Tristan Lejeune

The cost of employer-sponsored health insurance grew at only 2.1% in 2013, Mercer says, but companies expect levels to jump next year, back to around 5.2%

With the decision, state governors and insurance commissioners would have the authority to keep would-be canceled plans active until the end of 2014.

The decision, which helps live up to a promise Obama made when pushing for passage of health reform, is couched as an administrative fix that says following ACA will not require insurance companies to upgrade their plan for individuals who have been in these existing plans so far.

One HR source says the National Labor Relations Board is on a “crusade” against aggressive social media policies.

In a new survey of defined benefit retirement plan sponsors, 30% still have their pensions open to new hires, and 70% of those employers think they shall still be offering the plan to all employees five years from now, according a survey released Tuesday.

Helen Darling will be stepping down as CEO and president of the National Business Group on Health at the end of April. Stepping into her shoes will be Brian Marcotte, currently vice president of compensation and benefits at Honeywell.

Nearly one in five doesn't even know if their company has a wellness program. Are your workers entirely ignorant of your offerings?

Congress has introduced bills to reverse an Obamacare change on how Flexible Savings Accounts can be spent. Meanwhile, will the new rollover change impact HSA account holders as well?

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would ban workplace and hiring bias on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, finally passed the Senate today. Its future in the GOP-controlled House is less certain.

Up to $500 in a Flexible Spending Account can now roll over from year to year, but making the switch for 2013 could mean employees planning on using the grace period will lose money.

The majority of employers questioned by the NEBGH cite “employees’ poor health habits” as one of their top three obstacles to maintaining affordable health coverage.

With up to $500 now able to roll over from year to year, will employees flock to Flexible Spending Accounts? Benefits administrators should plan on it.

Most health plan cancellation notices are being delivered to individuals who had coverage that is now out of line with the Affordable Care Act. But some the changes are also affecting small employers who must decide whether to pay the higher costs for new coverage, or send workers to purchasing exchanges.

“The tool ... provides us with the ability to send out critical food safety alerts to all store managers instantly,” says one official, who adds that the ability to upload training videos was a big part of what needed to be a very low-budget solution.

A Towers Watson survey suggests HR use of mobile apps is rising slowly but steadily.

BFE speaker says lots remain unknow about the ACA’s effect on dental benefits.

Guardian launches stop-loss insurance product.

Employers overlook wellness best practices, according to bswift research.

“Health care costs continue to rise, and as employers look at ways to combat that, there are a number of tactics they might take,” Guardian’s Ray Marra tells EBN. “One of those tactics is to go self-funded, and obviously for self-funded, they need to build some high-end claim protection for themselves…”

The shutdown is over and the debt ceiling has been vaulted, but those watching the deal come out of Congress say just because the ACA and employee benefits were largely left out of the fray, it doesn’t mean they won’t feature prominently in future budget debates.