Brian M. Kalish

Despite recent tax reform proposals, experts testified at a House committee hearing Tuesday that cutting the incentives for retirement plans would be detrimental to savings in this country.

There are questions about the future of the group long-term care market, as two insurers have stopped offering the product in the past 17 months.

Within 30 minutes of being contacted, insurance agent Dal Watson had already added this reporter on most of his social media sites - Google+, LinkedIn and Twitter. And doing so with clients has brought him and other brokers who are on social media increased business, better reputations and stronger connections.

Tough times have employees placing greater reliance on benefits for financial security, as employers affirm their commitment to sponsoring those benefits albeit with increased cost sharing.

Big shifts may be coming in how retirement plans are managed after the Labor Department announced the final version of its rules under Section 408(b)(2) of ERISA, which require broker dealers to disclose their services and fees to plan sponsors for individual plans.

Open enrollment 2012 is long wrapped up, but carriers are already preparing for 2013. As the health care market is in a constant state of change, EBA spoke with the major medical providers for their views of trends and what to expect in the future.

Employers share some of the blame for rising health care costs, but they also have the ability to dramatically cut those costs with a few simple steps, according to a speaker at the 2012 Employer Health & Human Capital Congress in Washington.

Big shifts may be coming in how retirement plans are managed after the the Labor Department Thursday announced the final version of its rules under Section 408(b)(2) of ERISA, which require broker dealers disclose their services and fees to plan sponsors for individual plans.

The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to officially repeal the CLASS Act, the long-term care provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Employees do not save enough for their eventual retirement needs, research shows. But, with tools, help and education from financial advisers that paradigm may shift - benefiting not only the employee but the employer and adviser.

While many brokers are worried about the future, Mike Sullivan of Digital Insurance is excited about it and the many opportunities that will present themselves.

The health care system is "so screwed up in where we invest our money," and that needs to change for costs to become manageable, said a health researcher in late January.

The health care system is “so screwed up in where we invest our money,” and that needs to change for costs to become manageable, said a health researcher Tuesday.

Insurance agents play a “big role” in making sure Congressional legislation comes out the way it does, two members of the House told the National Association of Health Underwriters Capitol Conference Tuesday.

U.S. health care spending experienced historically low rates of growth in 2009 and 2010, according to the annual report of national health expenditures published Monday.

Arranging and financing long-term care is an issue everyone will face yet no one wants to talk about. However, following the Health Department's move to table the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act, planning for long-term care is becoming part of the national conversation - and that presents opportunities and challenges for employers.

Last year was one full of health care news, with most of it focused around the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In 2012, there will be some major decisions and rules announced and decided. Here's a look back and forward at health care news.

The failure of businesses, including brokerages and advisory firms, to plan for succession is an often known - but little talked about in public - topic that research shows can have a drastic effect on a company, especially in the current economy.

Nationwide Financial launched a tool Tuesday that aims to help advisers estimate their clients’ health care expenses in retirement, which most Americans fail to plan for, the company says.

The field of dental care is where medical care was 40-50 years ago, as there are still thousands of dollars in price differences for the same procedure, and no standard practices, experts say.