Editorial Staff

The Essential Health Benefits Coalition has backed recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine to the Department of Health and Human Services' on an essential health benefits package.

A vast majority of New York State’s small business owners are giving two thumbs up to health insurance exchanges as a viable way to provide health insurance to their employees, according to a statewide survey commissioned by HealthPass New York, a NYC-based commercial health insurance exchange. The survey also found that exchanges have the potential to change the health care marketplace in New York at a time when many small business owners are struggling to keep afloat.

The vast majority of small business owners (82%) support the concept behind a proposed new retirement plan that would provide their employees with a guaranteed monthly pension benefit for life after they stop working. And 69% say they would be interested in adopting such a retirement plan for their own businesses.

Nearly two-thirds (63.8%) of plan sponsors have changed the investment lineup in their 401(k) plan in the past year, up markedly from a mere 20% in 2008, according to the Profit Sharing/401(k) Council of America.

EBN's annual Benefits Barometer is a comprehensive and convenient benchmarking guide to everything from average annual premiums for health coverage to the number of investment options in 401(k) plans.

According to a LIMRA report released late last summer, "Voluntary Worksite Benefits: Penetration and Market Potential," almost one-third of all employers are considering offering new voluntary benefits to replace existing benefits that are paid entirely or in part by the employer.

An entrepreneur has launched a new employee benefits service promising companies access to a network of certified public accountants who will offer prepaid tax preparation and year-round tax advice to their employees.

As open enrollment season approaches, employees likely will see that they have more voluntary benefit options than in previous years, a survey by Colonial Life concludes. The insurer's poll of more than 750 HR managers and benefits administrators found that almost half (49%) expect to add voluntary benefits to their plans within the next year. Employers were asked about their employee benefits packages and benefits communication efforts.

I started reading September's EBA by picking the article on page 20, "What construction teaches us about wellness." This article compared building a wellness plan to building a house, and it got my mind running. What a great illustration - I kept thinking about that as I read the rest of the issue. This article made a great point that no two clients are alike, just as no two houses are alike, and our job is to learn the needs and build the best plan for our client.

Unum has partnered with United Concordia and will soon offer dental benefits.

I read your May Editor's Desk column ("Employers should model job recruiting after "American Idol," blogger says") with keen interest, as I've brought some of that "American Idol" hiring mentality to my current job and it's been a great success.

Faced with the current challenges brought on by the financial crisis, company priorities have been forced to shift, and employees are often left with a lack of understanding and insufficient guidance on their benefits choices at work.

There are significant gaps between what consumers want from their insurers and what they feel they are receiving, even though overall satisfaction levels are high, according to an Accenture survey of 7,000 people from 13 countries.

Here’s a roundup of recent staff changes in the employee benefits industry.

VSP® Vision Care has released the findings of a new study showing $4.5 billion in savings for its clients through the early detection of chronic diseases via eye care and vision exams covered by the firm’s vision insurance.

Budget negotiators bypassed GOP-erected roadblocks to health care reform in the deal cut Friday to avoid a government shutdown.

The U.S. Senate passed a bill April 5 that would repeal PPACA’s 1099 tax reporting requirement.

The fall offering of the Employee Benefits Producer Training Program, scheduled for Sept. 19-30, 2011, will be held at the American Airlines Training & Conference Center in Fort Worth, Texas. It was previously scheduled to be held in Brookfield, WI.

A roundup of recent promotions and staff changes in the industry.

Consumers are spending $363 billion a year on ancillary health care, according to a new study by Deloitte.