The information presented on this page contains
hyperlinks to information created and maintained by other public and private
organizations. Please be aware that the U.S. Department of Labor and the
Employee Benefits Security Administration do not
control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of
this information, or endorse any views expressed or products or services
offered by the author of the reference or the organization operating the
server on which the reference is maintained.
Centers
for Medicare & Medicaid Services - The Health Care Financing Administration is now the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS provides
health insurance for over 74 million Americans through Medicare, Medicaid
and SCHIP. In addition to providing health insurance, CMS also
performs a number of quality-focused activities, including regulation of
laboratory testing (CLIA), development of coverage policies, and
quality-of-care improvement. CMS maintains oversight of the survey and
certification of nursing homes and continuing care providers (including home
health agencies, intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded, and
hospitals), and makes available to beneficiaries, providers, researchers and
state surveyors information about these activities and nursing home quality.
Department of Justice - The Mission of the Department of Justice is to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States
according to the law. To provide Federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime.
To seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior. To administer and enforce the Nation's immigration laws fairly and
effectively. And to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all
Americans.
Department
of the Treasury - The Mission of the Department of the Treasury is to
promote prosperous and stable American and world economies. Manage the
government's finances. Safeguard our financial systems. Protect
our nation's leaders, and secure a safe and drug-free America. And to
Continue to build a strong institution.
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority - The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), is the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. FINRA oversees nearly 5,000 brokerage firms, about 173,000 branch offices and more than 676,000 registered securities representatives. Created in July 2007 through the consolidation of NASD and the member regulation, enforcement and arbitration functions of the New York Stock Exchange, FINRA is dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through effective and efficient regulation and complementary compliance and technology-based services.
Internal
Revenue Service - The Internal Revenue Service is the nation's tax
collection agency and administers the Internal Revenue Code enacted by
Congress. Its mission: to provide America's taxpayers with top quality
service by helping them understand and meet their tax responsibilities and
by applying the tax law with integrity and fairness to all.
Joint
Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries - The Joint Board, which was established pursuant to
section 3041 of ERISA, is responsible for the enrollment of individuals who
wish to perform actuarial services under ERISA. The Joint Board is composed
of five members, three appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury and two
appointed by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, the Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation has one representative with no voting power.
National
Association of Insurance Commissioners - The National Association of Insurance Commissioners is
the organization of insurance regulators from the 50 states, the District of
Columbia and the four U.S. territories. The NAIC provides a forum for the
development of uniform policy when uniformity is appropriate.
Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation - The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation protects the
retirement incomes of more than 43 million American workers — one of every
four working persons — in nearly 38,000 private defined benefit pension
plans.
Securities
and Exchange Commission - The primary mission of the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission is to protect investors and maintain the integrity of the
securities markets. The laws and rules that govern the securities
industry in the United States derive from a simple and straightforward
concept: all investors, whether large institutions or private individuals,
should have access to certain basic facts about an investment prior to
buying it.
Only through the steady flow of timely, comprehensive and
accurate information can people make sound investment decisions. Each year the SEC brings between 400-500 civil
enforcement actions against individuals and companies that break the
securities laws.
Typical infractions include insider trading, accounting
fraud, and providing false or misleading information about securities and
the companies that issue them. Fighting securities fraud, however, requires teamwork. At
the heart of effective investor protection is an educated and careful
investor. Though it is the primary overseer and regulator of the U.S.
securities markets, the SEC works closely with many other institutions,
including Congress, other federal departments and agencies, the
self-regulatory organizations, state securities regulators, and various
private sector organizations.
USA.gov - The official U.S. gateway to all government
information and is the catalyst for a growing electronic government. Our work
transcends the traditional boundaries of government and our vision is global
- connecting the world to all U.S. government information and services.
A powerful search engine and ever-growing collection of
topical and customer-focused links connects you to millions of web pages -
from the federal government, local and tribal governments and to foreign
nations around the world.
On USA.gov, you can search more than 51 million web
pages from federal and state governments, the District of Columbia, and U.S.
territories. Most of these pages are not available on commercial web sites.
USA.gov has the most comprehensive search of government anywhere on the
Internet.
USA.gov will help you find and do business with
government online, on the phone, by mail, or in person. You may select
customer gateways - citizens, business and government - to find exactly what
you need.
U.S. Small
Business Administration - The U.S. Small Business Administration, established in
1953, provides financial, technical and management assistance to help
Americans start, run, and grow their businesses. With a portfolio of
business loans, loan guarantees and disaster loans worth more than $45
billion, in addition to a venture capital portfolio of $13 billion, SBA is
the nation's largest single financial backer of small businesses. Last year,
the SBA offered management and technical assistance to more than one million
small business owners. The SBA also plays a major role in the government's
disaster relief efforts by making low-interest recovery loans to both
homeowners and businesses.
America's 25 million small businesses employ more than 50
percent of the private work force, generate more than half of the nation's
gross domestic product, and are the principal source of new jobs in the U.S.
economy.
Social
Security Online - On June 8, 1934, President Franklin D.
Roosevelt, in a message to the Congress, announced his intention to provide
a program for Social Security. Subsequently, the President created by
Executive Order the Committee on Economic Security, which was instructed to
study the entire problem of economic insecurity and to make recommendations
that would serve as the basis for legislative consideration by the Congress.
In early January 1935, the Committee made
its report to the President, and on January 17 the President introduced the
report to both Houses of Congress and the Social Security Act was signed
into law on August 14, 1935. In addition to several provisions for general
welfare, the new Act created a social insurance program designed to pay
retired workers age 65 or older a continuing income after retirement.
American
Savings Education Council - The American Savings Education Council, a coalition of
private and public sector institutions, undertakes initiatives to raise
public awareness about what is needed to ensure long-term personal financial
independence. ASEC's goal is to make saving and planning a vital concern of
Americans and in the economic interests of employers.
Certified Financial Planner Board of
Standards - Founded in Denver, Colorado in 1985, CFP Board is an
independent professional regulatory organization that regulates financial
planners through trademark law by certifying individuals who meet its
requirements to use the CFP marks. CFP Board is accredited by the
National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). To receive NCCA
accreditation, CFP Board must meet the highest national voluntary standards
for private certification set forth by the NCCA, the accrediting body of the
National Organization for Competency Assurance (Washington, DC). NCCA was
created in 1987 to establish nationally accepted criteria, guidelines and
standards for certifying agencies.
Consumer Federation
of America - CFA is an advocacy organization, working to advance pro-consumer policy on a
variety of issues before Congress, the White House, federal and state
regulatory agencies, and the courts. Its staff works with public officials to
promote beneficial policies, to oppose harmful policies, and to ensure a
balanced debate on important issues in which consumers have a stake.
CFA is also an educational organization, disseminating
information on consumer issues to the public and the media, as well as to
policy makers and other public interest advocates. Conferences, reports,
books, brochures, news releases, a newsletter, and a web-site all contribute
to CFA's education program.
Finally, CFA is a membership organization, providing
support to national, state, and local organizations committed to the goals
of consumer advocacy and education. Most member organizations are consumer
advocacy and education groups -- national, state, or local -- or consumer
cooperatives -- credit unions, rural electrics, housing co-ops, and other
member-owned service organizations.
Employee Benefit Research Institute - Established in 1978, the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) is a
nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed exclusively to data
dissemination, policy research, and education on economic security and
employee benefits.
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans - The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans is the largest
educational association serving the employee benefits and compensation
industry. For almost 50 years, the International Foundation has served as the
premier source of education and information to the industry. And because the
International Foundation is a nonprofit, non-lobbying organization, benefits
and compensation professionals have come to rely on it for objective, accurate
and timely information.
Leap
Frog Group - Comprised of more than 100 public and private organizations that
provide health care benefits, The Leapfrog Group works with medical
experts throughout the U.S. to identify problems and propose
solutions that it believes will improve hospital systems that could
break down and harm patients. Representing approximately 32 million
health care consumers in all 50 states, Leapfrog provides important
information and solutions for consumers and health care providers.
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