2010, compared to the same period a year earlier.
Eight percent indicated that their organizations were in imminent danger of closing.
Sixty-three percent reported a total increase in demand for their organization's services between January 1, 2010 and May 31, 2010, compared to the same period a year prior.