As summer draws to a close, it is time to think about fall and what it brings: back to school shopping, fantasy football drafts, leaves to rake, and health care reform! Now is the time of year for benefits professionals to take a look ahead and prepare for the latest legal developments, in health care as well as in other areas. Some of the issues you may need to address before the end of 2010 include Health Care Reform, Cafeteria Plan Amendments, 409A Plan Document Compliance, Dodd-Frank Financial Reform, Determination Letter Filings, Qualified Retirement Plan Amendments, Plan Fees, and HITECH Act Compliance, and Regular Annual Notices. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to modify the Inventory Update Reporting rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act. The proposed rule includes, among other things, editorial changes to correct errors or eliminate redundancy resulting from the prior amendments, new and modified definitions, substantive changes in the reporting process, and changes in the type of information that must be reported. This article will discuss the significant proposed changes.  Sheila Jones

Matt Weber offers insight into how healthcare practices of all sizes can implement compliance programs to avoid fraud and abuse enforcement actions.  John Carruthers