Melissa A. Winn

Benefit experts and thought leaders will discuss some of the most important and possibly industry-changing trends for the coming year at this year’s Workplace Benefits Renaissance in Atlantic City, Feb. 24-26.

A new bipartisan bill has been introduced on the House floor to separate broker commissions from a medical loss ratio formula many in the industry say threatens agent compensation.

Employers opting to drop or forgo health care coverage for employees are still eager for ways to help their staff manage health care needs. Benefit firm FirstPerson has unveiled a unique solution to do just that.

Brokers and agents say the state exchanges did little to engage them during the first enrollment period under the ACA, and many in the industry agree improving the partnership between the exchanges and brokers will be critical to the survival of the state marketplaces.

Broker information was not compromised as part of a cyber-attack on Anthem’s IT system and the carrier says it is working with brokers to assist and inform their clients about the breach.

Financial advisers and most stock brokerages have been the target of a cyber attack, the SEC says, and insurance brokerages can be prime targets as well.

The introduction of new legislation to repeal the ACA’s employer mandate seeks to relieve employers of health care reform requirements Republicans say threaten job creation and growth. While many in the benefits industry applaud an effort widely considered futile, the employer mandate is only one of several ACA concerns employers say they have prioritized.

Department of Labor audits of employee benefit plans are on the rise and experts agree benefit advisers should be preparing their employer clients now for that impending knock on the door.

The Senate has begun debate on a controversial effort to redefine a full-time employee under the Affordable Care Act from one who works 30 hours per week to one who works 40 hours per week — a move that could release many employers from having to offer health care coverage to their employees.

Automatic features in 401(k) plans have proved highly effective at increasing employee engagement in saving for retirement, so why are some employers still not offering them?

Regulatory changes continue to challenge health and life insurance carriers to meet new market demands and stay competitive. Benefit advisers also looking to remain relevant should watch closely carrier reaction to these key issues in 2015.

This relatively inexpensive voluntary benefit is not only highly-appreciated by employees, it can act as a differentiator in a benefit adviser’s sales portfolio.

Despite worries about increasing health care costs for individuals, employee contributions to their health care plans are actually dropping, but employer cost and employee contributions also vary widely based on an employer’s industry, new research from UBA finds.

President Obama late Monday signed into law NARAB II, the highly-anticipated legislation re-establishing the National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers, creating a clearinghouse that would ease the ability of brokers to sell insurance in states across the U.S.

EAPs have evolved from counseling and call centers to offering employer clients a breadth of services, including regulation compliance.

Brokers and employers applaud the recent push by Congress to revise the ACA 30-hour work week definition, but the change could mean an immediate workload increase for benefit advisers.

The House and Senate have passed a bipartisan bill that contains legislation making it easier for benefit advisers to sell insurance across state lines.

Republicans, industry organizations and a coalition of employer groups are ramping up their efforts to change the ACA’s definition of full-time employment from 30 hours a week to 40 hours a week.

The ACA’s employer mandate is now in effect for large employers, but there’s still plenty of work to do. Experts share the month-by-month updates advisers should be providing to clients this year.

Plan sponsors continue to invest 401(k) assets in stocks, but employees and other individuals are increasingly seeking investment diversification.