Advisers Latest

With its sights set on maintaining lifetime retirement income for the American workforce, a new final rule from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation hopes to limit any obstacles participants face when rolling over their 401(k) money into traditional pension plans.

Commentary: Smartphone apps improve adherence and plan member health, and brokers can serve as catalyst for change in this new environment.

Perhaps the hottest trend in benefits right now is the exchange distribution model. In EBA’s ongoing series of discussions with heads of the country’s top brokerages, these leaders share their approach to the exchange system and how they see private exchanges impacting the future of benefits.

No short-term effects are expected from House GOP’s ACA subsidy lawsuit, but industry experts expect long-term implications on presidential authority and upcoming elections.

HHS is proposing to make some significant changes to the rules governing the Affordable Care Act, including a shortened time period for open enrollment and training requirements for brokers and agents.

Wizened consumers who are able to analyze their entire out-of-pocket exposure. That’s the goal of ConnectedHealth’s private exchange, says Joe Donlan, the company’s president. However, he predicts that increased consumer engagement is just part of the wave toward more employers adopting private exchanges. Donlan shares his view on where the industry is headed and how brokers fit into the exchange system.

Commentary: From the client perspective, brokers look the same, which makes you a commodity purchasing decision in their eyes. Q4intelligence’s Wendy Keneipp explains how to break away from this view and make yourself relevant and attractive to buyers.

Americans’ approval of the Affordable Care Act is at a record low yet those uninsured who purchased coverage through the exchange are overall pleased with the quality of coverage they obtained.

If brokers and human resources departments worked together, it would bring “peace and harmony” to a difficult process, says Trisha Zulic, of Efficient Edge. But with two strong personalities often unwilling to listen to each other, it creates conflict, she says. Watch as Zulic explains why brokers need to reach out first and listen to their clients – and what that can lead to.

The IRS plans to close a major loophole in the ACA by banning employers who offer ‘skinny’ medical plans without hospitalization coverage from qualifying as minimum value plans under the health reform law.