Insurance

The DOL’s proposed fiduciary rule presents complex challenges to advisers, clients and will exacerbate the savings crisis in America, NAIFA warned Congress Thursday — two weeks before the comment period on the controversial rule closes.

The recently announced mergers of four of the nation’s largest health insurance companies threatens to decrease competition in multiple markets, a threat the American Medical Association says will exceed federal antitrust guidelines and warrants regulatory review. Experts agree brokers will need to work with employer clients to find creative solutions to work with limited plan choices and keep premium costs down.

Sun Life Financial Inc., Canada’s third-largest life insurer, has agreed to buy the employee-benefits business of Assurant Inc. to further expand its presence in the U.S.

The IRS says employers can now do a trial run of their electronic form filing for reporting requirements under the ACA, giving nervous employers and their benefit advisers a way to test for readiness in advance of the reporting deadlines.

About 9.9 million people got health insurance coverage through the marketplaces set up by the ACA as of June 30, a decline from earlier in the year though still higher than the White House administration’s target.

Transgender individuals would gain new health care protections in rules proposed Thursday by U.S. regulators.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awards $7 million more than last year to grantees in 34 states.

Ford Motor Co. executive chairman Bill Ford said the company is considering a health-care co-op, an issue the United Auto Workers union has raised in negotiations on a new contract.

Greg Giangrande, executive vice president, chief human resources officer for Time Inc., is the recipient of EBN’s 2015 Benefits Leadership in Health Care Award.

A PBE's consumer-facing portal may be "the sexy piece," an Accenture exec says, but many clients are looking for help beyond open enrollment.