Editorial Staff

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.

President Barack Obama extended an olive branch on Monday to states struggling to implement his health care law, offering support for a proposal that would give them some flexibility in carrying out its key parts.

Employee Benefit News is soliciting short articles from benefits professionals on best practices related to open enrollment and voluntary benefits. Articles selected by the editors will appear in EBN’s June 1 issue or on the Web site.

AlwaysCare Benefits, Inc. recently noted that it achieved a major business milestone: signing up more than 500,000 employees and dependents for group dental, vision, life, disability, critical illness and accident benefit plans.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has triggered considerable angst about the fate of group health insurance coverage since its passage, but recent research suggests that it’s not expected to affect non-medical benefits.

Voluntary products were a key ingredient of employee benefit packages last year in the face of challenging times, with sales figures revealing a compelling story.

Last April, Eastbridge Consulting Group examined the interchangeability of key phrases describing “voluntary” benefits and the “worksite” market.

Employee Benefit News is soliciting short articles from benefits professionals on best practices related to open enrollment and voluntary benefits. Articles selected by the editors will appear in EBN’s June 1 issue or on the Web site.

Aflac Dental policyholders have a reason to smile. The carrier’s new voluntary dental insurance plan now offers multiple levels of coverage and more generous benefits that include higher annual maximums and better orthodontic coverage.

Younger generations aren’t very familiar with critical illness insurance, but challenging times appear to be spiking their interest in other workplace benefits, according to two sets of jointly conducted surveys.

After seeing enrollment in its medical plans gradually dwindle to less than 2% of total group membership, the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America will shutter this product line and instead focus on dental, disability, life, critical illness and disability offerings.