Michael Giardina

Health care plan sponsors planning to get in the front of costly services this year may want to consider increasing employee communication, particularly if they have high deductible health plans. New data from Change Healthcare shows wide price variability among some common medical procedures.

The first trading day of February was one for the ages as equity markets dipped at historical levels and uncertainty still faces the Federal Reserve’s tapering plans. With these tumultuous market events swirling, 401(k) plan sponsors are keeping an eye on asset levels.

Long a provider of backend technology solutions to other private exchanges and employers, bswift announced today the launch of its own private health insurance exchange, Springboard Marketplace.

Proactive vision care has been linked to early detection of chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. However, a new study from HCMS Group finds that stand-alone vision benefits can equate to nearly $100,000 in health care cost savings for large employers over a four-year span.

Poll suggests employees are looking to employers to help them keep their healthy New Year's resolutions.

When gauging whether employers need health management programs, the focus should be less on medical cost savings and more on the benefits for increased productivity and risk reduction, says new research from Optum.

The Generation X population saw a significant decline in retirement confidence and savings due to the ongoing effects of the “Great Recession” and lacking labor market, a new study claims.

Premiums for health plans on new state exchanges under the Affordable Care Act are comparable to – and in some cases lower than – those being offered by employers with similar levels of coverage, according to a study released Thursday by PricewaterhouseCooper’s Health Research Institute.

Being prepared for retirement is no longer an after-thought as President Barack Obama boldly claimed at last night’s State of the Union; TIAA-CREF’s new survey adds to this national conversation, noting that one-in-three covered Americans say they place guaranteed income at top of their retirement to-do list, but many are faced with problems that their traditional retirement offerings can’t answer.

The study of gerontology, the comprehensive analysis of aging and the problems of the aged, now makes up a new job description and possible new organization direction at Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s retirement plan and financial benefit business.

In a hearing focused on Healthcare.gov’s safeguards, chief members of the House Oversight Committee on security charged virtually opposite assessments of whether the American people should be resting easy or panicking.

Google said Tuesday that it will work with VSP Global to offer its Google Glass prescription lenses and frames at a subsidized price.

A recent assessment of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s 2013 actions points to a trending change among discriminatory enforcement in disability policies that will most likely lead to additional headaches among companies trying to stay above water.

Employers looking to avoid expensive spousal health coverage may be tipping the bill for more employees under their respective health care offerings as the uncovered married population opts in, a new study says.

Earlier this month, the Surgeon General released a new report on smoking and health, marking the health agency’s 50th anniversary for when it first linked smoking to health concerns. The “Nation’s Doctor” is now correlating even more dire consequences to the addiction that will likely push more employers to incorporate smoking cessation initiatives into wellness programs in order to curb health risks and boost employee productivity.

The Internal Revenue Service recently drafted ACA regulations that offer some insight into what will be the associated monetary penalties for individuals who do not take up health care coverage. IRS officials laid out guidelines for what will be deemed as “minimum essential coverage” under the ACA. Officials also offered a breakdown of fines.

Crediting uncertainty surrounding ACA’s implementation, Moody’s Investor Services slashed the outlook for U.S. health insurers to negative.

BeneTrac, a San Diego-based employee benefits administration software provider, says employers need to act now in order to comply with the ACA’s employer-shared responsibility clause.

New research from the Employee Benefit Research Institute says that the health savings accounts saw significant increases in 2013 when compared to employer-funded health reimbursement arrangements due to funding structures.

Vanguard is partnering with HelloWallet to offer financial education to employees within 401(k) plans that the Valley Forge, Pa.-based investment company administers, a firm spokesperson confirmed today.