EBN Staff

To stay abreast of private exchange trends, advisers, employers, insurers and other legal and industry experts will share their insights about private exchanges at this year’s EBA/EBN Private Healthcare Exchanges conference in downtown Chicago, July 23-24.

The public has until July 21 to submit comments on the proposal that would expand the fiduciary standard to thousands of brokers and advisers who provide retirement investment advice.

Each year, Employee Benefit Adviser magazine grants awards to recognize excellence and innovation in the field. This year, we’ve added two new categories to reflect the growing role of the employee benefit adviser in having a positive impact on all facets of a client’s business.

Earlier this week, Walmart announced it was dropping health care coverage for employees who work fewer than 30 hours a week, a move the company estimates will affect about 2% of its workforce. Here’s a wrap-up of our analysis, plus a look at the ways other large companies are handling rising health care costs.

EBN’s annual Benefits Forum & Expo, held last week in Boca Raton, Fla., included a special focus on wearable wellness and an inspirational keynote address from marathon swimmer Diana Nyad. In case you missed the event, here’s our coverage.

“The majority of Americans, including many small business owners, are still confused about the health reform legislation,” according to Health Partners America, a broker training and education organization. Here are 10 FAQs about the Affordable Care Act and its implications for small businesses.

Darden and Sears announce they will use Aon Hewitt’s private health insurance exchange.

Employees of Sears and Darden Restaurants will be able to choose health insurance through a private exchange operated by Aon Hewitt.

Congress has approved a pension stabilization provision that is expected to give employers a more historically accurate and less volatile method of achieving full funding, but defined benefit plan sponsors also face an additional $9 billion in PBGC premiums.

Mindful of the way mobile technology has revolutionized the way people live and work, most global employers don’t mind when employees show up late for work and are more supportive of a flexible workforce than most employees realize.

As employee medical benefit costs escalate at double-digit levels worldwide, a new survey finds that wellness programs and health promotion strategies are gaining traction.