Benefits Think

Any “House” fans in the house? This one’s for you. (Personally, I’m more of a “Grey’s Anatomy” girl, thus the Seattle Grace reference above.)

Practically ever since March 23, when President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the $1 million question has been: What can/can’t employers do and still keep their grandfathered status?

You know the feeling you get when you’re caught in the rain with no umbrella? Likely, you think, “Why, oh why, didn’t I bring my umbrella?”

If you've turned on a television lately, you likely heard that the world has caught FIFA fever. Kicking off (pun intended) today in South Africa, the football — soccer to us Americans — tournament is front and center on the global stage.

Earlier this week, a few of you wrote to me to let me know that you were able to hear only the first nine seconds of Associate Editor Kathleen Koster’s extended podcast with a top-notch group of health care experts, parsing out the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act — discussing the most significant considerations for employers for this season’s open enrollment, and what provisions of health care reform will have the farthest-reaching impact on…

Clearly, I’m far from objective about the dependent eligibility extension under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. So, perhaps take this post with a grain — or a pillar — of salt.

Given how often health insurance carriers keep employers guessing — on rates, on claims data, etc. — it must be nice that carriers are the ones doing the guesswork, just this once.

You know those great sales stores offer — the ones that are like buy one, get three free? Usually, they come with a fine-print disclosure, “While supplies last.”

As more and more employers opt to auto-enroll employees in target-date funds to give workers a nudge (more likely, a shove) toward a secure retirement, new research from J.P. Morgan shows that while plan sponsors are aiming for the bulls eye, they may be shooting slightly off center with their target-date strategy. …

Here’s another little tidbit about me: I may be one of the only people who prefers going to the dentist to getting an eye exam. Weird, I know, but I have my reasons.