The Department of Labor (DOL) released proposed regulations that if adopted impose new requirements for the disclosure of fee and expense information to participants in self-directed individual account plans (such as 401(k) plans). The proposed rule is expected to be effective for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2009 and is part of an ongoing effort to ensure that participants receive sufficient information about plan fees and expenses so that they can make informed investment decisions. In the same notice, DOL proposed changes to the regulations under Section 404(c) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to integrate the disclosure requirements and to restate DOL’s position with respect to the scope of ERISA Section 404(c)’s protection.

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...in the Pittsburgh Business Times (full article requires a subscription):

Senior executives are taking a much more active role in administering 401(k) plans than in the past, according to a survey of more than 125 employers in the tri-state area around Pittsburgh.

Of the respondents in this year’s survey by Downtown Pittsburgh-based consultant Cowden Associates Inc., 94 percent said senior executives are involved in making decisions about investments, up from 30 percent in 2007.

...in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (full article):

The survey of 128 area employers also found that 25 percent of companies were automatically enrolling employees in 401(k) plans, up from 16 percent in 2007.

Cowden said the survey also identified a major deficiency among plan sponsors: One-quarter said they did not have an investment policy statement, which outlines the general investment goals and objectives of a retirement plan.

...in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (full article):

Employers in the Pittsburgh region are taking action to retain and attract top employee talent by increasing contributions to their workers' 401(k) and related retirement plans well above the standard 3 percent mark, a consultant's survey found.

Cowden Associates Inc.'s second annual survey of employers who sponsor defined-contribution plans released Thursday found a substantial year-over-year percentage increase in employer matching contributions.

Cowden Associates survey finds significant changes in investment decision-making process

Significantly more senior executives are taking a direct role in decisions regarding their organization’s 401(k) plans than in the past, according to Cowden Associates, Inc.’s Second Annual Tri-State Defined Contribution Plan Sponsor Survey.

Of the respondents to this year’s survey, 94 percent indicated that their senior executives are involved in the investment decision-making process, compared with 30 percent in 2007.

More than 125 employers throughout the tri-state region participated in this year’s survey, which was conducted during March and April, and provided information on their location, size, total plan assets, type of organization, and eligibility for and participation in the plan.

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Vince Wolf was featured in a Pittsburgh Business Times article from the August 1 - 7, 2008 issue:

To cope with the rising cost of specialty drugs, some companies are creating a new prescription tier for employees that requires a bigger co-payment and directing patients on these drugs to a specialty pharmacy, according to Vice Wolf, executive vice president of Downtown-based Cowden Associates, Inc. But care has to be taken to set co-pays that are not prohibitively high.

"It's understandable that you'd want them to pay more, but you don't want to create a huge financial burden," Wolf said. "Where the savings are is in the management of the prescriptions, making sure that people stay compliant, which has a longer term savings."

The full article requires a subscription.